Georgia House of Representatives
Public Information Office
Room 505, Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, GA 30334
404-656-5082 1-800-282-5800
4-2017-5175
For Immediate Release 		 
April 12, 2004
Ecstasy Trafficking Bill passes the General Assembly
Jones says Drug Dealers will Fear the Consequences
Atlanta – State Representative Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta) authored House Bill 1441, which would send convicted Ecstasy drug dealers to jail for a minimum of three years. It passed the Georgia General Assembly the last day of the session and awaits signature by Governor Perdue to become law. Georgia does not currently have a trafficking penalty for Ecstasy which is the fastest growing abused drug by those under the age of 25. It is considered more dangerous than cocaine by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Drug dealers prey on our young people tricking them into believing this dangerous drug is only about fun and feeling good. Primarily sold to teenagers and young adults in colorful pills, Ecstasy can cause brain damage, even death, Jones said. I want drug dealers to fear the consequences of selling Ecstasy to Georgia's young people. If they don't, they'll have three years in jail to think long and hard about it.

Fulton County Senior Assistant District Attorney Rand Csehy of the Major Narcotics Unit and the Alpharetta Police Department suggested legislative action because of Ecstasy's growing use by adolescents and young adults in the northern suburbs. Jones received input from the Forsyth District Attorney and Sheriff Ted Paxton. They pointed out state law does not distinguish between users and dealers.

Jones compared other states' Ecstasy trafficking laws and worked with the G.B.I., the Prosecuting Attorneys, Sheriffs Association and Chiefs of Police representatives. She authored the bill with bipartisan co-sponsors and crafted language that minimizes the burden to the state crime lab, but still provides law enforcement officers and prosecutors the legal remedy they need lock up convicted Ecstasy drug dealers.

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For further information please contact Rep. Jones at 404-656-0137.