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What Is 2c-E (2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Ethylphenethylamine) And Is It Illegal Under New Jersey Law?

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What is 2C-E?

2C-E is an illegal Scheduled drug also known as 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Ethylphenethylamine. 2C-E falls into the category of synthetic psychedelic/hallucinogens. These "synthetic drugs" or "designer drugs" have come under greater scrutiny at both the federal and the state level in recent years especially after it was determined that 2C-E caused the death of a 19 year old in Minnesota. In the past, the legality of 2C-E and other similar drugs was often questioned. In July of 2012 many of these questions were answered when President Obama signed the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. Make no mistake about it, 2C-E is now a Scheduled drug and it is illegal.

Where did 2C-E come from?

2C-E was purportedly first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin, an American chemist/psychopharmacologist and author. Dr. Shulgin is credited with introducing ecstasy (MDMA) to psychopharmacologists in the late 1970s. He is also credited with discovering and synthesizing over 230 psychoactive compounds for their psychedelic potential. Dr. Shulgin and his wife Ann Shulgin wrote extensively about their work and their experiences with psychoactive drugs.

2C-E is commonly taken orally or nasally. The general effects of 2C-E are thought to be similar to those of other psychedelic drugs but have been described as far more intense. Intense and vivid visual experiences such as those experienced while under the influence of LSD are common. The total duration of 2C-E's effects is generally between 6 and 10 hours for an average dose.

2C-E's Path to Criminality in New Jersey.

The path to criminality for 2C-E in New Jersey has been a circuitous one. In July 2012 President Obama signed the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act (a small subset of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act). Under this act 26 synthetic drugs, including 2C-E, were outlawed and thereafter classified as Schedule I drugs under federal law. Schedule I drugs are drugs with a high potential for abuse which have no medical use in treatment in the United States and which lack accepted safety standards. The 26 drugs added to Schedule I under the act include 2C-E and 8 other 2C chemicals along with 15 different synthetic cannabanoids such as "K2" and "Spice".

In New Jersey, the legislature has not specifically acted to outlaw 2C-E. Rather, in November 2012 the Department of Consumer Affairs formally adopted federal Schedules I, II, III, IV and V. While it might appear at first blush that New Jersey has circumvented our state legislature and thereby outlawed 2C-E and many other synthetic drugs "through the back door" by bootstrapping federal law, this unusual legal path does not make 2C-E any less unlawful. Until our courts or our legislature say otherwise, possession of 2C-E is a third degree non-narcotic felony punishable by up to 3-5 years in prison.

At Law Offices of Joseph R. Donahue, LLC both Mr. Donahue and Mr. Brickfield are Certified Criminal Trial Attorneys. We have helped many people through the criminal process. If you contact us immediately, an experienced drug defense attorney from our office will do their best to ensure that your case is handled properly and promptly. To contact a criminal defense attorney at Law Offices of Joseph R. Donahue, LLC, call (201) 488-7707 or send us an email. Keep in mind that nothing contained in this article should be considered legal advice. The law can and often does change. If you have a specific legal issue or problem, consult an attorney.

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