The use of various illegal drugs seems to ebb and flow over time. One becomes more popular, and then seems to fade from the news, at least in the short term. Ecstasy is no exception, and reports indicate that the use of the drug increased almost five-fold during the latter part of the 1990’s, then fell into a decline. About five years ago, there was a resurgence in the popularity of the drug, whose chemical name is 3, 4 methylene-dioxymethamphetamine. It is also commonly referred to as MDMA. The New York Times reports that since 2007, the drug has often been laced with methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant. The use of ecstasy produces hallucinations, euphoria, a rise in temperature, and an increased heart rate. While some experts say that addiction to MDMA alone is rare, the combination of the two drugs drastically increases the addiction potential.
Ecstasy is a Schedule I hallucinogen under the New York Public Health Law. Possessing even a small amount of the drug constitutes criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a class A misdemeanor. If more than a gram of ecstasy is involved, the offense is a class C felony. As the amount of the drug possessed increases, the classification of the offense likewise rises (as high as a class A-II felony), and with it the penalty for possession. It is possible for possession alone to lead to a sentence of years in prison.
MDMA is considered a “designer drug,” a term which has a number of definitions. Those definitions include words such as “fashionable.” But the reality of the situation is anything but fashionable. The penalties for possession are harsh, and the potential for addiction, particularly with new combinations of substances (including meth-amphetamine), greatly increases the possibility that those using the drug will, at some point, become physically and/or psychologically addicted. When that happens, all control over the use of the drug will evaporate.
If you have been charged with possession of ecstasy, or any other illegal drug, contact an experienced New York drug lawyer today.
George Vomvolakis Law Offices
275 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 682-0700