Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-02-16
THE OPIUM HABIT.
Some Of the Terrible Effects Of Opium-smok
ing vfvfdIy Described.

Some Of the Terrible ELECTS Of Opium-SmOh
ing yfvidly Described.
The increase of the consumption of
opium in the United States for the past
ten years has been amazing. According
to DR.. q. N. Kane, who has written
brochure on the subject, the first white
man who smoked opium in this country
was Californian named CIendenyn.
This was in 1868, and it was not until
1871 that he found another to smoke
with him. The habit spread rapidly
among gamblers and their associates,
but it was not till the end of 1875 that
the authorities began to take steps to
suppress the growing custom. Now
there are opium dens in all the cities
and large towns Of the Union. Com
mercial travellers who are addicted to
the habit find it unnecessary to carry
their smoking apparatus with them on
their journeys, as they have no difficulty
IN finding them at opium resorts, well
known to all users Of the drug. In 1880,
~, 1876 pounds OF opium were imported
into the country, paying duty of from
one to six dollars per pound, which was
an increase Of II, 900 in ons year. This
increase is not owing to the growth of
the Chinese population, for, as ex-
Minister Seward has shown in his re-
Gently published volume, there has
been no material increase of Chinese in
this country since 1876. And Chinese
smokers consume less than American,
and most of them use an inferior and
cheap article.
The apparatus for smoking opium is
much more complicated than that for
tobacco. DR.. Kane says that hardly any
one would smoke opium alone, for the
mlre pleasure it imparts. It is emil
nently social vice. This fact explains
why opium smokers gather in dens for
indulgence, and the dens are usually
vile places. Strange as it may seem,
American woman often frequent these
miserable resorts, and there become
practically oblivious to everything but
the enhancement and languor approach,
ing stupefaction the indulgence brings.
The physical effects of opium smoking
are less marked and destructive than
those which follow other methods of
taking the drug; but they are pro-
nounced and unspeakably damaging,
and when the habit is once fastened
upon a person it is practically impos-
siDle to break it. It helds it's victim
In fetters of steel. Sometimes it takes
an old smoker three or four hours to
induce a languor which has ceased to
have one particle OF fascination. The
power of this tyrant over it's victims is
shown by what they will risk and endure
for the sake Of its qualification. The
appetite for it becomes insupportable
and almost maddens them until it is
appeased. OF course it breaks down the
physical system, makes it peculiarly
liable to diseases, and brings troop of
| physical ills in its train. But its moral
effects are more disastrous than it's
physical. 1t prostrates the will, and
destroys all power Of resolution. It
produces moral obtuseness. It deadens
conscience apd all the finer sensibilities.
l
1t creates dreamy insensibility to the
calls OF natural obligation to homs,
children, kindred and friends. 1t para
lyzes the human in the nature Of its
victims. All the fine and delicate senti-
ments peculiar to woman are burned
out and bleared by it. And it is not
strange that the Chinese, knowing
what deadly drug opium was, pro-
tested against its introduction into their
empire, and finally engaged in war
with England to put stop to its impor-
tation. The opium trade with China
was begun by the Portuguese in 1867, and
the first English opium was introduced
into the country in 1773. The latter
country now virtually monopolizes the
trade, and how great it is appears from
the fact that over five hundred tons
were imported in 1867, and over seven
hundred tons were used. What this
means can be imagined by supposing
that Ii, 900, OO0of people were to become
virtually intoxicated every Chris
tidss at Work.