1970–1971Reputable sourceWell documented
The War on Drugs
On the timeline · around 1970–1971 ·
What happened
The 1970 U.S. Controlled Substances Act sorted drugs into 'schedules' by danger and medical value, placing marijuana, LSD and heroin in the strictest Schedule I. In 1971 President Nixon declared drug abuse 'public enemy number one,' launching the War on Drugs.
Why it matters
This framework shaped global drug policy for half a century — driving mass incarceration and fierce debate over whether prohibition does more harm than the drugs themselves.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Controlled Substances Act · Reputable source
Related timelines
- Cannabis → — Cannabis placed in Schedule I
- The Civil Rights Movement → — Enforcement's disproportionate racial toll