Iowa lawmakers are toughening penalties for making and distributing the drug “Ecstasy”. Representative George Eichhorn, a republican from Stratford, says the drug has been illegal since 1985. Eichhorn says the drug is now seeing a national increase in use. Representative Marc Tremmel, a democrat from Ottumwa, says Ecstasy can cause serious brain damage. Last night, the Iowa House unanimously endorsed a bill making penalties for making or selling “Ecstasy” pills similar to the prison time for peddling other potent drugs, like cocaine.