Question 1
Laissez-faire is a French word which means to leave alone or to allow to do. During the 19th-century Americas attitude towards the use of drugs was described as laissez-faire. The word laissez-faire was used because, at the time, the regulations and control of drugs were minimal. Therefore, there was an unrestricted sale, distribution and promotion of narcotics in the U.S which led to the extensive and uncontrolled use of medicinal and recreational drugs during that century. The U.S became a ‘dope fiend’s paradise’ because a quarter of its population had developed a dependency on either opium or morphine.
Question 2
The discovery of psychoactive drugs during the early times arose from people’s curiosity. Plants that had hallucination …show more content…
As concerns over the increased use of patent medicine continued to grow, the U.S president Theodore Roosevelt proposed a federal law on misbranded and contaminated foods, drinks and drugs. The proposal was strongly opposed by the business sector since they were earning a good profit from the patent medicine industry. It was only after Upton Sinclair published a book that uncovered the unsanitary conditions of a meat packaging industry in Chicago that the public was swayed in the president’s direction. The book showed how human body parts and diseased cattle were incorporated in packaged food. The Pure Food and Drug Act was thus enacted, the act mandated that proportions of drugs in patent medicine be listed. Following its enactment, the use of patent medicine reduced greatly. However the Act did not prevent the selling of drugs. Drugs like heroin, cocaine and morphine could still be in patent medicine as long as they are listed as …show more content…
Its main purpose was to regulate drug abuse by imposing taxes on anyone manufacturing, importing, selling and dispensing cocaine and opiate. Those involved in these activities were thus required to register with the treasury department. The Harrison Act existence can be traced back to the concern over Chinese use of opium. At the time America had imported Chinese workers to help in the building of railway roads. The Chinese came with the practice of smoking opium. Americans believed that the habit of smoking opium led to immoralities such as prostitution. They hated the Chinese and their opium smoking habits.
Marijuana Tax Act (1937)
The Act was enacted not to outlaw Marijuana but to impose tax on its manufacture and sale. Sellers of the drug had to pay a tax of $100 for a tiny amount in order to get a transfer tax stamp. Those who did not poses the stamp committed a federal offence. The Act proved to be effective in making marijuana illegal, thus the drug was prohibited this way until the controlled substance Act of 1970.
Controlled Substance Act
Laissez-faire is a French word which means to leave alone or to allow to do. During the 19th-century Americas attitude towards the use of drugs was described as laissez-faire. The word laissez-faire was used because, at the time, the regulations and control of drugs were minimal. Therefore, there was an unrestricted sale, distribution and promotion of narcotics in the U.S which led to the extensive and uncontrolled use of medicinal and recreational drugs during that century. The U.S became a ‘dope fiend’s paradise’ because a quarter of its population had developed a dependency on either opium or morphine.
Question 2
The discovery of psychoactive drugs during the early times arose from people’s curiosity. Plants that had hallucination …show more content…
As concerns over the increased use of patent medicine continued to grow, the U.S president Theodore Roosevelt proposed a federal law on misbranded and contaminated foods, drinks and drugs. The proposal was strongly opposed by the business sector since they were earning a good profit from the patent medicine industry. It was only after Upton Sinclair published a book that uncovered the unsanitary conditions of a meat packaging industry in Chicago that the public was swayed in the president’s direction. The book showed how human body parts and diseased cattle were incorporated in packaged food. The Pure Food and Drug Act was thus enacted, the act mandated that proportions of drugs in patent medicine be listed. Following its enactment, the use of patent medicine reduced greatly. However the Act did not prevent the selling of drugs. Drugs like heroin, cocaine and morphine could still be in patent medicine as long as they are listed as …show more content…
Its main purpose was to regulate drug abuse by imposing taxes on anyone manufacturing, importing, selling and dispensing cocaine and opiate. Those involved in these activities were thus required to register with the treasury department. The Harrison Act existence can be traced back to the concern over Chinese use of opium. At the time America had imported Chinese workers to help in the building of railway roads. The Chinese came with the practice of smoking opium. Americans believed that the habit of smoking opium led to immoralities such as prostitution. They hated the Chinese and their opium smoking habits.
Marijuana Tax Act (1937)
The Act was enacted not to outlaw Marijuana but to impose tax on its manufacture and sale. Sellers of the drug had to pay a tax of $100 for a tiny amount in order to get a transfer tax stamp. Those who did not poses the stamp committed a federal offence. The Act proved to be effective in making marijuana illegal, thus the drug was prohibited this way until the controlled substance Act of 1970.
Controlled Substance Act