Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-07-21
VIC. I. U. COLUMN.
The Relation of the Cigaret to Crime

George Terrence of Pontiac, H.
had not been general super ndent
of the Illinois State RefCrmatory great
while until my attention was directed
TO the almost universal use Of cigareis
by the younger boys-the boys under
fifteen years OF age-sent 10 that IL
slituion. In fact, So general did their
use seem tLat it might, speaking from
records, be termed 10 the vicious habit
in which they all indulged. In calling
it "viclOus habit" | no not think any
reasonable person will question that
the expression is a proper one when
applied TO the use Of cigaTets by boys
of that age.
Very naturally, with desire TO APP
ply to the boy that treatment watch
would most likely make him an honest
and honorable citizen, the query sug-
gestcd Itself. l. the cigaret habit
solely the result of bad companionship,
or does it materially enter Unto the
cause which brings the boy into bad
company and makes him criminal?
Whatever the answer TO this question
may be, judging from our record and
my personal observations and study Of
this class of boys, | am sure cigarets
are destroying and making criminals
OF more of them than the saloons
On the first day Of this month we
had two hundred and seventy-eigl t
boys between the ages of ten and iif-
teen. OF sixty-three of this number
with the average age of twelve, Hfty-
eight of which were cigaret smokers; of
one hundred thirty-three of them with
the average age of fourteen, one hun
dred twenty-five were cigaret smokers;
eighly.two were fifteen years OF age, of
whom seventy-three were cigaret smok-
ers. This demonstrates that ninty-two
per cent of the whole number were IN
the habit of smoking cigare,s at the
time they committed the crimes for
which they were sent 10 the reforma-
tory; but even more aston ishing is the
fact that eighty-two per cent had be-
come SO addicted to their use as to be |
classed at the time as "cigaret fiends."
My reason for selecting but two hun
dred seventy-eight, of the nearly fifteen
hundred boys under my control, for
the purpose of making the test for
this address, was that this was the num-
Der we had of fifteen years or under, and
afforded reliable evidence of the pre-
valence of this habit among these mere
children, already the youthful criminals
/ have no doubt the same percentage
would appear if the entire number had
been included.
assert, unhesitatingly and without
fear of successful contradiction, that
the use of cigaret effects the nervous
system, weakens the will power and de-
stroys the ability of the boy to resist
ion, and, because of this, he
easily falls victim TO those abits that
not only destroy the body, mind and
soul, but irresistibly lead him into
violation of the laws of his state.
have talked with many physicians on
this phase of the question; some OF
them of wide and deserved regulations
in their profession, and in not one
instance was it denied that the physio-
logical effect of cigaret smoking by the
young boy was such as have stated.
In this connection ! want TO add that
one physician. whose ability is I'm.
questioned, SAID to rue that the stimu
lating effect produced by cigarets,
by the depression which in
evitably results. was much worse than
that produced by intoxicating liquors
that its effect on the system was more
like that of morphine or cocaine.
With the remedy my subject has
nothing to DO, but | am firmly con-
vinced that in the use of the cigaret
the youth of this country are facing
most deadly peril. Bad companions.
dangerous though they be, seldom
make of the small boy criminal with
out some other operating cause, Ex-
cept in the cases of those born with a
propensity for crime, the natural im-
puse of the youth is averse to IT. He
will not commit it of his own free will;
but once taught the lesson TO lie and
deceive; told the stories of the vices of
hose older, pictured as a pleasure of
youth; experienced series of stimu-
llations and depressions. weakening