 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Jamie F. Chriqui, PhD, MHS, Joanna M. King, JD, and Raedell Wallace. Center for Health Policy and Legislative Analysis, The MayaTech Corporation, 1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 900, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3921, 301-587-1600, jchriqui@mayatech.com
Since the enactment of the Harrison Act of 1914 and the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, the sale, possession, and use of selected substances has been illegal at the federal level. However, most low-level, non-violent drug offenders are prosecuted through state courts rather than federal courts and, therefore, are subject to state rather than federal penalties and sanctions. In this paper, we present original data collected as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-supported ImpacTeen project. Specifically, we illustrate the varied approaches that state legislatures have taken to controlled substance policymaking with a specific emphasis on controlled substance scheduling and statutory penalties for the sale, possession and use of marijuana, cocaine, crack, methamphetamine, and four “club” drugs: rohypnol, ecstasy, GHB, and ketamine. We also highlight changes in these laws between 1999 and 2001. Of particular note are the increased attention paid to two “club” drugs, GHB and ketamine. During this period, nearly two times as many states scheduled GHB and nearly three times as many states scheduled ketamine. At the same time, penalties for possessing and using these substances also increased substantially, indicating that state attention to these substances goes beyond the manufacturer or seller.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Other Drugs, Public Policy
Related Web page: www.impacteen.org
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Bridging the Gap/ImpacTeen
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.