A Brief History of Drugs and Drug Laws

FRSC 8104Criminalistics II

Professor Bensley

“Why Great-

Grandma was

Always so Happy!”

What is a Drug?• Substance that, when ingested, is capable of

producing a physiological change

• Medicines – combinations of drugs and inert ingredients

The Legal Drug Industry• 2013 – Worldwide pharmaceutical revenue

was $980 BILLION (2001 = $172 Billion)

• U.S. accounts for approx. 40% of world’s pharmaceutical industry revenue

• Top selling legal drugs worldwide?1. Abilify - $1.6 billion2. Nexium - $1.6 billion3. Humira - $1.5 billion

The Illicit Drug Industry

• Almost impossible to determine• “Guesstimations” - $50 to $350 BILLION– Cocaine: ~$100 Billion (mostly North America –

62%)–Heroin: ~$100 Billion (Europe is #1 in sales – 56%)– Cannabis: ~$75 Billion (North America dominated

– 55%)Source: http://www.unodc.org/pdf/technical_series_1998-01-01_1.pdf

2014 Trends - http://www.unodc.org/wdr2014/

Lies, Damn Lies, and StatisticsPast Month Illicit Drug Use among Persons Aged 12 or Older: 2012

Source: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends

Past Month Use of Selected Illicit Drugs among Persons Aged 12 or Older: 2002-2012

Source: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends

Going Way Back…

The 19th Century

The 19th Century

The 19th Century

Morphine Structure Heroin Structure

Have a Coke and a Smile!

Patent Medicines

All laws regulating drugs have been

enacted due to either racism or social class

prejudices.

Opium Control and Chinese Immigrants

Surprise…

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Harrison Tax Act (1914)

Early 20th Century

Marih(j)uana Tax Act (1937)

Marih(j)uana Tax Act (1937)

The “High” Sixties

Controlled Substances Act (1970)

The 1980s

Recent History

As of 4/2014