Controlled Substances Act (CSA, 1970)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (21 U.S.C. § 801 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The CSA consolidated federal drug laws and established a comprehensive system for regulating the manufacture, distribution, and possession of controlled substances. It was part of President Nixon’s broader “War on Drugs.”

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Earlier laws like the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act (1914) and the Marijuana Tax Act (1937) regulated certain drugs but lacked a uniform system. The CSA centralized authority under federal law.