The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-03
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A Deserving Bill-1t Ought to Be a
Editor The Advertiser:

Editor The Advertiser:
 | There is a bill pending before the pres. ent Legislature which in scope. magnitude and importance Is the equal of the best this session. I refer to the following bilfJ: | "A bill to be entitled an Act to regulate the practice of pharmacy in the State of Alabama. and to punish violations of thereto" I might with perfect propriety go yet further and assert that this bill 1 Is one Of the most important and far reaching that has been under considera- | tion
 Without encroaching too much upon your valuable space. propose to set forth to show that it Is entitled to the most | serious and thoughtful attention of our legislators. The present status of the bill may be briefly mentioned. It has passed | the upper house and is ready to be placed on its final passage in the lower house. As only one working day intervenes be- to ask Win the lower House refuse to confer upon the people of this State some- thing that in many instances means more | than life itself? This is a sweeping ques- | pharmacy law was enacted in 1887. Ten years later few amendments were ad- ded In all other respects 1t stands as With all due respect to the framers of | that law, it must be admitted that as at present constituted it is obsolete. It is
 
 terly out of harmony with the progressive | spirit of the times. It Is antagonistic to I the higher impulses of the soul, Tn that 1t permits any druggist in the State of Alabama to dispense poisons of every kind to anybody, at any times in unlimited 1 quantities.
 l druggist are that The shall label the pack age containing the poison, with the name of the article. the word poison, and the name and place of business of the seller AtlA hn hot ha purchaser is aware of the poisonous na- | ture of the drug and represents that 1t Is to be used for a legitimate purpose, the druggist is released from all further re-
 Now comes the Alabama Pharmaceuti- | cal Association" and presents new phar- This association is composed of many | of the most reputable druggists of the State. They regard seriously all matters affecting their profession and deslre ip see 1t placed on a higher plane. At the regular annual meeting held in this city last May. the new pharmacy bill the association Not single discordant
 The Legislative and Executive Commit | tees were instructed to resort to all hon- | orable methods to secure the passage of l the bill.
 It now remains for the members of the | lower house to place their approval on d measure that has a direct bearing upon every man, woman and child in this State and upon coming generations.
 Conditions have changed since the en- actment of the old pharmacy law. The new bill is along thoroughly practical lines and is adapted to present conditions.
 Furthermore. 1t is in keeping with mod ern pharmacy and with the dignity of a great State. One section alone should commend the bill to every right-think ng | man and woman in the State.
 | Section prohibits the sale of morphine | and cocaine except on the prescription of a regularly qualified physician.
 This includes the prescriptions of regu- lar practitioners. dentists and veterinary surgeons. Said prescription cannot be re- | filled except upon the written order of l the physician A few druggists actua ed l solely by humanitarian impulses are op- | posed to th.s section. They contend that 1t will bring untold suffering to those who have become addicted to the cocaine or times better that these unfortunate habitues be subjected to certain reStric- l tions and inconveniences rather than the new victims should be added to the list daily? It can be truly said that there Is no mercenary motive behind this move State are making a sincere effort to shut off this source of revenue. They have no desire to deal out death and damna ion | to unfortunate human beings They be- lieve that by throwing rest aiming infu- enceS around the sale of cocaine and nor ally decrease. They wish to rid themselves of the odium that attaches to the sale of | these poisons.
 In order to do this, they must have a
 stringent law that will reach the remotest corner of the Stata A law thai wit clner the morphine and cocaine joints. To de- Feat this oill means delay of four years