South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-05
j. s. PREPARES To
TIGHTEN UP ON
NARCOTICS SALE
Internal Revenue Department
Makes Elaborate Plans For
Enforcement of Drug Act to
Save Users.


Elaborate plans for the enforce
ment Of the anti-narcotic act are be-
ing made By the internal revenue de-
partment Headquarters will be in 4
Washington and the territory Will be I
divided into districts TO facilitate the |
work
Government officials say the new
law will be the most difficult TO en- /
force of any law yet passed by con- /
gress. because OF the fine line drawn I
between habitual users of opiates and
persons who take ii incidentally.
Port of Entry First Check.
To get a complete check on the
habit forming drugs used the entire !
corps Of inspectors, chemists and
agents in the United States will have
to work together like a well oiled
machine. The work will begin at
the port Of entry, where the raw OPP
ium and coca leaves OF which the
forbidden drugs are alkalOids, are re-
ceived The amount going 10 each
manufacturing druggist viii be noted.
Between now and March , every
persons coming within the act who
has drugs in mis- possession viii have
to make an inventory Of the stock on
hand. New purchases viii be added
TO the amount named in the inven-
tory. order blanks supplied by tho
revenue collector must be used and
these will be tOtaled. The difference
must be equal 10 the amount OF drugs
on hand. If they fail to check up
there is a prima facie violation of
the act
JObbcrS Must Keep Opiate Tab.
The inspectors check the manufact-
uring druggists. then send a memo
randum OF the amount sent to whole
sale druggists and jObbers 10 the in
spectors i'm whose district are the
wholesalers. This way the govern
ment can tell how much each whole
saler buys The amount purchased
is then tOtaled with what the sworn
inventory shows. The wholesaler or
lobber cannot sell only on receipt of
an order in the form issued by the
revenue collector. and these records
must be kept separate.
The orders are. totaied and deducted
from the amount on hand. according
TO the records and the figures must
correspond with the goods in stock.
If they do not, there Is a prima facie
violation OF the law by the wholesaler
or jobber. and they are subject to ar
rest. The burden of proof remains
on the defendant. according to the
provisions in the act
Can Sell Only on Prescription.
To keep track of the druggists, ply
sicians, dentists and veterinary sur
geons. the inspectors who have that
of the amounts ordered from the
wholesalers or jObbers from the in
speCtOrs who have that work. This
gives the inspectors the exact amount
received by those persons who distri-
butte the opiates.
Druggists cannot sell the narcotics
except upon physicians prescrip-
ti0n. These must be kept on a sepa-
tate file by the druggists and cannot
be rehlled. Physicians, dentists and
veterinary surgeons who use the pro-
hibited drugs personally in treating
patients must keep a separate book
giving the name. date and address of
the patient and the amount used
BY checking up this information with
the amount on hand and the amount
received it can easily be determined
whether the drugs have been used
promiscuously.
Expect Very Few Leaks.
Government officials say there will
be very few leaks through the reg
ular channels because of the fear and
respect held for government prosecu-
tions and the heavy penalty attached
10 the violations.
That there will be a few isolated
violations OF the law men in the
secret service department Of the gov
eminent admit. A few may come
through INSCRIPTIONS physicians, but
not many. Violations will soon be
detected Whefe the Dig VIOLATIONS
will come is through smuggling raw
opium and coca leaves into the
United states. This is being done
now 20 a certain extent. and the raw
materials sold manufacturers who do
the refining and put it in distrbu-
ton. But the governments checkin z
system Will make this impossible, and
the refining of the Struggled drugs
viii have 10 be done surTeptitiously
and the distributing OF the alkalOids
will have to be through underground
channels.
Nearly 800 more persons registered
with the collector of internal revenue
this morning and were given the priv
ilegc of handling the drugs. 1t is eX-
pected that about 5000 persons will
apply opiates legitimately.