Heroin Abuse
With the creation of injectable drugs such as morphine and it’s refined
version, heroin abuse became widespread during the later part of
the 19th century, and the beginning of the 20th century. Prescribed by
doctors and pharmacists for a variety of ailments, and hawked as a
cure-all by traveling salesman and con men, the use of heroin, and other
narcotics grew rapidly.
Little was really known at the time about the dangers of heroin
abuse, as at the time it was considered a “safer, non-addictive” form of
morphine. With a large part of the population using heroin, abuse
and addiction were beginning to spread across the nation in epidemic
proportions. By 1903, there were thousands addicted and heroin
abuse was now considered a national problem.
In 1920, Congress made the sale of heroin and other like narcotics
illegal, and placed stricter control on their distribution. And by 1923,
The U.S. Treasury Department’s newly formed Narcotics Division, had
officially began the war on drugs by banning all legal narcotics sales.
With the closure of these shops the street dealer was born. In 1924, The
Heroin Act was signed into law, making the manufacture, and possession
of heroin illegal. It would be too little, too late, as by 1925, there
were an estimated 200,000 people addicted just to heroin. Heroin abuse was
here to stay.
Today, in the 21st century, heroin abuse is still
prevalent, and the “war on drugs” continues. As long as there’s
addictive narcotics like heroin, abuse and addiction will always be
right behind.
