The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-02-25
NEW dope" LAW.
Limits Sale of Drugs to Prescriptions
by Registered Physicians.


The Harrison anti-narcotic act
goes into effect March 1st.
This measure, enacted last De-
cember, provides in effect that on
and after March l, 1915, no dealer
shall be allowed to sell or give away
habit-forming drugs without a ply
sician's prescription or direct instruc-
tions from a doctor. Drugs thus
placed under the ban are opium, CO.
ca leaves or any compound, manu-
factured salt, derivative or prepara-
tion made from such drugs. Rene
dies which contain more than two
grains of opium, or more than one
fourth of a grain of morphine or
one-eighth of a grain of heroin, or
one grain of codeine are included in
the list of narcotics which cannot be
dispensed in any manner unless spe-
cifically ordered by physician. A
special tax of 81 a year must be paid
from March l by all persons who
sell or dispense such drugs. Any
person who fails to comply with the
requirements of the law is subject
to fine of not more than $4,000 or
imprisonment for a term of five
years, or both.
Congress appropriated s150,000 to
be dispensed by the commissioner of
internal revenue to enforce the new
law.
Per Cent. of Criminals Using Drugs.
According to statistics furnished
congress at the time the Harrison
bill was under consideration, per
cent. of the prisoners in large jails
and State prisons are addicted to the
opium habit in some one of its forms
and of the general criminal popula-
ton, 45.4S per cent. are habitual
users of the drug. The average of
reports from twenty-five States
shows that 21.6 percent. of unfor-
tunate women and their hangers-on
are addicted to the drug habit. In
the medical profession of this same
territory there appears to be an av-
erage of 2O6 per cent. who use OPT
um, and 1872 per cent. of trained
nurses are likewise addicted to drugs
in one form or another.
Statistics furnished by manufac-
turers show that the use of morphine
in the rural districts of some east
ern States has increased 100 per cent.
in the last ten years. An estimate
made from the sales books of one
firm shows that in one or two of
these States the use of opium has
increased 100 per cent.
U. S. Bound by Hague Convention.
According to the arguments made
by the proponents of the law which
is soon to become effective. the Unit
ed States government is bound by
the convention signed at The Hague,
Jan. %, 1912, to control the sale of
opium and allied traffics in this
country. 1t has been pointed out
that during the last twenty-five years
opium, morphine, coca leaves and
cocaine have been imported into this
country, manufactured and placed
upon the general market in such
forms as to be available to anyone
who desires them or who desires to
trade in them.
The report of the international
opium commission shows that Italy,
with a population of 100000, i'm
ports and consumes but 5000 pounds
of medicinal opium each year; that
Spain with a population Of 19,000,-
600, imports and uses so little that
it is not separately entered in GUS
toms or other returns. Germany,
whose population is 60,OOo,o00, i'm
ports about 1900 pounds for home
consumption, and Holland about g.
900 pounds a year. These figures
show what the five European coun-
tries, with a total population OF
$4,000, import and consume less
than $4,000 pounds OF opium annual
ly.
Imports of Opium to U. S.
According to figures laid before
congress, the United States imports
and consumes over 100000 pounds
Of opium each year.
Saving Spirit.
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