The War on Drugs -- is it Working?

"You know, it's a funny thing, every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish. What the Christ is the matter with the Jews, Bob? What is the matter with them? I suppose it is because most of them are psychiatrists." -- Richard Nixon

History of the War on Drugs

Of all the laws the United States has passed in the effort to hinder drug use, the "Pure Food and Drug Act" of 1906 has probably been the most successful. It created the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), which approves any food or medicine before it can be made available for people to use. It also allows for some drugs to only be available through prescription. Finally, it also requires that any drug which could be habit forming say so on its label. The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 single handedly reduced addiction, more so than any criminal law passed before or since. Around the turn of the century, drug addiction was quite a problem. During the Civil War and afterwards, morphine was given often and many patients (and doctors) would leave hospitals with an addiction to it.

The first major criminal law passed at the federal level was the Harrison Act in 1914. This act focused on opium, morphine, and different derivatives of the coca leaf, such as cocaine. The two objectives of this act were simple: regulate the medical use of the drugs, and criminalize the non-medical uses. There was something interesting to note about this act, however. In 1914, the states had much more power, and Congress would not have been able to pass this law, as a general criminal law.