1960s Timeline

June 13, 1962 - A narcotics expert suggested today that all “hard-core” heroin users be confined to prisons or work camps because no effective control had been found for such an addiction. Dr. Lewis Thomas, chairman of the department of medicine at the NYU Medical School, told the annual meeting of the Health Research Council that temporary hospitalization had proved an “absolute, utter failure.” Suggesting that all heroin users “could be confined to work camps or other place

June 7, 1962 - Shane R. O’Neill (pictured in 1959), the 43-year-old son of the late playwright Eugene O’Neill, was arrested early today in Greenwich Village on a charge of possessing narcotics. Mr. O’Neill and a companion, Victor Ortiz, 36, were stopped by Patrolman James Cavanagh, who was on burglary duty at 3:45 a.m. in front of a loft building at 127 Greene Street. When searched, according to the police, Mr. Ortiz had a hypodermic needle and syringe, and Mr. O’Neill had so

Apr. 11, 1962 - The birth of thousands of deformed babies in Europe has led an American physician to appeal for stricter Federal regulations on the introduction of new drugs in this country. The appeal was made to the American College of Physicians in Philadelphia. It is based on a new study of several thousand deformed babies born to European mothers who took Thalidomide, a common prescription sleeping pill that had been considered harmless. The babies are born with useless

Apr. 4, 1962 - A prominent French television figure, a Parisian nightclub owner, and a Brooklyn father and son pleaded not guilty in Kings County Court today to charges of conspiring to possess $3.5 million worth of heroin. The defendants are Jacques L. Angelvin (pictured center with Detective Edward Egan), 34, a television performer; Francois Paul Scaglia, 34, a nightclub owner; Joseph Fuca, 60, and his 30-year-old son, Pasquale, both of Brooklyn. The four were described as

Feb. 25, 1962 - New York City detectives and Federal narcotics agents seized pure heroin worth $20 million last night after subduing a longshoreman in a Bronx tenement. Edward F. Carey, deputy chief inspector of the New York Narcotics Bureau, called the seizure “the second largest ever made by law-enforcement agencies in this country.” The heroin, weighing 88 pounds, was in 66 plastic packets in three plaid airline canvas bags. The suspect was identified as Anthony Fuca (pict

Jan. 30, 1962 - A criminal case against Ray Charles (pictured in court today), the blind singer-pianist, was dismissed in Indianapolis Municipal Court today on the ground that he was illegally arrested Nov. 14 on a narcotics possession charge. Judge Ernie S. Burke noted that the 31-year-old Los Angeles entertainer had been arrested in his hotel room without warrants for either his arrest or a search. Judge Burke said the Negro pianist had been the victim of a “bad arrest.” “A

Jan. 25, 1962 - The New York Board of Regents today upheld the refusal of the motion picture division of the State Department of Education to license the picture “The Connection” on the ground of obscenity. Pictured below is a still from the film. The decision set the stage for a constitutional challenge of the department’s power to censor films. A motion picture cannot be shown for public viewing in any theatre in the state without a license. “The Connection” is an adaptatio

Jan. 19, 1962 - Five persons were held today in $100,000 bail each as a result of a Brooklyn raid Thursday in which $3,500,000 worth of heroin was seized. Jacques L. Angelbin (pictured center), 34, a Parisian television performer, and Francois Paul Scaglia, 34, said to be an owner of a Paris nightclub, were among those held. Federal narcotics officials said the arrests would seriously affect smuggling operations in France. They said practically all the heroin that entered thi

Jan. 18, 1962 - Raw heroin estimated to be worth $3,500,000 in the illicit market was found in the ceiling of a Brooklyn tenement today by Federal and city narcotics raiders. At least seven persons were arrested for questioning, including two Frenchmen. The cache was discovered after a detective had noticed two spots of wet plaster on the basement ceiling. He investigated, and out tumbled two plastic bags containing heroin. A quick search of the entire ceiling turned up 20 mo

Jan. 1, 1962 - Barbara Burns (pictured after a 1958 narcotics arrest), 23-year-old daughter of the late Bob Burns, the comedian, died today of her third overdose of barbiturates in six months. She was found unconscious and near death in a Hollywood alley Saturday and never regained consciousness. A narcotics possession charge had been pending against her. Last year, she was reported to be losing her sight. Friends said at the time that she was penniless. Mr. Burns, known for

Dec. 8, 1961 - Marijuana smoking among Harlem teenagers is almost as common as the use of regular cigarettes, a Negro Democratic leader declared today. He also charged that “the hypodermic needle is a common weapon” of youths in the area and that “drugstores are selling these needles illegally.” The statements were made by Mark T. Southall of the 12th Assembly District North, which covers upper Harlem and Washington Heights. Mr. Southall said it was his “sad duty” to report o

Oct. 21, 1961 - There will not be much variety this week in the dramatic themes of television adventure and crime shows on ABC. Four one-hour programs will present stories about drug addiction or illicit narcotics. A “Ben Casey” episode tomorrow night will depict a surgeon, played by George C. Scott (pictured), who is a morphine addict. On Tuesday evening, “The New Breed” will offer a story about police efforts to save a woman who has taken a lethal dose of narcotics. “The Un

Aug. 13, 1961 - Commissioner George P. Larrick of the Food and Drug Administration said today that stricter laws were needed to control "pep pills." He said the pills keep a driver awake longer than normal, but produce hallucinations and cause drivers to lose coordination. #drugs #meth #amphetamines #speed #speedkills #narcotics