'drug-control' is a modern English compound formed from the noun 'drug' and the verb/noun 'control'. 'drug' originates from Middle French 'drogue' (originally referring to medicinal or dried goods), and 'control' descends from Anglo-Norman/Old French 'controle' (from Latin elements meaning 'against' + 'roll/record').

'drug-control' arose in 20th-century English as policies concerning narcotics became a common public issue; 'drug' itself came into English via Middle French 'drogue' and earlier Germanic/Dutch trade terms, while 'control' evolved from Anglo-Norman 'controle' and Middle English into the modern word 'control'.

Initially, 'drug' often referred to dried medicinal substances and 'control' originally had senses tied to checking records; over time 'drug-control' came to mean organized regulation and enforcement specifically targeting narcotics and other controlled substances.