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1 (October 31, 2002)

handle is hein.crs/crsuntaaals0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS21108 Updated October 31, 2002 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Ecstasy: Actions of the 107th Congress to Control MDMA Mark Eddy Specialist in Social Legislation Domestic Social Policy Division Summary Legislation has been proposed in the 107'h Congress to combat the use and abuse of Ecstasy (MDMA) and other club drugs. The RAVE Act (S. 2633/H.R. 5519) would intensify federal efforts to control Ecstasy by amending the crack house statute to more directly target rave promoters. The Senate bill has been reported by the Judiciary Committee and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar. Another bill, the Ecstasy Prevention Act of 2001 (S. 1208/H.R. 2582) would encourage local communities to crack down on raves and would authorize additional funds to be used in High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas for anti-Ecstasy law enforcement activities. The Senate attached a version of S. 1208 to the Department of Justice authorization act (H.R. 2215), but it was deleted in conference. H.R. 3138 and H.R. 3782 would also combat Ecstasy and other club drugs but have not seen action. This report will be updated as further congressional actions occur. Background' Ecstasy is the street name for MDMA or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. As its full, scientific name indicates, MDMA is in the amphetamine family of drugs, although its effects are unlike other amphetamine compounds. Discovered and patented by Merck Pharmaceuticals in Germany before World War I, MDMA was first tested on animals in the 1950s by the U.S. Army in its Cold-War search for a brain-washing drug. Civilian researchers became interested in it in the 1970s and were the first to study its unique psychological effects in human subjects. It seemed to reduce fears and barriers to intimacy, while enhancing communication and empathy, and showed promise as an adjunct to psychotherapy in the treatment of such problems as drug addiction, phobias, 1 The early history of MDMA is documented in a variety of sources. The facts here, which are recounted elsewhere, are drawn from: Grob, Charles S., M.D. Deconstructing Ecstasy: The Politics of MDMA Research. Addiction Research, v. 8, no. 6, 2000. p. 549-588. Congressional Research Service **o The Library of Congress

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