The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-11-30
One VOTER
OF EVERY Is.
In Ohio Addicted To The Use
Of Drugs
Is The Opinion Of U. S. Rev.
| enue Collector
Number Of Victims. In The
| State Is 10000
High Glass Of Society As Well
As The Lower
Indulge In OpiateS The Col
leCtOf States
Indulge In OpiateS The Col
leCtOf States

Columbus, O., Nov. 29-lf the esti-
mates made by United States Reve-
nue. Collector b. e. Williamson ap-
proach correctness, one voter of ev-
cry Is in Ohio is addicted to the use
Of habit-forming drugs. His figures,
which have been produced after
months of investigation and research,
are larger by far than any that have
been made for the Buckeye state, and
show the difficult nature of the task
that the federal government has as
sumed in attempting to break up the
use of these agencies of physical,
mental and moral destruction.
Williamson has forwarded to Wash
ington revised calculation of the
number of drug users in Ohio, and by
drug users he refers to those who
habitually use to greater or lesser
degree opium and it's derivatives,
which include dionin, heroin, NOR
phine and codeine, and also cocaine
and chloral. His computations show
that the number of users is approx
mately 100000, and that there are full
ly as many men as women who are
addicted to the drugs that pass un-
der the general inclusive name of
dope"
Although they are not classified,
Williamson is certain they include
all ranks and conditions in society,
from the denizens of the underworld
and from those who gain livelihood
in the questionable occupations to
those of social standing and wealth,
education and apparent refinement.
In many instances the information
has been secured by federal agents
from the prescriptions which are re-
quired to be kept filed under the
terms of the Harrison act.
The original estimate sent to Wash.
ington was that the state had 10000
users of habit-forming drugs, but the
further the investigation was pushed,
the more was the volume of evidence
that indicated that the figures should
be revised upward. The original fig
ure was substantially that fixed by
the officials of the state engaged in
the suppression of the traffic. 1t has
been concluded, however, that the
state figures are far too conservative.
Williamson has been using the fig.
ures he has secured as text for lee.
lures to physicians on their duties un'
der the Harrison law. He has frankly
told the physicians that the figures
are in a high degree sensational as
during the time that both states and
nation paid little attention to the
matter.
Incidentally, he has not failed to
impress the responsibility of the ply
sicians themselves in the premises
| emphasizing the wrong of the prac
tice of prescribing habit-formine
drugs indiscriminately.
AS the interest of federal authOri
ties in the prosecution of illegal traf
fic in drugs has increased that of the
state has diminished. Under the pre-
ceding administration considerable
stress was laid upon the eradication
of the traffic in the state and Wig
orous campaign was carried on. i
has been largely discontinued, will
the substitution of inexperienced mel
in the places of those who had ac
quired no little skill in the art of de
tecting the Illicit dealers and vendors
That a falling off in the trade il
the habit-forming drugs is gradual!
taking place is observed by those en-
gagged in the drug business. The Ger
tain methods of tracing opiates from
the raw material to the ultimate con
sumer thereof has been disconcertin'