The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-03-11
The New Drug Law And Its Pro-
visions.


visions.
Druggist R S. Mckinney, of fancy
town, has furnished the following
article explanatory of the new Federal
Drug Law, which went into effect on
March l. AS its operations will be far
reaching, and will affect great many,
in one way or another. we are glad to
give i. publicity, and suggest that all
who are interested read it carefully.
Mr.. Mckinney says:
''The abuse of certain drugs and the
large increase of dope fiends" in re-
cent years have been matters OF great
concern in medical and pharmaceutical
sclrcles, as well as to criminologIsts.
Numerous laws have been passed to
abate the evil, but with little success.
The latest and most far-reaching thing
that has been done, is the passage by
Congress of what is known as the Har-
rison Anti-Narcotic law. Being Fed
eral law. it applies alike to all parts of
the United States.
ut places the sale of narcotic drugs,
opium and all its preparations, and
cocaine in all forms, under the direct
control of the Internal Revenue Depart
ment, the same as liquor and tobacco.
The law affects all who sell. dispense,
give away or in any way handle these
drugs. 1t includes doctors, druggists,
dentists and veterinarians, all of whom
must pay a special tax to the Revenue
Collector, of one dollar per year.
"All orders for narcotic drugs must
be in duplicate on blanks sold by the
collector, one copy to be preserved bv
the purchaser. and the other by the
seller, for two years and always sub
ject to examination by the collector.
The only other way these drugs may
be furnished is by physician prescrip-
ton. and that only upon the original
which can not De reflled. The only eX-
ception being preparations which con
tain opium, but which can be used for
external purposes only, or such prep
arations as contain not over two grains
of opium in each ounce.
The law is very stringent and the
penalties for violation is hne not eX-
ceeding 50, 600 orGmprisonment for not
more than two pears, or both fine and
Imprisonment.
"Srnce the passage of the law the
medical and pharmaceutical journals,
as well as pharmaceutical manufacture
ing houses, have given considerable
time and space to the explanation Of
the law, so that dealers and dispensers
are reasonably well informed in regard
to it. There are some points, however.
that affect the public and are of general
interest.
For interest, laudanum, has been
household remedy IN many families for
ages. After March LIST, no one can go
to the drug store and buv a dimes
worth OF laudanum: the druggist dare
not sell it without an official order. or
physicians prescription, if it contains
more than two grains of opium to the
ounce. There are also many home prep
arations, chiefly diarrhea mixtures,
cough syrups, etc, containing laudanum
or some form Of opium can no longer
be put up, although the druggist has
been filling the same for years. The
sale of all medicines containing ex-
cessive narcotics will be stopped
'In some cases the law may be a
hardship, and it will cause inconvenience
for dealers, yetif faithfully enforced,
no doubt it will eventually prove a
great benefit to humanity in curtailing
the dope evil, which, though not very
prevalent in rural communities, in
many places had reached gigantic
proportions. incidentally, the one
dollar per year tax paid by all who are
affected by the law, will bring in no
small amount of revenue.