The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1905-11-18
CAUSES OF THE
DRUG HABIT
Whefe The Chief Responsibility For
This Evil Must Be Placed

Nation has to confront in the line of so
cial degencrHcy il, the growing tendency
towards the Use of habit-fGrming drugs.
In practically every State stringent laws
have been passed making it. theoretical
~. gl,S least, impossible to secure opium,
cocaine or morphine without physicians
prescriptions, but Notwithstanding these
ilws the habit is growing rapidly. Only
tire ether day II prominent western rlar
nlsrist. III II public address,. said that CO.
cuine threatened to rival alcohol as Il
"mationul cul.e."
Startling statement that. but appar-
cut!y in borne out b. the facts.
Alcoholism ANA the drug habits are
twin evils in the minds of many, but
really they are sci arate and distinct
evils, though probably leading by diff
frre:t routes to the same end, which,
un,cSS the habits are checked, is degra-
dation. crime and diShUnor
Alcoholism is recognized nowadays. by
many eminent physicians us disease. This
is especially true of periodical alcoholism.
But. even as Il disease, inherited by one
generation fiTn another, it must have
had Il start somewhere. Medical special
lists who have made Il study of alcoholism
and the drug h:lDitS. with Il view to over
coming them by medical treatment, are
practically unanimous in the position that
alcoholism is caused by environment and
association. Seldom. if ever, can aal-
thrrtic cases be pointed out where al
cohO.ism has been caused by administra-
ton by physicians or by reason of the
list of alcohol in medication. Cornwall
associations lead to excessive drinking.
Men who can drink or leave it alone
become irunkarG> when constantly or
frequently thrown in with what they
would term n swift bunch"
Periodical alcoholism admittedly is a
disease. All persons afflicted show like
symptoms. and the disease is one that
lends itself to actual diagnosis. If Il
,',''son 50 afflicted ha! never touched al
"0holic iiuuNi'. he would be subject to
spell of unrest and perhaps II. e.ancholy.
Once he Tastes liquor when in one of
these spells he becomes Il pcrio heal slave
Il. il, the periods lasting as long as the
system is depressed.
D"nto~ whose speciality is the treat
aren't of alcoholic and drug habits are
r-lt'ed tht ourre>S physicians are the
cause of the !rug habits. which is be-
coming Il EatirHal curse Cocaine, NOR
!rlll," or nltum are pre- Clihcd carclC~Sly.
- f''ii'i~ p iI''l Is '"'u INIT one or
i!e 'J!rf OF th'>' ''ru2S N':l r'li'Ne
pun lie lEii''i' ''I'> H. .IN'@ t'lf S''l-
OK II il". "r"N' rci'''''S 'Lc d'Se ana
hr'""!es F!'t.n. 'lirh ne ufH2S ms
''''''N ""M WIN H'.il' '"c hiSh ''u'""r-
~ sly" '"'' P!tH PER cent. Oh the
I"- 'iH''' !hI.""!t opium Sil"Hl~'
'7''i'r "r','N ny 'H''F own 1iltl"''Nr.
rae "i"'' - p. ''El' are .''.c"''nIc III
r'''F' or l"G'i'. y 10 PhFSic'lhS.
Nt"t ICY PhN'+'"R WE''>e Spech'tF ~
'F" '.i' 'r' .''..' p. 'r"@ anu "l'oIi"l
uses: - '"iL"I.'f ''r the statement lhat
! mhJ"!flI "' tAe p"t:'LRS WHO seek treat
h'",it III ms SAINT 'tINi'i are i'hFSici'hN'
''.h 'if"l "',>i ~ '"e r,ii'iiiticr were
,''' u! ,'''''>H i.''"''IP' ,'"S. vi course
!'Se patients ale in"A ahu women OF so
'',' ana comm. rem SEnn,fhS, ii'E are
'"t the COKE H'''H CT 'hr SUMS OF lhe
opium smokers WHO HlrSt the o'ii~ 'llat
re "ci>!''''''E 'al'."" ny Tue PONCE OF
vac r'"'i''N'""''S S''!-"~'is D. th' h!Po-
"cIi'r.
IT. Is me cohc'iSu~ OF OPINION aPlHlT-
en'iI' tAai ,he oras ana ni'UnoMc i~'mts
!'li ne cu'''' p"l 'iili Pero'ncai aic"hol-
'N'i' 'eI.@ "'V>t SLOWLY 10 iit.'l'hl ti'S't-
n'eht' / ne cure Is not 50 mncl the ln"S'-
'i"H aS ."e l"SSiole prevention Oh me
spread oil the haoltS. 80 long MS me men
WI" can dr!hN OF EeilNe II a!ohe con-
mh''e 10 drink. as 'ney almost ihVhrianF