Anti-Drug Abuse Acts

Jeffery T. Walker & Phillip J. Hammons

The first anti-drug abuse acts were enacted with the purpose of controlling drugs such as cocaine and opium. These drugs were used by Whites and minorities for both medical and recreational purposes. The racial influence of anti-drug abuse acts is evident in early and contemporary legislation. During the Great Depression, the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was enacted partially to force Hispanics out of the country because of the shortage of jobs. In the 1950s and 1960s, concern over drugs continued to increase, prompting passage of more anti-drug abuse acts. The Vietnam War in the 1970s caused more attention to be directed toward the use of drugs by returning veterans. More racial disparities arose in the 1980s with the introduction of crack cocaine in the slums of New York. During the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan declared a so-called War on Drugs that brought the passage of a number of anti-drug ...

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