The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1894-02-08
OPIUM FROM CANADA.
Smu2glers Working the Drug
Across the Border Line.
In Spite of Government Precautions .
Very Large Amount OF tho Mar.
cotic Is Secretly Brought
Across.

a prominent Boston physician SAYS
that II would startle the people
of Boston generally were IL known
to what great extent the use OF
opium had already gone In this city;
not only among the Chinese, for IL has
been understood that this class OF the
population use the drug, but among
the white residents. Tho physicians
OF this city have fought vehemcntly
against the use OF opiates TO quiet
children, and they have accomplished
something in that direction; but 1t Is
still evident that far larger quantity
of opium is used in this city than Is nc
counted for in the druggists state
ment of sales. Says the Boston Adver-
tiser: More than one Boston physician
could, IL the principles OF their profess
sion allowed, give some grave facts re-
5arding the ruin wrought by the drug
in Boston homes. Now and then the
police make a raid on come opium
room, but their efforts have not sue
ceeded in checking the use OF opium to
any extent. A special agent OF the
treasury said lately, in reply to some
questions in this connection, that
opium smuggling was carried on across
the Canadian border to-day in spite of
the arrest OF SO many gangs Of snug
glcrs in the past. The stuff can DO
bought for 80 pound in Montreal and
can be sold here ut $40 or more per
pound, according to its quality. The
drug is easily carried in large weight,
and one man can carry from twenty
five to fifty pounds and can escape de-
lection. The trade Of smuggling opium
is, of course, very profitable one, and
as the smugglers have about one thou
sand two hundred miles of border over
which they can cross they have n good
opportunity TO do business without
being caught. The favorite method of
the smugglers Is to take the train from
Montreal to n way station not far from
the boundary, and to cross the line in
carriage to some small station on the
American side. In this way they cs-
cape the search OF the regular customs
officers whose duty IL is to examine the
luggage of railroad passengers ut the
boundary. Some smuggling is also
lone by hiding the opium in bulky
packages of freight. At best the gov
crulucnt nlS u hIluil iOrcc VI cusboius
officers along the border, and the
smugglcrs do a thriving trade. They
can sell opium more cheaply than rag
ulnr dealers, of course, and large
part of the opium used in Boston comes
over tho border without paying duty.
Only ten years ago $4,000 pounds were
imported into Canada. Last year the
amount was about 10000 pounds, and
IL is said that 100000 pounds were
smugglcd across the line last year to
United States consumers. In view of
the increase in the use OF opium in this
section IL Is n matter OF some interest
that the Canadian government is at
last considering the plan of putting
watch on the opium rcilneries in the
dominion, practically compelling the
rcGnerics to carry on their work in
bond under government inspection. IL
this should be done u prompt check
would be put upon the smugglcrs and
it would no longer be easy to get
opium SO chcaply in Boston. The
great increase in price would serve TO
close up some of the opium joints, and
would probably put check upon tho
growth of the opium habit"