TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT ECSTASY

A recent tragedy in St. Louis was yet the most recent reminder of the
dangers of the club drug popularly known as ecstasy. There, five young men
ranging in age from 19 to 21 were found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning
inside a car parked in a closed garage. The ignition was still on and the
car was out of gas.

An autopsy report showed that all five young men had ecstasy in their
system. Investigators surmise this was a contributing factor in their
deaths, as the drug can lead to an impairment of judgment. They probably
never realized the danger they were in or that, as others around them
passed out, anything was wrong.

But the effects of ecstasy don't end there. Other side effects include
liver damage, kidney damage and other internal side effects. All medical
research indicates that it's more dangerous than heroine because of its
toxic nature. Use it three or four times, and it builds up a toxic level in
your system. Studies have shown that ecstasy can damage the brain's
neurotransmitters that regulate memory, and women who take the drug during
pregnancy can damage their child's ability to learn.

Yet state law has failed to keep up with the drug culture. While selling
and possessing ecstasy is a violation of state law, it is currently a
Schedule I controlled substance, thus only allowing prosecutors to file
charges of possession with intent to distribute.

It's time we got serious about addressing this dangerous threat to the
young people of Missouri.

Earlier this year, I sponsored House Bill 471, which increases the
penalties for possessing and selling ecstasy to the same levels for
trafficking heroine and other dangerous drugs.

This gives prosecutors a more formidable weapon to use in their fight
against the proliferation of ecstasy.

As a former assistant prosecutor in Jackson County, I can readily attest to
the increase in popularity and use of ecstasy among high school and college
students in our state.

Ecstasy first became popular among young partygoers on the East and West
coasts about five years ago. Since that time it has found its way into pop
culture through mentions in popular television shows and music. The drug
produces a short-lived feeling of euphoria and relaxation, a lowering of
inhibitions, and a mild energy burst.

Yet the National Institute on Drug Abuse has determined that the drug can
cause permanent changes in the brain's chemistry and cause severe
dehydration and depression after the drug wears off.

The irony is these parties, known as "raves," are posted on the Internet
and billed as "alcohol-free" events. Thus they give parents a false sense of

security and perhaps lure unwitting partygoers into a drug atmosphere.

House Bill 471 elevates the crime of possessing more than 90 grams of
ecstasy to a Class A felony, which includes mandatory jail sentences of 20
years to life.

Currently most of the ecstasy available in the United States comes from
Europe, particularly Holland. But law enforcement is eager to get ahead of
the curve on ecstasy and not risk falling behind as we did with the
manufacturing and

distribution of methamphetamine in Missouri.

HB 471 passed by a vote of 156-0 in the Missouri House and awaits final
passage in the Senate. Yet the time crunch of the last week of the
legislative session threatens to stall this bill for yet another year. If
this is an issue you truly believe is important, I would urge everyone to
contact their state senator.

We can't wait for another tragedy before we again consider taking action.