The Germans describe it as Zusammengehorigskeitsgefuhl — the feeling you get from a chemical known as Methylenedioxy-methampthetamine, or ecstasy. This designer drug is said to cause a feeling of warmth and love, and it can increase the drives for hunger, sleep, and sex. It only became popular in the 90's in the United States, but was initially manufactured by the German drug company Merck in the early 20th century as a therapeutic medication. Also known as e, it spread from the Spanish island of Ibiza in the '80s and began to infiltrate the nightlife of Europe in the early nineties. e was a designer drug for the New York disco set in the mid '90s. In the last year or two, it hit the heartland of the U.S.   More  

Needle exchange programs, which make sterile needles available to intravenous drug users for free, have long been a controversial component of the war on drugs. Ever since AIDS and other diseases such as hepatitis began taking their toll on IV drug users, these programs have sprung up worldwide in an attempt to prevent the spread of disease. In some European nations, needle exchange programs are government sponsored, but in the United States, federal funds cannot be spent on such programs and are instead funded by private organizations.   More  

Since President Ronald Reagan initiated an all-out war on drugs in 1982, the United States has been spending tens of billions of dollars a year in an attempt to control the trafficking and use of illicit drugs. Most of those dollars have been used to support stricter drug enforcement.   More  

Nation-wide attention was focused on so-called three-strikes laws in 1994 when California voters approved an initiative mandating prison terms of 25-years-to-life for defendants convicted of a third felony. The California law also doubles minimum terms for second time offenders. The vote came in the wake of the widely publicized 1993 murder of 12-year old Polly Klaas, whose killer was a paroled felon. Washington State adopted a three-strikes law in 1993, and 22 other states have followed suit. Congress passed a federal version in 1994.   More  

As federal and state prison populations continue to swell and the 2000 elections are fast approaching, the issue of voting rights for convicted felons has gained increasing attention from candidates and the media. With the exceptions of Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, the remaining 46 states and the District of Columbia prohibit inmates serving felony convictions from voting in any public elections. While a majority of states restore voting rights to convicted felons after they complete their prison terms or probation periods, at least ten states, including Virginia, Delaware and New Mexico permanently prohibit former felons from voting.   More