Reform Ecstasy Sentencing Now
If you or someone you know has been sentenced (or will be) under the federal guidelines, there is important information available regarding the disproportional sentences MDMA offenders receive compared to other more harmful drugs. The circumstances surrounding MDMA sentencing are similar to reasons that compelled the Sentencing Commission to amend guidelines on four previous occasions. ( Most recently, the crack cocaine amendment 2007).
MDMA (ecstasy) Sentencing Information:
MDMA has fewer related fatalities than nearly all the other drugs on the equivilency table, with MDMA having less than .50 of 1% of drug abuse fatalities and 2% to 3% of what is attributed to cocaine. (As reported the the Government’s foremost reporting agency DAWN – Drug Abuse Warning Network) There is also a recent report by the British Government’s, Advisory Counsel on the Misuse of Drugs, affirming these facts.
Yet , MDMA sentences are calculated at (2 1/2 ) times that of cocaine at the gram level and five times on a dose comparative basis. Even heroin, has a lower dose to dose ratio. This contravenes the sole purpose of the equivilancy table…to provide proportionate ratios based on a harm compatrative basis. The empirical (medical/scientific) data proves categorically that MDMA is not as harmful as cocaine and heroin.
In plain language the guidelines are flawed; the marijuana equivilant used to calculate MDMA sentences is disproportionate to its proven harm and creates the very disparity the guidelines were established to correct.
There is a current proposal being drafted to the Sentencing Commission to amend the guidelines back to the original ratio (35 to 1, from the current 500 to 10). We are in discussions with a former US Attorney and a former