New Ecstasy Penalties / Law

[djscotphreak]

Think you’re going to get away with a slap on the wrist for getting busted with a bag full of ecstasy? Think again, hotshot. The governmental body known as the US Sentencing Commission has changed the guidelines for federal judges concerning ecstasy cases.

Why the sudden change? Ecstasy’s been under increased scrutiny from law enforcement lately. Police in major cities and recent White House drug policy report all play up the drug’s increasing popularity, and the entry of traditional drug gangs into the trade.

An additional source of concern cited is the presence of ecstasy outside of traditional nightclub settings. Pills are now said to be turning up more frequently in places like high schools, shopping malls and coffee shops.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a statement, “We never again want another 'crack epidemic' to blindside this nation. By monitoring what is happening on the streets, we can often see a problem before it becomes an epidemic.''

Of additional concern to lawmakers is the growing use of the drug as it filters out of its traditional usage groups. Recent studies show a sharp increase in the number of minorities using ecstasy.

Both Congress and the Justice Department asked for new sentencing guidelines for ecstasy, and the Sentencing Commission complied. The new rules call for sentences of between 63 months to 78 months for first time offenders caught selling 800 pills.

How do they come up with these numbers? There’s complex formula for weighing different drugs against each other in terms of seriousness.

Currently 1 gram of heroin equals 1 kilogram of marijuana. Until now, 1 gram of ecstasy equaled 35 grams of marijuana. Under the new guidelines, the same 1 gram of ecstasy will equal 500 grams of marijuana. This makes selling ecstasy five times more serious an offence than selling heroin when sold on a dose-by-dose basis.

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This information is not intended to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drug(s) you are taking, check with your health care professional. This information is provided as a guide only.