ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SIGNS TOUGHER ECSTACY BILL

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Gov. George Ryan signed legislation Monday that
will increase the penalty for selling the drug ecstasy, a move meant
to slow its growing popularity.

Under the new law, police will be able to charge dealers with the
more serious class X felony for selling 15 or more ecstasy tablets.
Current law allows class X status only for someone selling 900 pills.

The change takes effect Jan. 1 and will allow for a penalty of six to
30 years in prison.

DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett said he has seen a surge
in drug overdoses, largely due to ecstasy and other "club drugs."
They have replaced marijuana as the gateway drug that leads to heroin
and cocaine, he added.

He said dealers have been caught on tape saying they had switched to
selling ecstasy partly because of the lighter penalties.

"We're not naive. This is not going to end the dealing of this
dangerous drug," Birkett said during a news conference with Ryan.
"What it will do is give us the tools to effectively deal with it."

Ryan said ecstasy is growing more popular partly because teen-agers
don't see it as dangerous. The tougher penalties must be accompanied
by greater education, he said.