NCJ Number
165820
Date Published
1997
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The use of opium, cocaine, and marijuana is examined from a historical perspective, and the author believes America's recurrent enthusiasm for recreational drugs and subsequent campaigns for abstinence present a problem to both policymakers and the general public.
Abstract
Until the 19th century, drugs were used in their natural form. For example, cocaine and morphine were available only in coca leaves or poppy plants that were chewed, dissolved in alcoholic beverages, or taken in some way that diluted the impact of the active agent. The advent of organic chemistry in the 1800's changed available forms of these drugs. By the 1850's, the hypodermic syringe was perfected and the pharmaceutical industry grew significantly. Americans, however, recognized potential dangers in continuous opium use long before the availability of morphine and the hypodermic syringe. Late in the 1800's, some States and localities enacted laws requiring a prescription for morphine. At the same time, health professionals developed more specific treatments for painful diseases, found less dangerous analgesics, and began to appreciate the addictive power of the hypodermic syringe. In the early 1900's, an international conference was convened and an agreement to restrict opium and coca production was reached. During the 1920's and 1930's, the opiate problem declined while international drug control efforts continued. Cocaine was identified as a serious problem in the early 1900's. Although marijuana was used in the 1930's, it did not become a widespread problem until the 1960's. Factors associated with variations in drug consumption over different historical time periods are examined, as well as public attitudes toward the drug problem and drug law enforcement. 6 references