Increased
Methamphetamine
Penalties

The latest salvo fired by the federal government in the war on drugs is the attachment of Senate Bill 2024 to the Omnibus Appropriations package. Senate Bill 2024 increases methamphetamine sentencing to the same as crack cocaine: 5 grams meth will bring a mandatory sentence of 5 years and 50 grams meth has a mandatory sentence of 10 years.

Despite opposition from other Senators, most notably Senator John Chafee (R-RI), Senator John Ashcroft (R-MO) tucked provisions of S. 2024 into the Omnibus package at the last minute.

This measure will impact the low-level methamphetamine offenders and mere possession can result in a long prison sentence. The measure will bring more prison overcrowding, more destruction of lives and cost the taxpayers dearly.