New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-07
NEW BILL WILL STOP
SALE OF NARCOTICS
Use of Habit Forming Drugs
Will Be Cut rs Per Cent by
TOWnS'S Measure.
OPPOSITION IS DISARMED
Special Blanks Required for
Prescriptions = Books Of
Makers, Sellers, Physi-
clans Must Balance.

tBy Telegraph to The Tribune
Albany. Jan. Ga bill directly in line
with The Tribune's fight against the IL
legal sale OF cocaine in New York was
introduced i'm both branches of the Legis-
lature tonight. II contains a wholly new
plan for stransliny tire evil, which The
Tribune recently showed to nave spread
30 such proportions that not even school
children were safe from its clutch.
The bill originated with Charles p.
Towns, who was responsible for the act
of two years ago. which materially cur
tailed the use of hypodernic needles by
forbidding their sale except on a physi-
clans prescription. Ex-Assemblyman
owen w. Bohan, who assisted in draw
Ing the former bill. took care OF the legal
work on the present document. Senator
John j. Boylan fathered II in the Senate
and Assemblyman John Kerrigan was its
sponsor in the lower house.
The principle OF the new bill IL simple.
yet four of the leading druggists of New
York are quoted as saying that its enact
ment will reduce the sale of habit-form-
ing drugs 70 per cent. Dealers In the
drugs, however. will find practically no
ground on which to oppose its passage.
It Is said, for the reason that the only
hardship which it imposes on them is the
filing out of "A blank provided by the
Board OF Health
Special Blanks Required.
II the new measure passes. the state
Commissioner of Public Health will be
required TO furnish to all local health
boards or officers official prescription
blanks I'm book form. with stubs attached.
The blanks will be numbered serially and
distributed to physicians. Any person
selling or dispensing any narcotic. or
preparation containing "A narcotic. with
out receiving one OF these blanks signed
by a physician, will be guilty OF felony.
The act requires that record OF all
sales be kept by the dispenser and mat ne
furnish with each sale certificate, OBJ
tained from the Commissioners OF Health
giving the name and address OF the seller
and Of the physician. the date OF sale ana
the amount sold These certificates are
also numbered serially.
TO guard against physicians buying a
large quantity OF drugs and carrying on
an Illegal traffic themselves blanks OF
another color will be given by health
boards TO physicians. druggists. veteri-
narians and dentists. who are required to
nll out and sign one for each prescription
they write FOR their own use. Every phy-
stefan. druggist. veterinarian and dentist
who administers or disposes in any way
Of the drugs In question shall keep also
strict record OF the patients who received
prescriptions and the amount given In
each case.
Through eleven years OF personal con
tact with drug victims and II close study
of The whole situation. Mr. Towns became
convinced that the most insidious way OF
,ncendering the habit was through tile
continued use OF narcotics In small guam
titles FOR the purpose OF allaying pain
consequently he insisted upon the inser-
ton of a section which forbade a physi-
elan to prescribe habit forming drugs tC
any ore perscr for more than three weeks,
without consulting another physician and
r.uorting the case in full TO health
officer.
Another Bill To Be offered.
Assembly lllhh - avg S'''
night that he and Assistant District At
torney Deehanty Of New York were pre-
paring another cocaine bill. which would
be introduced next week.
This bill" said Mr.. Levy. 'will make
possession OF cocaine except for medici-
nal purposes under a proper prescription
felony. This shuts OFF all avenues OF
IN
der the present law, possession OF cocaine
&c presumptive evidence OF selling It, Per
CONS arrested have been able hitherto "a
oscane prosecution by declaring that they
ora users OF the drug The bill | am
co,pr 10 introduce makes possession OF
,,o drug a felony outright and cuts out
,ho nresumptive provisions in the present
law
Charles p. Towns, when seen in this
city last night, said that he had peen
working on the drug bill consecutively 10Y
,wo months. He laid particular emphasis
-, tho clause which prohibits physician
from prescribing narcotics Tor over three
weeks without consulting another doctor
Tn. spread of the drug habit among the
more intelligent classes was squareiy up
10 the physician. he said.
"The doctors can't kick on this DILL
hocause Il will send patients to them; ha-
b,tues who can no longer get hold OF the
drug will have to look around for cure
We've got pretty stringent laws against
Oh. sale of habit forming drugs now But
,bev are a farce. Any one can get CO.
calne or opium II he wants 1t. 1t is
siupIv a matter OF meeting this situa'
ton How could you do 1t better than
nv recurring blanks which couldn't be
easily forged or duplicated? These blanks
| ac, inst like bank checks. You have a
rscord of how much man has bought and
how much he has sold. Then you look
| in his till. If what is left doesn't tota
you've got him.
| 81 intend to agitate the passage OF sim
liar bills in every state in the Union. and
q national law besides, which shall cover
\ interstate traffic. Then there VIII be ne
| escape for the illegal seller.
| CAUCUS FOR CRANES SEAT