History of U.S. Drug Policy Deck (E1) Flashcards
What was the primary issue that led to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)?
Moral panic; the Chinese opium problem had spread to the US
What was the secondary issue that led to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)?
Chinese immigrants started becoming more prosperous from working on the railroads
How did the Pure Food & Drug Act (1906) fail to regulate drugs in the US?
Drugs were required to meet a certain strength and purity, but manufacturers weren’t required to prove a drug was effective
What was the purpose of the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act (1914)?
It was the 1st attempt to actually regulate narcotics manufacturing, sales, and distribution
Why did the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act (1914) fail?
The wording was so ambiguous that legal experts couldn’t agree on a uniform interpretation
The Volstead Act (1919) was an enforcement mechanism for this Constitutional Amendment.
What is the 18th?
What was the purpose of the Marihuana Tax Act (1937)?
To regulate its possession, sale, etc.
Why did the Marihuana Tax Act (1937) fail so early on?
It was a violation of the 5th Amendment, given that the person seeking a tax stamp would have to self-incriminate
What was more or less the general philosophy behind the Marihuana Tax Act (1937)?
“The best way make something illegal is to not make it illegal but to regulate it.”
What demographic did the Marihuana Tax Act (1937) target ultimately?
Mexicans
What did the Boggs Act (1951) do for criminal penalties for opium use?
Enhance them
What was the primary belief that resulted in the passage of the Boggs Act (1951)?
People thought that addiction was literally contagious
Why was the Controlled Substances Act (1970) so significant?
It superseded all other laws from the past
What 2 criteria were used to create the drug schedules in the Controlled Substances Act (1970)?
1) Potential for abuse/addiction
2) “Commonly accepted” medical utility
What is the difference between a Schedule I drug and a Schedule II drug?
Schedule I - high potential for abuse/addiction
Schedule II - high potential for abuse/addiction, but some medical utility
