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Press Advisory: July
20, 2001
Illinois
Governor To Sign
One of the Nation’s Toughest New Ecstasy Laws
Any
day now, Illinois Governor George H. Ryan is expected to sign into law one of
the nation’s harshest laws concerning possession of the popular drug Ecstasy (MDMA).
Under the new law, a
person
convicted of possessing just 15 doses of Ecstasy in Illinois will receive a mandatory
minimum sentence of 4 years in prison, up to a maximum of 15 years.
The
law will also set new mandatory minimum sentences for those convicted of
possessing small amounts of Ecstasy for sale. Possession of 15 doses of Ecstasy
with intent to distribute will result in a mandatory minimum sentence of 6 years
in an Illinois prison, up to a maximum of 30 years.
The Governor has
until August 7, 2001 to sign the bill (HB 126), which was passed by the Illinois
House of Representatives on June 8.
For Comments, Quotes, and Additional Resources
on why HB 126 is Bad Public Policy, please contact:
Richard
Richard Glen Boire, Esq.
Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics
PO Box 73481
Davis, CA 95617
Telephone & Fax: 530-750-7912
Mr.
Boire is one of the Nation’s experts on the law and policy of Ecstasy and
other consciousness altering drugs. Earlier this year he testified about Ecstasy
before the US Sentencing Commission in Washington D.C.
According
to Attorney Boire, “it’s ironic that the mandatory minimum sentence under
Illinois’ new Ecstasy law is 4 years -- the same amount of time needed to
obtain a college education.”
“Given
that Ecstasy is popular with otherwise law-abiding college students,” Boire
continues, “Governor Ryan’s new law will result in some young people being
forced out of college classrooms and into prison cells. What possible good does
that do?”
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