Substance abuse/ Chapter 2- How is a drug made illegal?

use & abuse: The four types of drugs (for practical purposes)

1. No medical value, no abuse: herbal remedies. 2. Medical value, no abuse: Majority of over the counter remedies and prescription meds, as well as anticancer drugs. 3. Medical value, high abuse: Controlled Substances listed in schedule 2-4 controlled substance act (CSA) 4. No medical value, high abuse: Controlled Substances listed in schedule 1 of the CSA. Ex: LSD, heroin.

Drug Laws

1875, San Francisco: 1st law is passed to address the use of raw opium, mostly in response to the large influx of Chinese immigrants, who came to help build railroads & work in the mines, beginning with the economic depression of the 1890s. the law targeted against the opium dens visited by Chinese immigrants.

Presidents war on drugs

1972: Nixon's war on drugs 1981: Reagans war on drugs 1993: Clinton's war on drugs 2001: Bush's war on drugs

Controlled Substances

All illegal drugs in the US can be considered psychoactive, because they affect central nervous system. in the CSA, they are organized into 4 categories: Opiates, naturally occurring: heroin, morphine, & codeine & opioids, synthetic: Demerol. Hallucinogens, aka psychedelics or psychomimetics; some cause altered perceptions. Ex: LSD, PCP, mescaline, etc. MDA produces increased sense of self awareness, intensifies feelings, but no sensory changes (Gahlinger, 2004). Stimulants, general category of drugs that excite the central nervous system. Ex: cocaine, amphetamines, MDMa. Depressants, drugs that inhibit the central nervous system. Ex: sedatives & hypnotics, ex: barbiturates, such as phenobarbital, used to treat anxiety & depression.

1984: comprehensive crime act

An amendment to the controlled substance act (CSA), it allowed the administrator or the drug enforcement administration (DEA), to directly place a substance into schedule 1, on temporary basis, sidestepping the normal political process. DEA was created by president Nixon in 1973. Makes the substance illegal for a year.

1970 comprehensive drug abuse prevention & control act

Became a legal foundation of drug regulation in the US. Consolidated all previous laws. Regulates the manufacture & distribution of narcotics, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, anabolic steroids, and any other chemicals considered to have a potential for abuse. This law continues to serve as the main regulatory act in the US.

1917: the first war on drugs

By the start of WW1 (7/28/1914-11/11/1918), drugs were considered to be an epidemic. addicts were seen as a social menace. after the passage of the Harrison act, heroin & cocaine became more expansive, with the heavier prison sentences for users. however, it did little to decrease drugs popularity. 1924, production of heroin is outlawed, but its still allowed to be legally imported for restricted use. 1956, all stocks of heroin surrendered to Fed. Gov heron is completely outlawed.

1909: smoking opium exclusion act

Concern about opiate abuse spread around the world, especially by Asian population in China. this led to a series of international conferences. US took a leading role in controlling the production & distribution of narcotics, starting with opiates, followed by cocaine, and then other substances. The law made imports of opium illegal, except for a legitimate pharmaceutical use. Passed in response to curb a "filthy Oriental habit"

Dangers

Danger to self- a drug is toxic, may injure body or mind of the user, both legal and illegal. for ex: alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, as well as gasoline, glue, paint thinners, etc. all legal, but very toxic. Danger to others- a drug is addictive, alters physical & mental state of the user, may result in unpredictable, irrational, compulsive behavior. Danger to society- a drug which leads to a breakdown of social harmony. for ex: opiates & hallucinogens among others.

Drug terms

Illicit: does not always mean illegal, but is taken outside of its regulated or prescribed use. Drug of abuse: any drug legal or illegal, used in an irresponsible or harmful way, for ex: pain killers & caffeine. Recreational drugs: drugs that are taken for non medical purposes, usually for pleasure, not always illegal, for ex: caffeine & tobacco. Narcotic: medical definition, refers to opiates. come from Greek narkotikos, meaning "to numb" the term is often used loosely to refer to illegal drugs,. however, not all illegal drugs are opiates!

1920: Prohibition

In 1917, congress passed the Volstead act, a constitutional amendment prohibiting the production & sale of alcohol. followed by the 18th amendment passed on 1/16/1920. No manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol. Led to production of "bootleg" alcohol and increased used, especially by women & teens.

1937: Marijuana tax act

In 1920s, Mexican immigrants were welcomed into the western states to work to work on the farms. The great depression of 1929 brought a backlash against Mexicans due to an unwelcomed labor surplus. Mexican immigrants came to be associated in the press with marijuana and increased crime & violence. The spread of marijuana was also blamed on Indian immigrants. Harry J. Anslinger (1892-1975), hard line commissioner of the federal bureau of narcotics (1930-1962), morphine addicts, fought to make marijuana illegal. On 10/1/1937, US congress passed the marijuana tax act. it prohibited the transfer of marijuana without purchase of transfer tax stamp. each time the drug changed hands, the possessor was required to pay $100 per ounce tax. the stamps were rarely used, marijuana soon became illegal. it was prohibited in this way until the tax act was superseded by the controlled substance act of 1970. Not everyone was convinced about the dangers of marijuana. In 1940 the major of New York, Fiorello LA guardia, commissioned a study of marijuana; found no evidence of addiction, tolerance, or withdrawal, and no clear association with antisocial or aggressive behavior. Fed.gov ignored the study's findings

1915: Harrison narcotic act

Led by congressman Francis Barton Harrison. this was the 1st major national antinarcotic law, passed in 1914 and came into force in 1915. Intended to curb the excessive prescription of narcotics and prevent addiction. The law prohibited opium (and its derivatives), cocaine and cannabis. The national wholesale druggist association protested against the inclusion of cannabis, because there was no proof of its habit forming properties. marijuana was left out, not regulated into 1937.

1965: Drug abuse control amendments

The 1960s brought another great drug epidemic in the US, mostly due to the demographic factors 76 million adolescents, born after WW11, feeling invulnerable & open to new experiences. President Lyndon Johnson was vehemently opposed to hallucinogenic drugs, holding them responsible for the social turmoil of the 1960s. Prohibited depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogenic substances.

1906: pure food & drug act

The federal pure food & drug act - forced the medicine industry to list on the bottle labels the presence of ingredients, such as alcohol, opiates, cocaine, & cannabis. The act didn't prohibit any drugs. The law intended to warn the buyer of the contents

How is a drug made?

Under title 2 of the comprehensive drug abuse and control act of 1970, the main criteria used to declare a drug illegal is not the physical or mental danger from using it, but its potential for abuse.