COGS 174 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Marihuana Tax Act Of 1937, Harrison Narcotics Tax Act
31 Aug 2016
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The us in the early 1800"s was an unregulated market for drugs to: cure ailments, increase sexual potency, relieve pain, provide pleasure, have religious experiences. Patent medicines available from mail order catalogs, pharmacies, and grocery stores. Challenges to status quo: immigration urbanization, geographic dispersal. Drugs associated with social ills and mainly with foreigners: smoking opium by the chinese, most drugs taken orally and therefore less addictive. Technological and chemical innovation change drug use dramatically: hypodermic syringe invested (1853, cocaine isolated (1859) used as a stimulant and antidepressant, opium > morphine (1810) > heroin (1874) for pain. Heroin used as a treatment for coughs and respiratory problems (pneumonia and tuberculosis) basically morphine in liquid soluble form: the faster you can a substance to your brain the faster addiction occurs, addiction poorly understood. Ex: someone with alcohol addiction was treated with: no regulation of over the counter drugs (otcs) morphine or heroin.
