chapter 2- drug laws and policies

Question 1

conspiracy

Answer 1

an agreement between two or more people to violate the federal drug laws.

Question 2

Controlled Substances Act (CSA)

Answer 2

the federal policy under which the manufacture, importation, distribution, possession, and use of certain substances is regulated.

Question 3

felony

Answer 3

a serious crime, typically punishable by at least a year in prison.

Question 4

trafficking

Answer 4

the unauthorized manufacture, distribution, or sale of any controlled substance.

Question 5

war on drugs

Answer 5

the US government’s campaign to reduce the importation, manufacture, sale, and use of illegal drugs.

Question 6

interdiction

Answer 6

interception of illegal drugs smuggled into the country

Question 7

implied consent

Answer 7

any person who operates a motor vehicle on a public road has, by that action, consented to a chemical test to determine his or her blood alcohol concentration.

Question 8

misdemeanor

Answer 8

a lesser crime punishable by no more than one year in prison.

Question 9

possession

Answer 9

the crime of having illegal or non prescribed controlled substances under one’s control.

Question 10

FDA

Answer 10

food and drug administration; helps regulate and supervise the safety of prescription and over the counter pharmaceutical drugs, tobacco products, vaccines, dietary supplements, medical devices, food, and other products; works with the DEA to determine which drugs are added to or removed form the schedules of drugs.

Question 11

DEA

Answer 11

drug enforcement agency; the lead agency enforcement of the controlled substances act. the agency also works in conjunction with the FBI, ICE, and foreign law enforcement agencies to combat drug smuggling and conduct international drug investigations.

Question 12

ONDCP

Answer 12

the office of national drug control policy; establishes policies and actions to eradicate illicit drug use, manufacturing, and trafficking, and to reduce crime, violence, and health consequences associated with illicit drugs.
evaluates, coordinates, and oversees anti-drug efforts in the US and internationally, including the national youth anti drug media campaign.

Question 13

DOJ

Answer 13

department of justice; includes FBI, ATF, ICE, Coast Guard, Justice Tax Devision, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and DEA

Question 14

ATF

Answer 14

bureau of alcohol, tobacco, and firearms; prevents illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products.

Question 15

harm reduction

Answer 15

most harm reduction policies seek to reduce the health risks associated with drug used reduce the overcrowding of prisons, and focus on treatment rather than punishment.

Question 16

drug related offenses

Answer 16

the government establishes drug laws to reduce the harmful effects of drugs- to the user, to others, and to society. drug laws also have been used for political and economic reasons. offenses include misdemeanors, felonies, possession, trafficking, and conspiracy.

Question 17

systemic violence

Answer 17

disputes over territory between rival drug dealers; violet acts committed to enforce discipline; elimination of police informants; punishment for selling adulterated drugs; punishment for defrauding the drug dealer.

Question 18

pharmacological violence

Answer 18

ingestion of drug causing individuals to become excitable, irrational, or inclined to exhibit violent behavior.

Question 19

economically compulsive violence

Answer 19

need for money to buy drugs as primary motivation for violence.

Question 20

harrison narcotics act of 1914

Answer 20

decreed that physicians and pharmacists had to be licensed to prescribe narcotics, that they must register with the US treasury department and keep records of the narcotics drugs they dispensed, and that they could prescribe only in the course of their medical practice.

Question 21

volstead act

Answer 21

1920, prohibited the manufacture, sale, transportation, or importation of intoxicating liquors. become the basis for the 18th amendment. in 1921-1923, alcohol use and associated health effects on the rise again, alcohol related crime greater than before the act.

Question 22

marijuana tax act of 1937

Answer 22

banned recreational use of marijuana but allowed for medical or industrial use, provided the user paid for a license. the US government, however, made if effectively impossible to acquire the necessary tax stamp. the act was ruled unconstitutional in 1969, in the case of Leary v. US.

Question 23

food, drug and cosmetics act of 1938

Answer 23

required drug companies to prove their products were both safe and effective, to label the product with adequate directions for safe use, and to determine if the drug should be sold over the counter or by prescription. this law gave the FDA more authority and responsibility.

Question 24

anslinger and the federal bureau of narcotics

Answer 24

in 1930, FBN became in independent federal agency, under jurisdiction of justice department, to enforce Harrison act domestically and internationally. under harry j. anslinger.

Question 25

1956 narcotics control act

Answer 25

made drug related penalties more severe: increased mandatory minimum sentences; forbade judges for suspending sentences or imposing probation in cases where they felt a prison sentence was inappropriate; and denied the right to parole consideration for those imprisoned for drug offenses.

