Drug abuse has been reported in many countries for hundreds of years, including in the United States of America. Here in the United Stated, Drug abuse has been a problem from the foundation of the country. Opium and alcohol were some of the first substances that were used and abused in early American history. During the 1800s, developments in medicine led to the creation of morphine, codeine and cocaine. Initially, the drugs were unregulated and readily available. When it became clear that the drugs were a serious problem, regulations were developed and laws were made to help contain the problem. In 1906, regulations passed to make it harder to obtain certain substances. During the 1960s, consumers began using drugs for recreational purposes.
