The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-07-16
ALARMING INCREASE IN THE
USE OF THE DRUG is AssUM.
ING GRAVE CONDITIONS.
SCHOOL CHILDREN USE IT
TWO Hundred Confirmed Users in
Muskogee Alone-Negroes and In.
dians Are Prime pal Users-A
WHISKY Barometer.

lu'Nl lN maze IutJ the IdulDIl Ufuul-
bi'ioD laws iu oklahoma are deycl.
oping drug neuds at q rapid rate.
especially among the class that
were formerly topers but who are
now looking toward some other stlm.
ulant as a braccr Strange 10 say
the Oklahoma legislature did not
follow UP the passage of the state.
wide prohibition law by enactlng
a stringent anti.cocainc law also.
although vigorous campaign was
made for such law. one that
would prohibit ;he sale OF such
drugs.
II is said that users of the drug
In old Indian Territory are increas.
ing rapidly and il is fact that "A
large numbers OF "dopers" are TO
be- found there. Most or them are
OF the mild type. but It IS only
matter Of short time until they
will get in the hardshell class of
drug users and make themselves OBJ
noXious on the streets
II is said by druggists that the
sale of coke" is an accurate ba.
romctcr OF the amount of whisky be.
ing sold and the police agree with
this statement During the period
following statehood after the fed.
oral prohibition law was abolished
and prior to the passage OF the
Bilups bill. there was more llduor
sold In eastern Oklahoma than any
corresponding time in its history.
There was a corresponding decrease
In the sale of cocaine.
Except for the undesirable class
of trade II brings. cocaine is a gold
mine for the druggists. The way II
is sold in Oklahoma towns. there
is about 500 per cent profit ON the
drug. 1t is sold in liquid and powder
form, but the biggest trade is IN
The powder form which is bought
in 10 and 20 cent packages by ne
grcos. In nearly every case a co.
cainc slave begins using the drug
because liquor or some other stim.
ulant cannot be obtained.
The manufacturers and distribut
ors Of the near-beers that were sold
SO extensively before and after
statehood and are now outlawcd
are trying To manufacture a drink /
that will look aud taste like beer /
but have no alcohol in it. but con.
tanning sufficient amount of CO. .
cainc 20 get the "dopy' effect. They |
believe there would be big sale
of this especially among the In.
dians and negroes.
An examination of the police rec.
ord shows that over fifty per cent
of the police characters are addicted
to the use of cocaine more or less.
and this is what makes police char
actors out OF them.
II is claimed IN Muskogce that
there are POO confirmed users of the
drug ana this inclgacc those who
use IL 10 such an extent as 10 be-.
come noticeable on the streets. \
large majority of them are negroes.
bur the Indians also take coke"
Representative j. :. Shearcr of
Guthrie is much alarmed over the
reported use OF cocaine i'm Guthrie
and ring the recent legislature dis
'ussion Of the bill which was faith.
red by Representative Helm ot
'rcck county, which was an act To
prevent the sale or giving away
't cocaine, morphine opium, or any
narcotic drug, he declared that one
hundred local families were addicted ,
% It's use.
Cocaine" he said. lis being given
% the school children of Guthrie. q
and as many as one hundred faml. /
les here are using it i'm their homes !
am informed by social leaders T,
hat this dreadful condition exists 5
'hc Helm bin should be- passed as a
pecdi'y as possible"
The Helm bill made cocaine sales
~ oncnsc punishable by mprison.
1ent 6n the state penitentiary at
ard labor for one year and not U
more than five, and $50 fine and no, u
more than $500 The fines would y
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