Pubdate: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI) Copyright: 2004 Madison Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506 Author: Tom Sheehan, State government reporter Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy) ASSEMBLY PASSES ECSTASY BILL Penalties Would Be Tougher For Possession Of The Drug The state Assembly on Tuesday passed by a vote of 80-16 a bill that would toughen penalties for possession of the drug Ecstasy. Supporters of Assembly Bill 687 say it could lead to better treatment options for people convicted of using the drug. An opponent says one of the bill's harsher provisions could hamper rehabilitation efforts. The current maximum penalty for a first-time offender of 30 days in jail and $500 in fines doesn't offer enough time for judges to order meaningful treatment and education programs in sentences, said George Chavez, a Madison police detective. "That's even less of a penalty than for marijuana, and the drug is much more dangerous because it's marketed toward young people," Chavez said of Ecstasy. Under AB 687, introduced by Rep. Gregg Underheim, R-Oshkosh, the maximum potential penalty for first-time Ecstasy possession would increase to a year in jail and $5,000 fines. An offender with one or more prior drug convictions could face a felony and up to 3 1/2 years in prison and $10,000 in fines under the bill. The felony conviction could make it impossible for offenders, who otherwise could be rehabilitated, to get jobs, said the Rev. Sue Moline Larson, a pastor and lobbyist for the Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin. The Legislature already passed this session a bill that would have allowed school districts to refuse employment to anyone convicted of a felony, Larson said. Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle vetoed the bill, but similar proposals will continue to be introduced, Larson said. "Every session, it's pretty unbelievable they're jacking up the time people spend behind bars and elevating misdemeanors into felonies," Larson said. The bill would eliminate the option of sentencing first-time offenders to treatment alone. But judges still could use deferred prosecution to encourage treatment and education, Underheim said. Under deferred prosecution, an offender is sentenced but may not have to serve the full sentence if they comply with a judge's orders. Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, or 3-4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, has been found to cause long-term damage to neurons in animals and is suspected of having similar effects on humans, according to the National Institutes of Health, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The bill is now headed to the Senate for consideration. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake