[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1208 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ecstasy Prevention Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The illegal importation and use of 3,4-methylenedioxy 
        methamphetamine (referred to in this Act as ``MDMA'' or 
        ``Ecstasy'') has increased more than 400 percent during the 
        past 3 years, as evidenced by Ecstasy seizures by the United 
        States Customs Service.
            (2) Some research has indicated that the use of Ecstasy can 
        cause long-lasting and perhaps permanent damage to the 
        serotonin system of the brain, and can cause long-term problems 
        with learning and memory.
            (3) Due to the popularity and marketability of Ecstasy, and 
        the skyrocketing use, seizures, and deaths, greater emphasis 
        needs to be placed on--
                    (A) the education of young people on the negative 
                health effects of Ecstasy (and other club drugs) since 
                the reputation of Ecstasy as a ``safe drug'' is its 
                most dangerous component;
                    (B) the education of State and local law 
                enforcement agencies and health care professionals and 
                personnel regarding the growing problem of Ecstasy use 
                and trafficking;
                    (C) adequate funding for the National Institutes of 
                Health to support and report on research that documents 
                the health effects of Ecstasy use; and
                    (D) State and local government initiatives.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR ECSTASY ABUSE PREVENTION.

    Section 506B(c) of title V of the Public Health Service Act is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Effective programs.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In addition to the priority 
                under paragraph (2), the Administrator shall give 
                priority to communities that have taken measures to 
                combat club drug use, including passing ordinances 
                restricting rave clubs, increasing law enforcement on 
                Ecstasy, and seizing lands under nuisance abatement 
                laws to make new restrictions on an establishment's 
                use.
                    ``(B) State priority.--A priority grant may be made 
                to a State under this paragraph on a pass-through basis 
                to an eligible community.''.

SEC. 4. COMBATING ECSTASY AND OTHER CLUB DRUGS IN HIGH INTENSITY DRUG 
              TRAFFICKING AREAS.

    (a) Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the Office of National 
        Drug Control Policy shall use amounts available under this 
        section to combat the trafficking of MDMA in areas designated 
        by the Director as high intensity drug trafficking areas.
            (2) Activities.--In meeting the requirement in paragraph 
        (1), the Director shall transfer funds to assist anti-Ecstasy 
        law enforcement initiatives in high intensity drug trafficking 
        areas, including assistance for investigative costs, 
        intelligence enhancements, technology improvements, and 
        training.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out this section--
                    (A) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; and
                    (B) such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
                fiscal years 2003 through 2005.
            (2) No supplanting.--Any Federal funds received under this 
        section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, non-Federal 
        funds that would otherwise be used to carry out activities 
        funded under this section.
    (c) Apportionment of Funds.--The Director shall apportion amounts 
appropriated for a fiscal year pursuant to the authorization of 
appropriations in subsection (b) for activities under subsection (a) 
among and within areas designated by the Director and based on the 
threat assessments submitted by individual high intensity drug 
trafficking areas.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL YOUTH ANTIDRUG MEDIA CAMPAIGN.

    (a) In General.--In conducting the national media campaign under 
section 102 of the Drug-Free Media Campaign Act of 1998, the Director 
of the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall ensure that such 
campaign addresses the reduction and prevention of abuse of MDMA and 
club and emerging drugs among young people in the United States.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; and
            (2) such sums as are necessary for each of the fiscal years 
        2003 through 2005.

SEC. 6. MDMA DRUG TEST.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Office of National 
Drug Control Policy such sums as are necessary to commission a drug 
test for MDMA which would meet the standards for the Federal Workplace.

SEC. 7. NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE REPORT.

    (a) Research.--The Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse 
(referred to in this section as the ``Director'') shall conduct 
research--
            (1) that evaluates the effects that MDMA use can have on an 
        individual's health, such as--
                    (A) physiological effects such as changes in 
                ability to regulate one's body temperature, stimulation 
                of the cardiovascular system, muscle tension, teeth 
                clenching, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, 
                tremors, and other such conditions, some of which can 
                result in heart failure or heat stroke;
                    (B) psychological effects such as mood and mind 
                altering and panic attacks which may come from altering 
                various neurotransmitter levels such as serotonin in 
                the brain;
                    (C) short-term effects like confusion, depression, 
                sleep problems, severe anxiety, paranoia, 
                hallucinations, and amnesia; and
                    (D) long-term effects on the brain with regard to 
                memory and other cognitive functions, and other medical 
                consequences; and
            (2) documenting those research findings and conclusions 
        with respect to MDMA that are scientifically valid and identify 
        the medical consequences on an individual's health.
    (b) Final Report.--Not later than January 1, 2003, the Director 
shall submit a report to the Congress.
    (c) Report Public.--The report required by this section shall be 
made public.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $1,500,000 to carry out this section.

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

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the Office of National 
        Drug Control Policy shall establish a Task Force on Ecstasy/
        MDMA and Emerging Club Drugs (referred to in this section as 
        the ``task force'') which shall--
                    (A) design, implement, and evaluate the education, 
                prevention, and treatment practices and strategies of 
                the Federal Government with respect to Ecstasy, MDMA, 
                and emerging club drugs; and
                    (B) specifically study the club drug problem and 
                report its findings to Congress.
            (2) Membership.--The task force shall--
                    (A) be under the jurisdiction of the Director of 
                the Office of National Drug Control Policy, who shall 
                designate a chairperson; and
                    (B) include as members law enforcement, substance 
                abuse prevention, judicial, and public health 
                professionals as well as representatives from Federal, 
                State, and local agencies.
    (b) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of the task force shall 
be--
            (1) to evaluate the current practices and strategies of the 
        Federal Government in education, prevention, and treatment for 
        Ecstasy, MDMA, and other emerging club drugs and recommend 
        appropriate and beneficial models for education, prevention, 
        and treatment;
            (2) to identify appropriate government components and 
        resources to implement task force recommendations; and
            (3) to make recommendations to the President and Congress 
        to implement proposed improvements in accordance with the 
        National Drug Control Strategy and its budget allocations.
    (c) Meetings.--The task force shall meet at least once every 6 
months.
    (d) Termination.--The task force shall terminate 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $1,000,000 to carry out this section.
                                 <all>