# 3182f - 1998 32c Celebrate the Century - 1900s: Pure Food and Drug Act

US #3182f
1998 Pure Food and Drug Act – Celebrate the Century (1900s)

• Part of the first sheet in the Celebrate the Century stamp series issued from 1998-2000
• Honors the Pure Food and Drug Act
• Includes text on the back with historical details

Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Celebrate the Century
Value: 32¢ First Class Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: February 3, 1998
First Day City: Washington, DC
Quantity Issued: 188,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Intaglio
Format: Panes of 15
Perforations: 11.6
Tagging: Block Tagging

Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and its historical and cultural significance in America.

About the stamp design: Pictures gouache and colored pencil illustration of a misleading medicine bottle label by artist Richard Waldrep. Includes the following text on the back “The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 prohibited the interstate sale of any adulterated or misbranded food or drug.”

First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held in Washington, DC, with legendary radio and television host Larry King as master of ceremonies.

About the Celebrate the Century series: The USPS launched the Celebrate the Century series in 1998 to mark the end of the 20th century and herald the arrival of the 21st. The series includes 10 sheets of 15 stamps (150 in total), with each honoring important moments from a different decade (1900s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s). At the time of completion, it was the longest and most ambitious commemorative stamp series in US history.

History the stamp represents: At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a great deal of public pressure to improve the standards governing America’s food and drug industries. Many states had food laws, but they were not well enforced. Also, regulations varied between states, and products that were legal in one state could make their way into other states where they were illegal.

For nearly 20 years, the chief of the Bureau of Chemistry in the US Department of Agriculture, Harvey W. Wiley, had been gathering information to prove the need for a federal food and drug law. His work gained support by consumer groups, journalists, the American Medical Association, and eventually President Theodore Roosevelt. Upton Sinclair’s novel, “The Jungle,” which exposed the unsanitary practices of the meat industry, is also credited fro bringing the federal government into the food and drug industries.

The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed by Congress in 1906, along with the Meat Inspection Act. This marked the beginning of federal regulation of food and drug preparation and the accurate labeling of these products. This act prohibited the movement of impure food and drugs between states. It has protected the health of Americans to this day.