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Drug Law Timeline
Significant Events in the History of our Drug
Laws
This page provided thanks to Robert Keel, University of Missouri at
Saint Louis
Originally prepared for his Soc. 180 class
<http://www.umsl.edu/~rkeel/180/law.html>
|
| Year |
Event |
| 1600s |
Colonial laws required farmers to grow hemp because it was used for ropes and sails on
ships. A good hemp industry was important to the shipping industry. |
| 1700s |
Hemp was the primary crop grown by George Washington at Mount Vernon, and
a secondary crop grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. |
| 1844 |
Cocaine was synthesized |
| 1845 |
A law prohibiting the public sale of liquor is enacted in New York State.
It is repealed in 1847. |
| 1847 |
The American Medical Association is founded. |
| 1860s |
Opiates see widespread use as a pain killer for injured soldiers during
the Civil War. Opiates were the first real miracle drugs because they allowed the patient
to be anesthetized while the doctor performed surgery. Before the advent of opiates, the
most common surgery was a simple amputation. That is, the doctor got several big strong
people to hold the patient down and then literally sawed off an arm or a leg while the
patient screamed in pain. For this reason, a good doctor was a fast doctor. Battlefield
hospitals during the Civil War commonly had large piles of severed arms and legs. The use
of opiates as anesthesia gave doctors time to work on the patient and actually made modern
surgery possible. |
| 1869 |
The Prohibition Party is formed. Gerrit Smith, twice Abolitionist
candidate for President, an associate of John Brown, and a crusading prohibitionist,
declares: "Our involuntary slaves are set free, but our millions of voluntary slaves
still clang their chains. The lot of the literal slave, of him whom others have enslaved,
is indeed a hard one; nevertheless, it is a paradise compared with the lot of him who has
enslaved himself to alcohol." [Quoted in Sinclar, op. cit. pp. 83-84] |
| 1870s |
The first laws against opium smoking were passed in San Francisco and
Virginia City. Opium itself was not outlawed and remained available in any number of
over-the-counter products. Only the smoking of opium was outlawed, because that was a
peculiarly Chinese habit and the laws were specifically directed at the Chinese. The white
people in the communities feared that Chinese men were luring white women to have sex in
opium dens.
The patent medicine industry started its rise. Because there were no restrictions on
advertising, labeling, or contents of any products the patent medicine industry made up
all sorts of concoctions including the opiates, cocaine, and other drugs, and sold them
with the most extravagant advertising claims. This led to a rise in addiction.
Addiction was poorly understood. Morphine and heroin were recommended as remedies for
alcohol addiction.
French Wine of Coca: Invigorating Tonic became a popular soft drink because it
contained cocaine. It went on to become Coca-Cola and, together with other similar drinks
like Pepsi-Cola, made the soda fountain a common part of the neighborhood pharmacy. |
| 1874 |
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union is founded in Cleveland. In 1883,
Frances Willard a leader of the W.C.T.U. forms the World's Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. |
| 1882 |
The law in the United States, and the world, making "temperance
education" a part of the required course in public schools is enacted. In 1886,
Congress makes such education mandatory in the District of Columbia, and in territorial,
military, and naval schools. By 1900, all the states have similar laws. [Crafts et. al.,
op. cit. p. 72]
The Personal Liberty League of the United States is founded to oppose the increasing
momentum of movements for compulsory abstinence from alcohol. [Catlin, op. cit. p. 114] |
| 1884 |
Sigmund Freud treats his depression with cocaine, and reports feeling
"exhilaration and lasting euphoria, which is in no way differs from the normal
euphoria of the healthy person. . . You perceive an increase in self-control and possess
more vitality and capacity for work. . . . In other words, you are simply more normal, and
it is soon hard to believe that you are under the influence of a drug." [Quoted in
Ernest Jones, *The Life and Work of Sigmund Freud, Vol. 1, p. 82] Freud later died of
effects of tobacco-induced cancer. He was able to break his addiction to cocaine, but
could not break his addiction to cigar smoking even though most of the lower part of his
face had been removed by cancer surgery.
Laws are enacted to make anti-alcohol teaching compulsory in public schools in New York
State. The following year similar laws are passed in Pennsylvania, with other states soon
following suit. |
| 1906 |
The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed, forming the Food and Drug
Administration and giving it power to regulate foods and drugs, and requiring labeling of
contents on foods and drugs. The most important effect on the drug problem was the demise
of the patent medicine industry. Drug addiction began a dramatic drop. |
| 1914 |
The Harrison Tax Act was passed, effectively outlawing the opiates and
cocaine. |
| 1915 |
Utah passed the first state anti-marijuana law. Mormons who had gone to
Mexico in 1910 returned smoking marijuana. It was outlawed at a result of the Utah
legislature enacting all Mormon religion prohibitions as criminal laws. |
| 1922 |
Narcotic Drug Import and Export Act - Intended to eliminate use of
narcotics except for legitimate medicinal use |
| 1924 |
Heroin Act -Makes it illegal to manufacture heroin |
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| 1937 |
Marijuana Tax Act Applies controls over marijuana similar to narcotics |
| 1938 |
Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act FDA given control over drug safety, Drugs
redefined: effect body even in absence of disease, Establishes class of drugs available by
Prescription (Company determines status) |
| 1942 |
Opium Poppy Control Act Prohibits growing poppy w/o license |
| 1951 |
Durham-Humphrey Amendment Established more specific guidelines for
prescription drugs: habit forming, safety, and evaluation of new drugs |
| 1951 |
Boggs Amendment to the Harrison Narcotic Act Mandatory sentences for
narcotic violations |
| 1956 |
Narcotics Control Act Intends to impose even more severe penalties for
narcotics violations |
| 1965 |
Drug Abuse Control Amendments (DACA) Strict controls over amphetamines,
barbiturates, LSD, etc. |
| 1966 |
Narcotic Addict Rehabilitation Act (NARA) Allows treatment as an
alternative to jail |
| 1968 |
DACA Amendments Provides that sentence may be suspended and record
expunged if no further violations within 1 year |
| 1970 |
Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Control Act Replaces and updates all
previous laws concerning narcotics and other dangerous drugs. Empasis on law enforcement. |
| 1972 |
Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act Establishes federally funded programs
for prevention and treatment |
| 1973 |
Methadone Control Act Regulates methadone licensing |
| 1973 |
Heroin Trafficking Act Increases penalties for distribution |
| 1973 |
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA) Consolidates
NIMH, NIDA, and NIAAA under umbrella organization |
| 1973 |
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Remodels Bureau of Narcotics and
Dangerous Drugs into DEA |
| 1974 and 1978 |
Drug Abuse Treatment and Control Amendments Extends 1972 act |
| 1978 |
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Education Amendments Sets up education programs
within Department of Education |
| 1980 |
Drug Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Amendments Extends
prevention education and treatment programs |
| 1984 |
Drug Offenders Act Sets up special programs for offenders and organizes
treatment |
| 1986 |
Analogue (Designer Drug) Act Makes use of substances with similar effects
and structure to existing illicit drug illegal |
| 1988 |
Anti-Drug Abuse Act Establishes oversight office: National Drug Control
Policy |
| 1992 |
ADAMHA Reorganization Transfers NIDA, NIMH, and NIAAA to NIH and
incorporates ADAMHA's programs into the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) |