Question 26

the controlled substances act of 1970

Answer 26

the federal policy under which the manufacture, importation, distribution, possession, and use of certain substances is regulated. replaced and consolidated all previous federal drug laws. first law to control drugs directly rather than through taxes.

Question 27

the war on drugs

Answer 27

the US government’s campaign to reduce the importation, manufacture, sale, and use of illegal drugs. included harsh penalties for sellers and users, as well military interventions to reduce the illegal drug trade. started in 1971 under president Richard Nixon.

Question 28

drug abuse control acts of the 1980s

Answer 28

anti drug abuse act of 1986: encouraged other countries to halt international drug traffic, said drugs that are similar to schedule 1 and 2 drugs to be treated as such (can be declared illegal), mandatory minimum sentences for all drug offenses, strengthened forfeiture laws.
drug abuse act of 1988: established ONDCP, lowed BAC, death penalty for anyone who kills while committing or planning felony level drug crime, increased penalties for possession, drug related convicts could lose any grants, loans, and licenses.

Question 29

role of racism in establishing drug policies and enforcement

Answer 29

1990s and beyond- minorities and people of lower socioeconomic status bore the brunt of penalties. blacks use drugs at a lower rate than whites but are arrested for drug charges at more than twice times the rate of whites, and are incarcerated for drug crimes at more that 6 times the rate of whites.

Question 30

charges for cocaine v. crack

Answer 30

cocaine- less than 500 grams
crack- less than 28 grams
same punishment: first offense, up to 20 yrs in prison, $1-$5 million fine

Question 31

state v. federal drug laws

Answer 31

states can determine their own laws, but if the law conflicts with federal law, the federal law overrides the state law.

Question 32

how does a case become federal vs. state?

Answer 32

violations of drug laws can lead to either federal or state charges, but most drug related offenses are prosecuted at the state level.

Question 33

what are the possible outcomes of a drug conviction for an individual?

Answer 33

penalties imposed by judge, barriers to future employment and income, loss of professional licenses and driver’s licenses, loss of educational aid and welfare benefits, bans on voting and adoption.

Question 34

do harsh drug laws/ policies work to reduce drugs?

Answer 34

no

Question 35

what happened in Portugal?

Answer 35

removed criminal sanctions for possession and use of small amounts of any drug in 2001, but possession is still considered illegal. those found in possession of small amounts of any drug (less than 10 day supply) are referred to a dissuasion commission panel that evaluates the personal circumstances of individuals and refers them to appropriate services, which may include treatment.

Question 36

what is the connection between crime and drugs?

Answer 36

80% of crimes that lead to incarceration involve drugs and alcohol. 3 hypotheses: drug use causes crime; crime causes drug use; drug use and crime share common causes.

Question 37

how is the schedule of a drug determined?

Answer 37

created by controlled substances act; based on potential for abuse, medical benefits (if any), likelihood for producing physical or psychological dependence. the decision as to whether a drug is going to be scheduled, and if so, what schedule it should be, is made by agents in the FDA and DEA.

Question 38

schedule 1 drugs

Answer 38

highest abuse potential; lack of accepted safety for use even under medical supervision; no currently accepted medical use in the US; heroin, LSD, DMT, marijuana, peyote, psilocybin, methaqualone, MDMA

Question 39

schedule 2 drugs

Answer 39

high abuse potential; abuse may lead to severe physical and/or psychological dependence; some accepted medical use- may be severe restrictions on use; cocaine, PCP, methamphetamine, Ritalin, Adderall, opium, morphine, codeine, oxycodone, fentanyl, pentobarbital, amobarbital

Question 40

schedule 3 drugs

Answer 40

medium abuse potential; less potential for abuse than drugs in higher schedules. abuse may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence; has a currently accepted medical use in the US; codeine with aspirin or acetaminophen, anabolic steroids, ketamine

Question 41

schedule 4 drugs

Answer 41

low abuse potential; less potential for abuse than drugs in higher schedules; abuse may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence; has a currently accepted medical use in the US; Xanax, valium, rohypnol, ambien, librium

Question 42

schedule 5 drugs

Answer 42

lowest abuse potential; abuse may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence; has a currently accepted medical use in the US; lomotil, cough syrups containing low quantities of codeine, Lyrica.

Question 43

what drugs cause the most/ least deaths?

Answer 43

most- alcohol
least- marijuana

Question 44

what drugs has the most/ least harm to self/ others?

Answer 44

most to self- alcohol
most to others- alcohol
least to self- mushrooms
least to others- mushrooms

Question 45

American attitudes towards marijuana

Answer 45

most Americans now believe the government should focus on treatment rather than punishment, marijuana should be legalized, and alcohol is more harmful than marijuana.