The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-05-09
THE PREVALENCE OF THE
MORPHlN AND COCAiN
HABITS
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Examination of the laws which con-
troll the sale of opium and cocain in
the several states show that there is
a most extraordinary lack of uniform
ity. In many states antinarcotic laws
are so comprehensive that were an
attempt made to enforce the law liter
ally it would result in the fine or
Imprisonment of practically all the re-
tail druggists. On the other hand,
there are some states in which the
exceptions and proyisos to the law
are so numerous as practically 10
nullify all efforts to control the traf-
fic in narcotic drugs.
Although in most of the states there
is some legislation which aims to abol-
ish the evil, it is all of comparatively
recent date, and has not kept pace
with the increase in drug addiction.
Lack of federal control resulting in
various conflicting state laws, or more
properly speaking in giving rise to
such diversity of laws that stringen-
CIV in one state can be overcome by
ordering by mail from another state
where the laws are less stringent, is
undoubtedly the chief reason why oar
country compares so unfavorably with
European countries in respect to the
prevalence of morphin addiction.
Since 1860, when the various forms
of opium were separately enumerated
in the tariff schedule, there has b-en
an increase of 351 per cent in the
importation and consumption Of al
forms of opium, as against al increase
of 1873 per cent in the population In
the United States during the last ten
years there has been an annual i'm
portation and consumption of opium
of over 100000 pounds. Austria-Hun-
gary, with a population of little less
than half Of ours, consumes annually
less than one-hundredth this amount
of opium. Germany with sixty mill
ion inhabitants consumes only about
1900 pounds annually, while in Italy
with thirty three millions there is an
annual consumption of only about g.
600 pounds. The appalling discrep-
ancy consists in the fact that the
most reliable authorities are agreed
that one eighth the amount of opium
imported itno the United States would
amply suffice for the legitimate med
ical needs of our people. This coun-
trv manufactures into morphin fully
100000 pounds of the annual import
alton, and it is estimated that 80
per cent of the morphin thus made
is used by victims of the habit.
When we consider cocain, the sit
uation is no less alarming. Roller
first introduced this drug to the med
ical profession in 1884. Thirteen years
later was enacted the first Legislation
in the United States which strove to
prevent the indiscriminate sale Of the
drug. In 1897 Illinois passed a law
which made it unlawful to give or
sell any cocain or preparation con-
tanning cocain in any form, except on
the prescription of physician or dem
tist. The practicability of all the
legislation since that time is evidenced
by the fact that although cocain Is
a drug which is utterly useless except
in the hands of the physician or den
tist and should never be prescribe1
for continuous use under any circum-
stances even by them, there has neg-
ertheless been such a steady increase
in its use that it is now reliably esti-