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Coca Plant
The coca plant is where cocaine is derived from. Many centuries ago the coca leaves (from the plant) were chewed by first the Indians because it gave them stamina and energy (extra strength) that sustained them. The chewing of coca leaves was later adopted by the Europeans in the nineteenth century. -
Drug Policies Racial and Ethnic Groups
Drugs in the United States have stirred up reactions that identify narcotics with different ethnic and racial groups. One major example from the nineteenth century is identifying the Irish with alcohol because that was who was for prohibition and drank in pubs. The Chinese were very tied to the production and high uses of opium. In the U.S. typically black males were users of cocaine. Mexicans, rasta, and jazz musicians were often seen as marijuana users. -
Sinclair's Jungle
"The Jungle" was published in 1906 by Upton Sinclair. It was a written in depth and detailed description of what actually goes on behind the scenes of the meat industry in Chicago. It was very graphic and exposed the unsanitary, dirty, and harmful conditions the meat went through before being sold to consumers. After the publication not only did meat sales in U.S. decline by 50% Sinclair's assumptions were investigated and found to be very true. The public then pushed for Congress to act. -
The Pure Food and Drug Act
There was National efforts to regulate various drugs and foods leading to congress introducing a bill that entailed to do so in 1879. Despite many organizations, such as the Proprietary Association of America, who supported patent medicines were against the regulations. The campaign for the bill started to gain attention in the media, and when Sinclair's The Jungle was published in 1906, the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed after on June 23. It made medicines list the drugs it contained. -
Harrison Act
The Harrison Narcotics Tax Act was a United States Federal Law which regulated and taxed the production, importation, and distribution of opiates and cocoa products. It is called the Harrison Act, because Francis Harrison a New York Representative proposed the Act. -
Drug Rehabilitation Centers
Narcotic clinics or Rehabs started to open in numerous major cities in 1918, where some people thought negatively of them and others under the medical care usually worked very well for addicts, helping them continue to live contributing to society positively. The clinics that created outrage were the ones that suffered abuses. -
The Prohibition
The prohibition is the period of time that the dangers and consequences of alcohol begin to create a controversy and divide between the people of the U.S. During this time was most importantly when the ratification of the eighteenth amendment was passed. Officially taking effect on January 16th, 1920, the ratified-18th amendment outlawed the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. and was now a federal law. In 1933 the 21st Amendment was created to end the ratified 18th. -
Patent Medicines
Before any drugs were regulated starting as far back as the 17th century to the 19th century, patent medicines were made as "remedies" or different mixes of drugs and used by doctors to treat pretty much anything. They were secret formulas with no patents at all. One of the most famous patent medicines was called laudanam, a mixture of powdered opium dissolved in alcohol, created by Physician Paraselcus in the early 16th century. -
Marijuana
Marijuana was first introduced to Brazil in the slave trade in 1600s. Until the 1900s mexican laborers were the main consumers of recreational use of marijuana in the United States. The drug became an easy target of regulation due to the ethnic group it was tied to presumably (suspect marginal groups). Marijuana was outlawed but became a major controversy in 1960s. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was passed which consisted of $100 tax on 1 ounce of marijuana. -
Crack Cocaine
In 1980's a new form of cocaine known as crack cocaine came about in the drug market. It was first seen and became very popular in New York where it increased the violence related to the drug market and attracted a lot of media attention during this time. Crack was smoked as opposed to cocaine which was snorted. The Drug Scare was to keep people from using or selling crack by giving it a harsher punishment if caught. In 1989 popularity of crack declined but is still apparent in underclass towns. -
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan was the 40th president of the United States and during his term in office which was from January 20th, 1981 until it ended in 1989, the incarceration of particularly nonviolent drug offenders increased immensely due to his expansion of the war on drugs. Also, his wife Nancy Reagan came up with the slogan "Just Say No" campaign against drug that was very popular in the media. In 1982 President Reagan enforced stricter militant force and public awareness on drugs. -
The 1990s
The 1990s was the era of the phenomena of drugs leading to the war on drugs, the epidemics, the treatment, and the norms. So many political, ethical, and conflicting interests (laws, supporters, campaigns for drugs and against) occurred during this century. The creation of new drugs (methamphetamine, crack, etc.) have emerged and programs to prevent drug use such as D.A.R.E. in schools all over the country have came about. It is a truly historic century for drug use, laws, and treatment.
