Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-07-25
COCAINE sNIFFERs.
Use of the Drug Increasing Among
Negroes Of the South.
New York rrjbune1

|
son, of Georgia, who has been visiting
in Washington, threatens to depopulate
the southern states OF their colored
population. The habit is growing with
| wonderful rapidity, and it's evil effects
are being seen in all the towns and
cities of the southern states.
I'm Atlanta" says Colonel Watson,
| cocaine shifting has grown 10 such
proportions that some of the keepers
| of saloons patronizeed by the colored
people are going out of business, for
when the craving for whisky is gone,
the victim finding entire satisfaction
in the shifting Of cocaine. l have visit
ed some of the negro barrooms in De-
catur-st, in Atlanta, and the propri-
etors told be that the cocaine habit
which had been acquired by the ne
groes was simply driving them out of
business.
THE habit has grown rapidly. and
its effects are seen and felt in all the
towns and cities. 1t is cheaper than
whisky, and the effects last longer. For
% or so cents one can buy enough
cocaine to last a week. The cocaine
crystals are pulverize dand mixed with
sugar and reduced to the right
strength. They are then placed in a
box or pouch and carried in the pock-
cts, being convenient for use whenever
1t is felt that a sniff is necessary. 1t
has mystitied our physicians and men
Of medicine to know how the negroes
learned the art of mixing and pulver-
iZing the crystals. BY snuffiing the
cocaine up the nostrils 1t reaches the
brain quicker and the effect is more
lasting than II swallowed or admin
istered by hypodermic injection. Ne
groes who are addicted to the habit
say that they have tried the two lat
ter ways, and that the effects are not
by any means the same, and do not
afford the same degree of satisfac-
ton and pleasure as when shifted
Another item is that a small pinch
of the pulverized stuff goes farther than
seven times the same amount swallow
ed or injected by the user. It's effects
are said to be similar to those of NOR
phine. but it gives a feeling of jag
produced by large drinks of whisky. T
have been told by negroes that they
didn't want whisky If they could get
cocaine. Like opium, too. it produces
visions of wealth, beauty and happiness
There are no menageries and snakes in
drunk from cocaine; it is full Of gen.
uine joys, it is claimed until the eff
fects begin to die out, when it requires
another dose or two to start the ma
chinery OF joy and good feeling. I'm
questionably the drug effects the brain
rapidly and the result has been that the
insane asylums of the south are filing
up and overlooking with the unfortun-
ate victims. There has been cheap
and inferior cocaine placed on the
markets, and this fact has fastened the
Grazing of many of its users. While
there are laws prohibiting the sale of
the drug. there is little difficulty ex-
perienced in getting it, for there are al
ways Inscriptions druggists, who will
take chances on selling it, and there are
many physicians who will write CO.
caine prescriptions all day at so cents |
for each prescription. I understand |
that even some of the saloonkeepers of
Atlanta, Birmingham, Chattanooga, |
Augusta, and other southern cities now
keep a, full supply of cocaine for their
customers.
Il have given the cocaine question |
considerable study, and am convinced |
that If some stringent law is not enact
ed and enforced against its USE the
habit will grow and extend to such pro- |
portions that great injury will result; |
in fact, great injury has already re-
suited, for I am satisfied that many OF |
the horrible crimes committed in the |
southern states by the colored people |
can be traced directly to the cocaine |
habit. After a person has habitually |
used the poison for certain length Of |
time, he becomes mentally irresponsl-
BILE. No man can use 1T long and re-
tain his normal mental condition. 1t
is a brain wrecker of the worst kind.
/ am glad to say that the people Of my
waking up to the
alarming conditions resulting from the
use of such drugs, and a vigorous fight
was made at the last session of our
legislature on the sale of a soda foun-
tain drink manufactured in Atlanta,
and known as coca cola, of which
of barrels are sold annually.
1t was contended by advocates of the
bill for a high license, on the drink,
that it was compound which produced
similar effects to cocaine, morphine,
and such like. Men have become adj
dicted to drinking it, and find 1t hard
to release themselves from the habit.
"Now, let me say too, that the use
Of cocaine is not confined to the ne
groes of the south by any manner of
means. The young white men have
taken up the habit and its effect can
be seen on their faces. You can stand
on the corner of any prominent street
In Atlanta and pick out the cocaine
victims as the younger generation pas
ses by. Their faces are flushed, red
eyes and blurred, and with expressions
Of some wild, hunted animal. ] cannot
describe their looks but it Is entirely
different from that of the man with the
plain whisky jag. There is all the diff
ference In the world between the two.
md even a stranger will notice it and
make comments. am not an advocate
IF whisky, but I am fully convinced
hat if a man feels that he needs a
,timulent, the best thing that he can
10 is to get bottle of liquor. Some
IF the people say that the use OF CO.
,aine is confined almost exclusively to
he colored race, but this is not true;
here are thousands of white men and
BOYS who are using It, l do not know
whether the women are addicted to the
habit or not.
ut is peculiarly strange to me that
here seems to be an insane desire on
he part of the present generation to
ret something up their noses. Snuff
,sing is increasing rapidly all over the :
country. I have seen not less than
light men right In the lobby of this no.
al tonight take out their snuff boxes