On December 20, 2001, the Ecstasy Prevention Act of 2001 was attached by amendment to the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act (H.R. 2215), and passed the Senate. The Ecstasy Prevention Act is now deep within H.R. 2215, at Title VIII (Sec. 8001-8007), and is on its way to conference before Senators Leahy, Kennedy, and Hatch.

As attached to authorization bill, the Ecstasy Prevention Act of 2001 still contains a provision ordering that federal funds dispersed under the Public Health Services Act, be given “priority to communities that have taken measures to combat club drug use, including passing of 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.” (H.R. 2215, Sec. 8002 “Grants for Ecstasy Abuse Prevention.”)

In addition, the Ecstasy Prevention Act of 2001 includes the following provisions:

• Section 8003 orders the Director of Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to "to assist anti-Ecstasy law enforcement initiatives in high intensity drug trafficking areas."
   
  
• Section 8004 of the bill also orders the Director of the ONDCP to include anti-MDMA advertising in the Office’s media campaign. 
  
  
• Section 8005 authorizes an appropriation of money to the ONDCP “to commission a drug test for MDMA which would meet the standards for the Federal Workplace.
  
  
• Section 8006 orders NIDA to conduct more research on MDMA, and issue a public report on its findings.
  
  
• Section 8007 authorizes ONDCP to establish a federal "Task Force on Ecstasy/MDMA and Emerging Club Drugs."
  

The Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics (CCLE) prepared a detailed analysis of the Ecstasy Prevention Act of 2001, which, among other things concluded that “[t]he provisions of the Ecstasy Prevention Act of 2001 seek to perpetuate a failed and futile War on Drugs policy by employing more police and filling more prison cells with otherwise law-abiding citizens who use MDMA without causing harm to others.” The CCLE analysis remains valid with respect to the Act’s current placement within H.R. 2215.

To read the complete CCLE analysis, see: http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/DLL/hr2215_summary_analysis.htm