About 15 years after its introduction, cocaine's image changed from a unique and safe tonic with multiple medical uses to a dangerous drug. In the 1930's, the public initially welcomed habit-forming drugs but later feared drug use and demanded legislation. By the 1950's, the violation of Federal drug laws resulted in long mandatory minimum sentences. Despite this sentencing approach, however, drug use exploded. The timing of antidrug legislation, in the earlier drug use wave and in the current drug use epidemic, has profoundly affected the public view of law enforcement's ability to control drug use. The debate often centers around public compliance with prohibition, and public perceptions of a drug's inherent harmfulness may represent the key distinction between alcohol and cocaine prohibition. The author concludes there are cycles in the public's acceptance and rejection of drugs, cycles that are related to what individuals learn about drugs and convey to later generations. 6 references