Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 1.djvu/43

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PUBLIC LAW 106-172—FEB. 18, 2000 114 STAT. 7 Public Law 106-172 106th Congress An Act To amend the Controlled Substances Act to direct the^ emergency scheduling of gamma hydroxybutyric acid, to provide for a national awareness campaign, and for other piu"poses. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assewMed, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "Hillory J. IFarias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 2000". SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds as follows: (1) Gamma hydroxybutyric acid (also called G, Liquid X, Liquid Ecstasy, Grievous Bodily Harm, Georgia Home Boy, Scoop) has become a significant and growing problem in law enforcement. At least 20 States have sclieduled such drug in their drug laws and law enforcement officials have been experiencing an increased presence of the dinig in driving under the influence, sexual assault, and overdose cases especially at night clubs and parties. (2) A behavioral depressant and a hypnotic, gamma hydroxybutyric acid ("GHB") is being used in conjunction with alcohol and other drugs with detrimental effects in an increasing number of cases. It is difficult to isolate the impact of such drug's ingestion since it is so typically taken with an ever-changing array of other drugs and especially alcohol which potentiates its impact. (3) GHB takes the same path as alcohol, processes via alcohol dehydrogenase, and its symptoms at high levels of intake and as impact builds are comparable to alcohol ingesi- tion/intoxication. Thus, aggression and violence can be expected in some individuals who use such drug. (4) If taken for human consumption, common industrial chemicals such as gamma butyrolactone and 1.4-butanediol are swiftly converted by the body into GHB. Illicit use of these and other GHB analogues and precursor chemicals is a significant and growing law enforcement problem. (5) A human pharmaceutical formulation of gamma hydroxybutyric acid is being developed as a treatment for cataplexy, a serious and debilitating disease. Cataplexy, which causes sudden and total loss of muscle control, affects about 65 percent of the estimated 180,000 Americans with narcolepsy, a sleep disorder. People with cataplexy often are unable to work, drive a car, hold their children or live a normal life. Feb. 18, 2000 [H.R. 2130] Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 2000. Law enforcement and crimes. 21 USC 801 note. 21 USC 812 note.