II

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1208

To combat the trafficking, distribution, and abuse of Ecstasy (and other

club drugs) in the United States.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JULY 19, 2001

Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. DURBIN, Ms.

LANDRIEU, Mrs. CLINTON, and Mr. SCHUMER) introduced the following

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To combat the trafficking, distribution, and abuse of Ecstasy

(and other club drugs) in the United States.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ecstasy Prevention

5 Act of 2001’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Congress makes the following findings:

8 (1) The illegal importation and use of 3,4-

9 methylenedioxy methamphetamine (referred to in

10 this Act as ‘‘MDMA’’ or ‘‘Ecstasy’’) has increased
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1 more than 400 percent during the past 3 years, as

2 evidenced by Ecstasy seizures by the United States

3 Customs Service.

4 (2) Some research has indicated that the use of

5 Ecstasy can cause long-lasting and perhaps perma6 nent damage to the serotonin system of the brain,

7 and can cause long-term problems with learning and

8 memory.

9 (3) Due to the popularity and marketability of

10 Ecstasy, and the skyrocketing use, seizures, and

11 deaths, greater emphasis needs to be placed on—

12 (A) the education of young people on the

13 negative health effects of Ecstasy (and other

14 club drugs) since the reputation of Ecstasy as

15 a ‘‘safe drug’’ is its most dangerous component;

16 (B) the education of State and local law

17 enforcement agencies and health care profes18 sionals and personnel regarding the growing

19 problem of Ecstasy use and trafficking;

20 (C) adequate funding for the National In21 stitutes of Health to support and report on re22 search that documents the health effects of Ec23 stasy use; and

24 (D) State and local government initiatives.
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1 SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR ECSTASY ABUSE PREVENTION.

2 Section 506B(c) of title V of the Public Health Serv3 ice Act is amended by adding at the end the following:

4 ‘‘(3) EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS.—

5 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the pri6 ority under paragraph (2), the Administrator

7 shall give priority to communities that have

8 taken measures to combat club drug use, in9 cluding passing ordinances restricting rave

10 clubs, increasing law enforcement on Ecstasy,

11 and seizing lands under nuisance abatement

12 laws to make new restrictions on an establish13 ment’s use.

14 ‘‘(B) STATE PRIORITY.—A priority grant

15 may be made to a State under this paragraph

16 on a pass-through basis to an eligible commu17 nity.’’.

18 SEC. 4. COMBATING ECSTASY AND OTHER CLUB DRUGS IN

19 HIGH INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS.

20 (a) PROGRAM.—

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of

22 National Drug Control Policy shall use amounts

23 available under this section to combat the trafficking

24 of MDMA in areas designated by the Director as

25 high intensity drug trafficking areas.
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1 (2) ACTIVITIES.—In meeting the requirement

2 in paragraph (1), the Director shall transfer funds

3 to assist anti-Ecstasy law enforcement initiatives in

4 high intensity drug trafficking areas, including as5 sistance for investigative costs, intelligence enhance6 ments, technology improvements, and training.

7 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be

9 appropriated to carry out this section—

10 (A) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; and

11 (B) such sums as may be necessary for

12 each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2005.

13 (2) NO SUPPLANTING.—Any Federal funds re14 ceived under this section shall be used to supple15 ment, not supplant, non-Federal funds that would

16 otherwise be used to carry out activities funded

17 under this section.

18 (c) APPORTIONMENT OF FUNDS.—The Director shall

19 apportion amounts appropriated for a fiscal year pursuant

20 to the authorization of appropriations in subsection (b) for

21 activities under subsection (a) among and within areas

22 designated by the Director and based on the threat assess23 ments submitted by individual high intensity drug traf24 ficking areas.
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1 SEC. 5. NATIONAL YOUTH ANTIDRUG MEDIA CAMPAIGN.

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—In conducting the national media

3 campaign under section 102 of the Drug-Free Media Cam4 paign Act of 1998, the Director of the Office of National

5 Drug Control Policy shall ensure that such campaign ad6 dresses the reduction and prevention of abuse of MDMA

7 and club and emerging drugs among young people in the

8 United States.

9 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is

10 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section—

11 (1) $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; and

12 (2) such sums as are necessary for each of the

13 fiscal years 2003 through 2005.

14 SEC. 6. MDMA DRUG TEST.

15 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Office

16 of National Drug Control Policy such sums as are nec17 essary to commission a drug test for MDMA which would

18 meet the standards for the Federal Workplace.

19 SEC. 7. NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE REPORT.

20 (a) RESEARCH.—The Director of the National Insti21 tute on Drug Abuse (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Di22 rector’’) shall conduct research—

23 (1) that evaluates the effects that MDMA use

24 can have on an individual’s health, such as—

25 (A) physiological effects such as changes in

26 ability to regulate one’s body temperature, stim-
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1 ulation of the cardiovascular system, muscle

2 tension, teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision,

3 rapid eye movement, tremors, and other such

4 conditions, some of which can result in heart

5 failure or heat stroke;

6 (B) psychological effects such as mood and

7 mind altering and panic attacks which may

8 come from altering various neurotransmitter

9 levels such as serotonin in the brain;

10 (C) short-term effects like confusion, de11 pression, sleep problems, severe anxiety, para12 noia, hallucinations, and amnesia; and

13 (D) long-term effects on the brain with re14 gard to memory and other cognitive functions,

15 and other medical consequences; and

16 (2) documenting those research findings and

17 conclusions with respect to MDMA that are scientif18 ically valid and identify the medical consequences on

19 an individual’s health.

20 (b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than January 1,

21 2003, the Director shall submit a report to the Congress.

22 (c) REPORT PUBLIC.—The report required by this

23 section shall be made public.
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1 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is

2 authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 to carry out this

3 section.

4 SEC. 8. INTERAGENCY ECSTASY/CLUB DRUG TASK FORCE.

5 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of

7 National Drug Control Policy shall establish a Task

8 Force on Ecstasy/MDMA and Emerging Club Drugs

9 (referred to in this section as the ‘‘task force’’)

10 which shall—

11 (A) design, implement, and evaluate the

12 education, prevention, and treatment practices

13 and strategies of the Federal Government with

14 respect to Ecstasy, MDMA, and emerging club

15 drugs; and

16 (B) specifically study the club drug prob17 lem and report its findings to Congress.

18 (2) MEMBERSHIP.—The task force shall—

19 (A) be under the jurisdiction of the Direc20 tor of the Office of National Drug Control Pol21 icy, who shall designate a chairperson; and

22 (B) include as members law enforcement,

23 substance abuse prevention, judicial, and public

24 health professionals as well as representatives

25 from Federal, State, and local agencies.
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1 (b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The responsibilities of the

2 task force shall be—

3 (1) to evaluate the current practices and strate4 gies of the Federal Government in education, pre5 vention, and treatment for Ecstasy, MDMA, and

6 other emerging club drugs and recommend appro7 priate and beneficial models for education, preven8 tion, and treatment;

9 (2) to identify appropriate government compo10 nents and resources to implement task force rec11 ommendations; and

12 (3) to make recommendations to the President

13 and Congress to implement proposed improvements

14 in accordance with the National Drug Control Strat15 egy and its budget allocations.

16 (c) MEETINGS.—The task force shall meet at least

17 once every 6 months.

18 (d) TERMINATION.—The task force shall terminate 3

19 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

20 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

21 are authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 to carry out

22 this section.

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