History of Drug Laws and Law Enforcement
Drug Laws and Drug Law Enforcement
Since the late 19th century, the federal and states governments of the United States have enacted laws and policies to deter the use and distribution of illegal drugs. These laws and policies have not only deemed what drugs are legal and illegal, but have also established penalties for the possession and distribution of these substances and established federal agencies to control drug use and administer drug law enforcement. This essay will not only examine the landmark drug laws and policies established by the federal and state governments, but also the enforcement of drug laws.
Brief History of the United States' Drug Laws
The first American law that prohibited the use of a specific drug was an 1875 ordinance passed by the city of San Francisco which banned the smoking of opium in opium dens (4). This law, however, was not passed to stop the use and sale of opium. The ordinance was passed because of widespread fear that Chinese men were luring white men and women to their moral "ruin" in opium dens ("The History of").
White San Franciscan's also feared that Chinese immigrants and railroad workers were seducing white women with the drug. With the passing of the San Francisco ordinance, other opium laws were passed throughout the country, specifically an 1888 Federal law that prohibited the involvement of the Chinese in the opium trade and restricted the smoking of opium ("The History of").
The law restricting cocaine was also racially motivated. Prior to the early 20th century, cocaine was readily available at drugs stores for the public's use. Cocaine was also a major ingredient in the popular soft-drink, Coca-Cola. With cocaine use and addiction becoming widespread, the media used the public's addiction to fuel racial tensions. Many publications began printing articles contributing attacks on white women to the widespread cocaine use among black men ("Cocaine").
These fabrications concerning cocaine steadily
Since the late 19th century, the federal and states governments of the United States have enacted laws and policies to deter the use and distribution of illegal drugs. These laws and policies have not only deemed what drugs are legal and illegal, but have also established penalties for the possession and distribution of these substances and established federal agencies to control drug use and administer drug law enforcement. This essay will not only examine the landmark drug laws and policies established by the federal and state governments, but also the enforcement of drug laws.
Brief History of the United States' Drug Laws
The first American law that prohibited the use of a specific drug was an 1875 ordinance passed by the city of San Francisco which banned the smoking of opium in opium dens (4). This law, however, was not passed to stop the use and sale of opium. The ordinance was passed because of widespread fear that Chinese men were luring white men and women to their moral "ruin" in opium dens ("The History of").
White San Franciscan's also feared that Chinese immigrants and railroad workers were seducing white women with the drug. With the passing of the San Francisco ordinance, other opium laws were passed throughout the country, specifically an 1888 Federal law that prohibited the involvement of the Chinese in the opium trade and restricted the smoking of opium ("The History of").
The law restricting cocaine was also racially motivated. Prior to the early 20th century, cocaine was readily available at drugs stores for the public's use. Cocaine was also a major ingredient in the popular soft-drink, Coca-Cola. With cocaine use and addiction becoming widespread, the media used the public's addiction to fuel racial tensions. Many publications began printing articles contributing attacks on white women to the widespread cocaine use among black men ("Cocaine").
These fabrications concerning cocaine steadily
Bibliography: Senna, Joseph J., and Siegal Larry J. . Criminal Justice. United States: Wadsworth, 2001, 119. The History of Drug Laws. 2006. The Schaffer Library of Drug Policy. 18 March 2006 http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/LIBRARY/histdrug.htm Cocaine. 2006. Wikipedia. 18 March 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine Controlled Substances Act. 2006. Wikipedia. 19 March 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_Substances_Act Drug Enforcement Adminsitration. 2006. Wikipedia. 19 March 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_Enforcement_Administration Eliot Ness. 2006. Wikipedia. 20 March 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliot_Ness Harrison Narcotics Act. 2006. Wikipedia. 19 March 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Act Prohibition. 2006. Wikipedia. 19 March 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition Prohibition (drugs). 2006. Wikipedia. 18 March 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_legalization