The Regulation of Drugs Deviance and Social Control

Overview The creation of laws re: drugs in North America (drugs as evil) Why are some drugs legal while other’s are illegal? The creation of laws re: drugs in North America (drugs as evil) Why are some drugs legal while other’s are illegal? The social creation “drug addict”, “drug fiend” “trafficker” The social creation “drug addict”, “drug fiend” “trafficker” The social construction of a drug problem The social construction of a drug problem Drugs as a criminal problem vs drugs as a medical issue (film: Stopping Traffik:The war against the war on drugs” Drugs as a criminal problem vs drugs as a medical issue (film: Stopping Traffik:The war against the war on drugs” Can a critique of the dominant discourse on drugs impact education re: awareness of drugs as a problem? Can a critique of the dominant discourse on drugs impact education re: awareness of drugs as a problem?

Drug Laws & policies (a history) The illegalization of drugs The illegalization of drugs Chinese immigrants (railroad) Chinese immigrants (railroad) 1908 Opium act 1908 Opium act 1911 amendment (if found in Opium den) 1911 amendment (if found in Opium den) 1920 added deportation of chinese offenders, other laws strengthened, 1923 search without warrant 1920 added deportation of chinese offenders, other laws strengthened, 1923 search without warrant 1922 Emily Murphy – The black candle (image next slide) “moral panic” re: evils of marijuana 1922 Emily Murphy – The black candle (image next slide) “moral panic” re: evils of marijuana 1923 Cannibis added to the Opium and Narcotics Act 1923 Cannibis added to the Opium and Narcotics Act

“Persons using this narcotic [marijuana] smoke the dried leaves of the plant, which has the effect of driving them completely insane. The addict loses all sense of moral responsibility. Addicts to this drug, while under its influence, are immune to pain, and could be severely injured without having any realization of their condition. While in this condition they become raving maniacs, and are liable to kill or indulge in any form of violence to other persons, using the most savage methods of cruelty without, as said before, any sense of moral responsibility.” Magistrate Emily Murphy, 1922, in The Black Candle,

Harry Anslinger (1930) "There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others." "There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."

Creation of a drug problem The Killer Drug, Marihuana. The following poster, which was distributed shortly after the passage of the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act (US), illustrates a variety of claims about this "killer drug." Most notably, the definition of marihuana as a "powerful narcotic" and the image of "dope peddlers" preying on unsuspecting victims are directly inspired by earlier claims making about opiate drugs and cocaine. Interestingly, the organization that attempted to profit from this poster was put out of business by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics because their fear tactics "were beginning to alarm the citizens of Chicago" (David F. Musto, The American Disease, 1999, p. 228). The Killer Drug, Marihuana. The following poster, which was distributed shortly after the passage of the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act (US), illustrates a variety of claims about this "killer drug." Most notably, the definition of marihuana as a "powerful narcotic" and the image of "dope peddlers" preying on unsuspecting victims are directly inspired by earlier claims making about opiate drugs and cocaine. Interestingly, the organization that attempted to profit from this poster was put out of business by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics because their fear tactics "were beginning to alarm the citizens of Chicago" (David F. Musto, The American Disease, 1999, p. 228).

Tactics change from moral panics to risk moral panic: emphasizes (exagerates) the dangers of drugs. Sociological analysis is focused on the observation of distortion and exaggeration in presentation of this factual problem. Risk: emphasis moves away from describing the dangers of drugs to a focus on the scale of the problem – use of statistics, discussions of control over drugs (despite lack of evidence for harm – statistics of drug use and capture of drug traffickers are emphasized.) This presentation of statistics appears as a risk assessment but is itself a rhetorical strategy.

Forest Service Law enforcement Officers Walt Bliss, Mike Casey. Bottom row: Ramon Polo, Chiwa, and Matt Knudson receive national award for marijuana eradication. In 2006 the team eradicated 405,399 marijuana plants from 55 illegal marijuana sites on the Mendocino

Profit was arrested for Possession with intent to distribute Marijuana, Illegal Carrying of weapon and Illegal Possession of Stolen Things

A Coke Plague. A more recent and sophisticated example of the construction of a drug problem--a graph of a growing "Coke Plague"--is shown below. This visual image was constructed by a graphic artist, Christoph Blumrich, for an article featured on the cover of the March 17, 1986 issue of Newsweek, "Kids and Cocaine: An Epidemic Strikes Middle America." EXAGERATION is a propaganda tool in the “War on drugs”

Comparison graphs (also see next image)

Questions: Should drug abuse be viewed as a medical problem rather than a criminal problem? Should we focus on reducing harm? Should drug abuse be viewed as a medical problem rather than a criminal problem? Should we focus on reducing harm? Should some (or all) illegal drugs be decriminalized? Explain. Why or why not? Should some (or all) illegal drugs be decriminalized? Explain. Why or why not? What role does rationality play in the creation of drug policy? What role does rationality play in the creation of drug policy?