Opinions Throughout History: Drug Abuse & Drug Epidemics explores the origins and impacts of what many experts now call a pandemic of opioid abuse in America. With commentary from public heath experts and the inclusion of more than 30 primary sources, Drug Abuse and Drug Epidemics also explores the origins, costs, and sharply polarized opinions regarding the decades old war on drugs, including discussion of opinions related to disparities in drug law convictions and punishments, and the effects of mass criminalization.

Table of Contents

• Publisher's Note
• Introduction
• Historical Timeline
• 1. The Opium Odyssey: The Power of the Plant (1860)
• 2. America's Favorite Drug: Alcohol: The Second-Most Deadly Drug (1855)
• 3. Cannabis History and Use: The Case Against Marijuana (1910s)
• 4. Treating the Disease: The Beginning of Drug Rehabilitation (1785)
• 5. Delicious Refreshment: The Introduction of Cocaine (1859)
• 6. Regulation Begins: State Laws and the Addiction Crisis (1894)
• 7. Truth in Advertising: The Creation of the FDA (1906)
• 8. Criminalizing Addiction: The Harrison Narcotics Act (1914)
• 9. Prohibition Begins: The Power of Minorities (1926)
• 10. The End of Prohibition: Ineffective at Reducing Alcohol Use (1932)
• 11. Criminalizing Cannabis: The Marijuana Tax Act (1937)
• 12. Mandatory Minimums: Punitive Approach Ineffective (1951)
• 13. Utopian Visions: Hallucinogens in America (1960s)
• 14. Public Enemy Number One: Nixon's War on Drugs (1972)
• 15. Harm Reduction: The Introduction of Methadone (1972)
• 16. A Traditionalist Radical: Jimmy Carter and the Drug Debate (1977)
• 17. The Quaalude Problem: From Popular Sedative to Dangerous Recreational Drug (1984)
• 18. The Rise of the Cartels: The International Drug Trade (1980s)
• 19. Reagan and the Crack Controversy: Crack vs. Cocaine (1982)
• 20. The Difficulty of Saying No: Implementing Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) (1986)
• 21. The Meth Saga: Crystal Meth and the Motorcycle Gangs (1990s)
• 22. The Racial Dimension: Drugs and Mass Incarceration (1995)
• 23. Medical Marijuana: California is the First to Legalize (1995-2018)
• 24. Scheduling Addiction: Drug Addiction Treatment Act (2000)
• 25. The Legalization Movement: States Begin to Legalize Marijuana (2012)
• 26. Searching For A Better Brain: Drug Your Way to High Grades (2010)
• 27. The New Opioid Problem: Prescription Drugs Gone Wrong (2018)
• 28. Treatment Options: Success of Medication-Assisted Addiction Treatment (2018)
• Conclusion
• Primary & Secondary Sources
• Glossary
• Historical Snapshots
• Bibliography
• About the Author