Stopping Drug Abuse

[Music] the main way to stop or interdict this kind of a disaster is through the existing legal system you can use the legal system in two ways the first way you can use the legal system is by knowing what the laws are under which you must stop the disaster you have for your use both state and federal laws you will focus on the federal or national laws since the drug attack is not limited to any one [Music] state the second way you can use the legal system is through its law enforcement agencies you have for your use both state agents and federal agents again since the drug disaster is Nationwide you will focus in on the federal agents since this case involves a nationwide drug disaster it is necessary to look at the history of our country's drug laws up until 1914 opium and its derivatives could be purchased at drug stores without a prescription these drugs were commonly found as a major ingredient of tonics and female remedies this meant that anyone who wanted narcotics could obtain them however at the turn of the century drug use was on the increase especially when heroin was introduced as a cure for morphine addiction the Harrison narcotics act set out to control the source of Narcotics in the United States although the Harrison narcotics act increased red tape a person could get raw opiates and Other Drugs if he had the correct forms consequently our friend who before 1914 was able to buy his narcotics in the drug store now had to purchase them at the back of the Pusher store illegally because of the limited success of the Harrison narcotic act the narcotic drug Import and Export Act was passed this act limited the import of opiates into the United States to medical and scientific uses only it also prohibited any import of morphine or heroin the aim of the narcotic drug ort and Export Act was to limit the use of Narcotics for legal purposes this act covered a gap which the Harrison narcotic act had left the narcotic drug import export act tended to turn drug users to Other Drugs marijuana use began to increase by 1937 widespread use of marijuana had become a considerable problem in the United States especially since the main source of this drug was as close as Mexico in 1937 the federal government passed the marijuana tax act this Act made the use of marijuana illegal except for very limited research having made the use of marijuana illegal the United States government turned again to opiate narcotics to put the finishing touches on opiate use sale and possession the Opium poy Control Act prohibited production of the Opium poppy in the United States except by licensed Growers this act really made cultivation of opium poppies illegal the bogs act placed a required severe prison sentence for illegal possession or sale of narcotic drugs however following World War II and the bogs act narcotic including marijuana use was on the increase the narcotic Control Act set severe prison senten on the illegal use of marijuana and other narcotics this act also carried with it a prison sentence of 10 years to life and an optional death penalty for adults selling heroin to persons under 21 years of age with the advance of science other drugs began to appear these drugs were developed to Aid doctors in treating illness from Research Laboratories came sleeping pills and diet pills however there were people who because of the laws were looking for new drugs to abuse these were the barbiturate amphetamine and hallucinogenic type drugs a college graduate with a degree in chemistry can make LSD with an adequate chemistry setup these conditions led to the final major drug legislation to date in 1965 the federal government passed the drug abuse control amendments these amendments placed strict controls over the legal production use sale and possession of depressant stimulant and hallucinogenic drugs