CRIM 3250 Lecture 22: Week_3_Efforts_to_Control_Drug_Use_-_Opium
10 Nov 2020
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Document Summary
With the exception of alcohol, the earliest drug legislation in the us was aimed at opium use. Earliest actual of passing of laws happens with regard to opium use. Recall discussion of its importance and widespread use in the 19th century: Opium became widely available during this time period. Appeared as though it could cure a number of illnesses. It was actually just masking symptoms and allowing the body to heal itself. Created (more or less) three classes of users. Medical/pseudo medical adicts (often white, middle-class, middle-aged women) This becomes important when looking at the realities of the social context that was driving anti-opium legislation. Medical reliance led to dangerous dependency, but early laws not aimed at medical addiction! When jobs were plentiful, sentiment was welcoming. Opium smoking was an element of chinese culture. The practice of opium smoking was largely confined to chinese immigrant communities. There was little incentive to abandon those cultural ways.
