1906–1914Reputable sourceWell documented
Patent Medicines and the First Drug Laws
On the timeline · around 1906–1914 ·
What happened
By 1900, opium, cocaine and cannabis were sold freely in unlabeled 'patent medicines' and soothing syrups, even for infants. The 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act forced honest labeling, and the 1914 Harrison Act began federal control of narcotics.
Why it matters
This era marks the birth of modern drug regulation — the moment governments first tried to police what people could put in their bodies.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Pure Food and Drug Act · Reputable source