New-York tribune., 1903-06-21
COCAINE .SNIFFERS.
Use Qfthe Drug Increasing Among
Negroes Of the South.

Washington. Jan II (speciaD-Cocaine shifting,
according to a statement made by Colonel j. w
Watson, of Georgia, who has been visiting In
Washington threatens to depopulate the Southern
States of their colored population. The habit is
growing with wonderful rapidty, and its evil eff
fects being seen in all the towns and cities OF
the Southern States
In Atlanta" says Colonel Watson cocaine
shifting has grown to such proportions that some
of the keepers of saloons patronzed by the coored
people going out of business, for when the
cocaine habit fixes itself person all desire or
craving for whiskey is gone. the victim finding en-
tire satisfaction in the shifting of cocaine have
visited some of the negro barrooms in Decatur-st.
in Atlanta. and the proprietors told me that the
cocaine habit which had been acquired by the ne
groes 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 whiskey, and the effects last longer
For 25 so cents can buy enough cocaine to
last week. The cocaine crystals are puverized
and mixed with sugar and reduced to the rlsht
strength. They then placed in a box or pouch
and carried the pockets being convenient for use
whenever it is felt that sniff is necessary. 1t
has mystified physicians and men OF medicine
to know how the negroes learned the art of mixing
and pUlverizing the crystals By snuffng the CO
caine up nostrils It reaches the brain quicker
and the effect is lasting than If swallowed or
administered by hypodermic injection. Negroes
who addicted to the habit say that they nave
tried the latter ways, and that the effects are
not by any means the same, and do not anoro the
same degree of satisfaction and pleasure as when
shifted
Another item is that small pinch Of the pull
verized stuff goes further than seven times the
same amount swallowed injected by the user
It's effects said to be similar to those of NOR
phine but it gives q feeling of jag produced by
large drinks of whskey. I have been told by ne
groes that they didn't want whiskey If they could
get cocaine. Like opium, too. ii produces visions
of wealth. beauty and happiness There are no
ood alpc IN drIIrE from 4
is full of genuine joys It is claimed, until the ef
fects begin to die out when it requires another
dose two to start the machinery of joy and good
feeling Unquestiorably the drug affects the brain
rapidly. and the result has been that the insane
asylums of the South filing up and overlooking
with the unfortunate victims. There has been a
cheap and inferior cocaine placed on the markets.
and this fact has hastened the Grazing of many of
its users. While there laws prohibiting the
sale of the drug. there is little difficulty experienced
in getting it. for there always unscrupulous
druggists, who will take chances selling it, ard
there are many physicians who will write cocaine
prescriptions all day 80 for each prescrip
tion. l understand that even some Of the saloon
keepers of Atlanta Birmingham, Chattanooga, Au-
gusta and other Southern cities now keep fun
supply of cocaine for their customers.
''I have given the cocaine question considerable
study, and convinced that if some stringent
law is not enacted and enforced against its the
habit will grow and extend to such proportions
great injury will result in fact great injury
has already resulted, for l am SauSned Ihat many
of the horrible crimes committed in the Southern
States by the coored people can be traced directly
to the cocaine habit. After person has habltualy
used the poison for certain length of time he be-
comes mentally irresponsible No use It
long and retain his normal mental condition. 1t is
brain wrecker Of the worst kind. 1 glad to
say that the people of my State-Georgia-are
waking up to the alarming conditions resulting
from the use of such drugs, and vigorous fight
was made at the last session of our legislature on
the sale of a soda fountain drink manufactured in
Atlanta and known as coca cola, Of which thou
sands of barrels are sold annually It
tended by advocates of the bill for a high license
on the drink that it a compound which pro-
duced similar effects TO cocaine morphine and such
like Men become addicted drinking it. and find
ii hard to release themselves from the habit
Now, let say. too. that the OF cocaine is
confined to the negroes of the South by any
manner Of means The young Wnte NIT m men m nave We
their faces. You stand on the corner Of any
prominent street in Atlanta and pick out the CO.
Their faces flushed, eyes red and blurred, and
with expressions of some wild. hunted animal l
ferent from that OF the with the plain whiskey
. jag. There is all the difference in the world te
and make comments. l am not an advocate of
whiskey but l fully convinced that if man
he can do IS 10 get bottle OF iiquoi some OF tne
people say that the use Of cocaine is confined al
not true: there thousands OF white men and
boys who are using It ! do not not, know whether the
ut is peculiarly strange TO me thai there seems
be insane desire the part OF the present
Il to sf pab s aR ter oTer f6
l have not less than eight men right in the
boxes and Ike sniff notice the same thing
everywhere l go. and tobacconists tell me that
people will snuff and sniff until life is snufed out.