Federal Narcotics Control Board

The Federal Narcotics Control Board (FNCB) was a Prohibition era senior level law enforcement-related organization established by the United States Congress as part of the Narcotic Drugs Import and Export Act on 26 May 1922.[1][2] The Board was composed of the Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Commerce.[3]

Federal Narcotics Control Board
Agency overview
Formed26 May 1922 (1922-05-26)
Dissolved14 June 1930 (1930-06-14)
Superseding agency

The duties of the board were;

  • To prohibit opium imports for other than medical purposes
  • To limit exports to nations with an adequate licensing system[4]

The duties of the board were further amended;

  • To outlaw the manufacture of heroin in the U.S.[4]

Congressional leadership in narcotics control was handled by Steven G. Porter, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.[4]

The duties of the board were transferred to the Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics on 14 June 1930.[5]

Advisory Committee[6][7][8][9][10]

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Each of the three departments appointed a representative to the board's Advisory Committee. This committee had no powers, and functioned solely to facilitate the board.[11]

Department of the Treasury Representative
Portrait Name Joined Board Left Board
  Levi G. Nutt May 26, 1922 1929
  Harry J. Anslinger 1929 June 14, 1930
Department of Commerce Representative
Charles C. Concannon ? December 14, 1929
James O'Hara December 14, 1929 ?
Department of State Representative
William B. Norris ? 1925
  John K. Caldwell 1926 June 14, 1930

Leadership of the Board[6][7][8][9][10]

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The leadership of the board was composed of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Commerce.[4]

Levi Nutt was appointed by the members to be Secretary of the Board, with the vested powers of conducting correspondence on behalf of the board, and signing permits on behalf of the board.[11] Nutt, in his dual function as Deputy Commissioner of the Narcotics Division of the Prohibition Bureau, was also responsible for issuing all import licenses for opium and other drugs.[11]

When Nutt was removed from his position due to the scandal surrounding his son's association with the gangster Arnold Rothstein, his position and all duties were transferred to the new acting Commissioner of Narcotics, Harry J. Anslinger.

Secretary of the Board
Portrait Name Joined Board Left Board
  Levi G. Nutt May 26, 1922 1929
  Harry J. Anslinger 1929 June 14, 1930
Assistant Secretary of the Board
Manford R. Livingston ? ?
Treasury Secretary - Board Member
  Andrew Mellon May 26, 1922 June 14, 1930
Secretaries of Commerce - Board Members
  Herbert Hoover May 26, 1922 August 21, 1928
  William F. Whiting August 22, 1928 March 4, 1929
  Robert P. Lamont March 5, 1929 14 June 1930
Secretaries of State - Board Members
  Charles Evans Hughes May 26, 1922 March 4, 1925
  Frank B. Kellogg March 5, 1925 March 28, 1929
  Henry L. Stimson March 28, 1929 June 14, 1930

Dissolution

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When the Federal Narcotics Control Board was dissolved, and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was established a month later, all the duties and responsibilities of the Board were passed to the Commissioner of Narcotics, Harry J. Anslinger.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Records of the Drug Enforcement Administration [DEA]". www.archives.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  2. ^ "Chap. 202 HR 2193" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  3. ^ Charles Jeme. The Bureau Of Prohibition. pp. 274–275.
  4. ^ a b c d e "The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) The Early Years" (PDF). p. 4.
  5. ^ "Section 164, act June 14, 1930, ch. 488, §3, 46 Stat. 586". uscode.house.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  6. ^ a b United States. Official Register of the United States 1925. Internet Archive. Superintendent of Government Documents. 1925. p. 116.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. ^ a b United States Civil Service Commission (1926). Official register of the United States ... (1926). The Library of Congress. Washington, U.S. Govt. print. off. p. 119.
  8. ^ a b United States. Official Register of the United States 1927. Internet Archive. Superintendent of Government Documents. 1927. p. 120.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  9. ^ a b United States Civil Service Commission (1928). Official register of the United States ... (1928). The Library of Congress. Washington, U.S. Govt. print. off. p. 122.
  10. ^ a b United States Civil Service Commission (1929). Official register of the United States ... (1929). The Library of Congress. Washington, U.S. Govt. print. off. p. 112.
  11. ^ a b c Laurence F. Schmeckebier (1929). The Bureau Of Prohibition Its History, Activities And Organization. pp. 136–137.