The Law and the Drug Seller An Evaluation of the Amendment to Section 1751 of the Penal Law Pertaining to Violations of the Public Health Law With Respect to Narcotic Drugs, as Noted in Fifteen Cases at the Kings County Court Probation Department, Brooklyn, New York July 1, 1951, to January 1, 1954

Stephen Vardinna, Fordham University

Abstract

Narcotics came to the fore as a social problem in all its aspects in the postwar period following World War II. In 1951, the New York Legislature, in response to the public furor that demanded a solution, passed an amendment to Section 1751 of the Penal law which dealt with the illegal sale of narcotics. This study is an attempt to evaluate that measure. This was not the first time the problem had presented itself, for ever since drug-producing plants and their derivatives were introduced into this country, they have caused much concern among those who have sought to control their use. After each major war a rise in the use of these drugs for other than medicinal purposes was noted. Under proper control the problem would abate but remain ever present. It erupted again as a form of social disorganization after the end of the war in 1945 and public clamor demanded that something be done. The people of the State of New York, which seemed to be a crucial focal point in drug traffic and addiction, responded by passing an amendment that made it possible for law enforcement authorities to strike more effectively at those who deal in illegal drugs — the sellers and peddlers of narcotics.

Subject Area

Law|Public policy|Law enforcement|Public health

Recommended Citation

Vardinna, Stephen, "The Law and the Drug Seller An Evaluation of the Amendment to Section 1751 of the Penal Law Pertaining to Violations of the Public Health Law With Respect to Narcotic Drugs, as Noted in Fifteen Cases at the Kings County Court Probation Department, Brooklyn, New York July 1, 1951, to January 1, 1954" (1954). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI30670774.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI30670774

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