Anti-Drug Operations, 1960s

[Page 40]A convergence of factors led to heightened federal involvement in U.S. drug policy during the 1960s. Concerns about the safety of pharmaceutical drugs led to increased regulation and supervision of prescription and over-the-counter remedies by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Societal changes, including increased use of illegal substances, also resulted in initiatives designed to curb and prevent the importing, transfer, and use of recreational drugs. Although rudimentary compared to later anti-drug operations, policies begun during the 1960s set the stage for future refinement and enhancement of these initiatives and shaped later response to the regulation and supervision of pharmaceutical and illegal drugs.