The document discusses changing attitudes towards substance use and regulation from the 1800s to present. It covers factors like toxicity, dependence, and crime that influenced more controlling policies. Toxicity can refer to both acute and chronic physiological and behavioral effects. Dependence involves tolerance, withdrawal, and psychological preoccupation. Data on drug-related emergency visits and deaths provides some information on dangers but does not capture relative risk or consider number of users. Laws aim to reduce costs to society from dangers of certain drug use, but not all policies have been rationally conceived or effective at achieving this.