This document discusses the history and development of drug regulation in the United States. It notes that current drug laws trace back to the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906 and Harrison Act of 1914, which were influenced by concerns over fraudulent and dangerous patent medicines as well as fears about recreational drug use. Over time, these laws have been amended and updated, including through the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, to establish a drug scheduling system and further regulate pharmaceutical research, approval, and prescription. The impacts and effectiveness of this increasingly strict regulatory system continue to be debated.