Ecstasy (MDMA) - The Law

The Law

Ecstasy is a Schedule I substance, carrying the highest degree of illegality for possession and distribution. It is illegal in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and it cannot be obtained by prescription. Anyone caught with ecstasy can face stiff fines, possible

To help users be sure that ecstasy pills contained no other ingredients, some clubs offered purity testing stands, like this one in the Netherlands. However, in 2003 the U.S. government implemented the Reducing Americans Vulnerability to Ecstas
To help users be sure that ecstasy pills contained no other ingredients, some clubs offered purity testing stands, like this one in the Netherlands. However, in 2003 the U.S. government implemented the Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy act, which made it illegal to run purity tests in clubs. © The Cover Story/Corbis.

prison time, and other penalties. These penalties vary from state to state and can differ depending on the amount of the substance seized.

In 2003 the federal government passed the Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy bill. It is a law that places a great deal of responsibility on organizers of raves or large get-togethers. The bill makes these club owners or promoters responsible if ecstasy is found at their events. Prior to the passage of this bill, some clubs had purity testing facilities on their premises so that ecstasy users could be sure their pills had no other ingredients. In this regard, the bill further increases the dangers of ecstasy use because it is now illegal to run purity tests in clubs.

Given the scientifically proven dangers of ecstasy use, it is unlikely that the substance will be removed from Schedule I status, except perhaps for the use of hospice patients who are about to die. As of late 2004 and early 2005, there was some renewed interest in using MDMA to treat the mentally ill. However, studies need to be conducted to determine how this could best be achieved.