Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-05-17

temptation besets them on every hand. AS in
other forms OF crime and vice in America. up
todate commercial methods have been intro
duced. and some of the traffickers evidently
Keep mailing lists Of those addicted to heroip.
cocaine and other drugs Dr. Wiley received a
very pathetic letter from a Baltimore man
VINO stated that his eighteen-yearold son had
contracted the cocaine habit through the in.
1udicious use of the drug in the hands OF a
catarrh specialist. and now the boy could not
go on the streets without having it offered to
him.
Since 1860 there has been an increase of 351
per cent in the consumption of all forms Of
opium In the United States while the popula-
tion has increased only 1873 per cent. The
United States during the last ten years used
100000 pounds Of opium, while Austria-Hun.
gary. for instance. with population about half
ours, consumed less than one one-hundredth
of this amount Italy and Germany showed
CORRESPONDENCE small consumption per capita
Reliable authorities agree that one-eighth OF
the amount OF opium we import would suffice
Tor all legitimate medical needs, and that 80
per cent. of our morphine Is used simply to
crafty deadly craving.
The cocaine situation is equally alarming
1t is reliably estimated that 10000 ounces of
this degrading drug are used in illegitimate
ways every year in this country. The profits
made in this deadly traffic are enormous. Co.
caine brings $2S5 an ounce wholesale and s4.55
an ounce retail When 1t is sold by street ped
dlers the profits are even larger
The ruin caused by the drug habit Is not
confined to the individual victim. He destroys
not only himself. but ruins his family. burdens
his friends and abuses society. law against
the free manufacture and sale of these deadly
nd sod 10 i,S
1t offends principle of personal liberty which
is of a character to merit respect
The Food and Drugs Act commonly known
as the Pure Food Law, contains a provision
which enables the Government to exclude the
circulation of heroin. cocaine and other danger.
Gus drugs from interstate commerce MANY
attempts have been made to interfere with the
effective operation of this very desirable law.
Dr. Wiley Is now conducting a campaign
against the Harrison bill, which is pending In
Congress, and aims to permit the distribution
OF patent medicines containing dangerous
drugs provided the quantities of the poison are
small
This law says that the provisions of the Pure
Food Law shall not apply to preparations and
remedies which do not contain more than two
grains OF opium, or one-fourth of grain OF
morphine, or one-third of grain of heroin, or
one grain of codein their salts and deriya-
tives in one fluid ounce" Evidently drug
victim can get as much of the poison as he
wants If he will only buy enough of the prepa.
one result of this law would be to yield an
enormous profit to the people engaged in this
injurious traffic.
State laws against the traffic in heroin and
cocaine are as necessary as the effective ad-
mlnistration of the Federal Food and Drugs
Act. large quantity Of the poisons will al
ways be distributed through the drug trade
and there is always the possibility that un.
scrupulous persons will sell them for improper
purposes. close supervision by city officials
and police Is needed to prevent this traffic
All the precautions necessary have, it is be-
lieved, been provided by the Boylan law in
New York, and 1t only remains for courts and
police to enforce 1t.
After July l, when the new law becomes
effective, opium, choral and morphine and any
derivatives or compounds obtained from them
which includes heron cannot be sold except
on the prescription of regularly licensed ply.
stefan.
Mrs. Vanderbilt and the other philanthropic
persons interested with her in suppressing the
drug evil in New York City held a conference