The Hartford republican., 1915-02-12
RIGID CURE FOR
dope FIENDS"
New Federal Law Very Sc
we're On Drug Users.
Physicians FearThat ManyCrimes
and Suicides Will
Result.

Washington, ID. c., Feb. S.-The
most complete and sudden cure" of
every variety OF dope fend" ever
attempted in this country is about
10 be administered by the United
States government through the en-
forcement OF the new federal law,
which was approved by the presi-
dent last December and will become
effective March l.
That 1t will ultimately prove ef-
ficacious there seems to be no reas-
on to doubt. but the consensus of
opinion among medical men is that
the immediate results will be un-
expected and appalling. They pre-
dict an outbreak of crime-of weird.
unusual crime-an epidemic OF sui
eide, a wholesale collapse of careers.
and a breakdown OF prominent and
popular citizens at which the coun-
try will stand aghast.
Heavy Penalty on Offenders.
Outward the new law is merely
a matter of taxation and registra-
ton. Actually and practically 1t
means that any person who gives
away or sells habit forming drugs
without the instructions OF a physi-
clan is liable to five years imprison-
ment and a fine of $4,000 for each
. offense.
Moreover. the instructions must
come from a physician authorized by
special license to write the prescrip-
tion. record of which must be kept
for two years subject to examina-
tion by the authorities.
While not absolutely prohibiting
the sale of habit forming drugs. the
risk of selling will be so great and
the prices necessarily demanded will
be so high as to make the drugs
practically unobtainable.
Opium Used by 2.OOO.OOO.
Estimates as to the number of
opium 'addicts" In the United States
vary from 1000. 900 to 4.0O0.000.
sTo place the number at 1000. 900
would be conservative. and this
means users of opium and its deriva-
tives only. users Of cocaine and SIM
liar drugs not being included. 1t is
the effect on these unfortunates
which is feared by medical men. es-
pecially those whose practice has
been to any extent among drug VIC
tins.
The law is the belated acQuies-
cence of the United States to the
plan 1t was the first to recommend
to other nations through the inter-
national opium conference. China |
went SO far as to infiict the death
penalty on those of her people who
persisted in the use of the drug !
after the time limit prescribed by
the Chinese government at the ter
mination of which the use of opium |
was absolutely forbidden in the en-
Apire.
Physicians say that much the
same results to the American vic
Tins of habit forming drugs will
follow the enforcement of the new |
federal law. without the formality
of an announced death sentence.
Effect Of Opium's Use.
An expert who has made life
long study of the effects of habit
forming drugs said to-day:
'In words for the layman's un-
derstanding 1t is something like this:
The nerves OF the body are each en-
cased in a sheath which normally it
exactly fills. The prolonged use Of
any form of opium causes the nerve
to shrink until. to use a popular ex-
preston, II fairly rattles around
in its envelope. The friction causes
acute pain and more and more OPT I
um ID required to keen this pain
deadened. 3't.te' ,
A victim suddenly deprived Of the
drug win 90 to any length-cheat.
lie. rob. even murder. to obtain 1t. !
II he fails he will be thrown into
which will sooner or la
ter cause his death.
Many Users Not Suspected. 4
Men In good health often use
opium for years without detention.
Any expert will tell you that he has /.
treated hundreds of opium users
whose best friends never suspected
they were addicted TO the habit. And