New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-04-17
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
CONTROL COCAINE TRIDE.
Moue to Suppress Hlegitimote Use
of Drug-Dutu on Cocoa LeaUes.


Sir: What is probably the most determined e.
fort that has ever been attempted to control and
conine the legitimate trade in cocaine TO medlcnal
purposes only and to suppress the 1Ieg1urnate use
of this drug is being promulgated by the very
manufacturers themselves of the drug IN TINS
country and in this effort they having the able
support of various organizations throughout the
country which have been waging a war against
those who furnish the drug TO the unfortunateS
who have become victims to the cocaine habit
Within the last sixty days these same drug man
ufacturers and importers. including Schiefeln &
Co. and Merck & Co. both OF New York; Mallnck-
rodt & Co.. of St Louis, and the Shaefer Com
pany, of New Jersey. ably assisted by many char
liable women and people who have lent their sup
port to the crushing out CT the drug habit, have
succeeded in getting the Importation of opium alb
solutely under federal control. Due to their ef-
forts. Congress February enacted a law aoso-
lutely prohibiting the importation into the United
States of opium in any form or preparation or
derivative thereof except for medicinal purposes
only. and in such cases only under regulations
formulated by the Secretary of the Treasury
Under this law the Treasury officials on March q
issued certain regulations which restricted the i'm
portation of opium and morphine. even for medic
na purposes to certain ports of the United States
and provided for the 1ninutest examination by
the collectors of customs OF all parties import
ing the drug, compelling the importer to make a
declaration before the collectors of customs
respecting importation. in which the importer
the place of business, the amount Of the importa-
ton and that the same Is intended TO be used only
in the preparation Of medicine and finally COM
polling every importer keep separately from all
other records a record of every sale Of imported
opium preparation of opium which that I'M
porter makes; this record TO show the name OF the
party TO whom any opium or medicine containing
opium IS sold. his place of business and the amount
of opium medicine containing opium sold by him
and the date Of each sale This record is TO be reg
n arIy filed wit he Trea rrr1 il
open the inspection of both internal revenue Off
GERS and state officers and enables the latter
wherever any state has laws governing the sale Of
opium. many states have. to trace to the con-
every bit opium legally imported and sold
under the new law and regulations.
It is the belief of customs officials of long expert
with the Illicit traffic which has been carried
on for years in opiYm, that the new law and reg
ulations will do away with Is per OF the Illegal
traffic which has up 10 this time existed.
Police officials. many government officials and all
others who have had to do with societies for the
aid of drug hends know that within recent years
cocaine has been steadily superseding opium in ile
climate It is more easily obtained than IS
hcers. Cocaine is derived from coca leaves These
leaves. which come from Peru are imported at the
present time free Of duty. and consequently free
of any government control These coca leaves
be purchased by anybody as easily as tea can be
bought They cost from Il TO 20 cents pound,
cording to grade. No particular science is required
in extracting cocaine from the leaves 1t is
known fact that great number Of persons guy
these leaves in quantities of from ten to fifty
pounds and in their back rooms without any
pensive apparatus, proceed to extract cocaine in
form which. while not sufficiently pure for medi-
clnal purposes. is satisfactory for the victims OF
the drug, and this cocaine is sold 10 such victims
at large profit
Police and government officials say that II is ao-
soluteIy impossible to break up this form OF manu-
featuring cocaine TO stop the sale and distriou-
ton of cocaine from such private sources. All on
Gals government. state and municipal, agrees that
the one way prevent the present free manu-
facture and distribution OF cocaine is to put the
importation Of the material. namely the coca
leaves. under federal control and this IS what the
big manufacturers Of cocaine and various socletles
which are avorng 10 stamp out the use OF the
drug are now trying 10 do.
The attention of Congress has been called 70 the
subject and both the House and the Senate have
been asked TO put coca leaves under federal con-
troll by imposing small duty upon the coca leaves
.ud placing the Importation OF these coca leaves
s.G,r exactly the same law and Treasury regula-
i..- as now apply 10 opium and morphine
IL, Treasury officials heartily in favor OF
this being done. AMI appeals are 10 be shortly
made 10 the Senate by various organizations that
fu .h- present tariff bill under consideration by
the sen provision should ne Incorporated put
ting duty upon coca leaves and placing the
same in exactly the position In which the senate
few weeks ago placed opium and morphine The
urincfpaI drug manufacturers are all against the
egitimate use OF any of these druss; those named
a bove have from time to time contributed money
To aid he unfortunate victims OF the drug haolt'
and have frequently supported efforts 10 have en-
acted state laws to control the sale Of these drugs
but all have come 10 the conclusion that al! state
nd municipal legislation is Ineffective without feo-
raI control over the first entry of such drugs into
the United States AMI 1t is because OF this covic
tion that they are lending their efforts to have
enacted the legislation above referred 10 Tor the
control of cocaine
ri chemist In this country who does not earnest
" desire the suppression of the illesitiate use and
sole Of cocaine morphine and opium, and they can
not conceive of any honest importer or honest
manufacturer of the drugs Directing to the placing
= +ha in,nortation of coca leaves and the sale OF
cocaine under the same restrictions as now apply to
opium or morphine. r. b. SFOf FOND'
New York, April Is, 1909