The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-04-13
NARCOTIC LAWS EFFECT.

The Harrison narcotic law went into
effect one year ago. This law requires
that all who have to do with the sale OF
opium and drugs made from opium ana
cocaine and drugs made from cocaine
shall be licensed by the federal govern
ment and shall keep records OF all
sales.
1t is not law prohibiting the SAFE or
use of opium, morphine, cocaine, ana
allied drugs. It merely requires that all
dealers keep records which will permit
the government to keep track OF all
sale, Of the drugs. Physicians, as pc
ing parties to the sales, are required 10
take out licenses and to account Tor all
opium and it's derivatives and cocaine
which come into their hands. $500
Prof. Wilbert of the public health
service SAYS: THE active enforcement
of the law has already had whole
some effect in reducing the sale OF mar
cotic drugs. Druggists and physicians
with few exceptions have done their
best to live up to the law. Some or the
large wholesale dealers in drugs report
that their sales of opium, morphine,
codein, heroin, ard cocaine have fallen
Off from 70 to so per cent. The retail
druggists report that they are selling
much less Of the drugs. The depart
ment of commerce thinks that @oout
as much of the drugs is being imported
as before the law went into erect
The fiscal year Of the department OF
commerce ends on July l. We Will NOT
be able to say with eXactness what Ell
feet the law has had on import untll
after July ! next. The imports Tor
the year ending July l, 1915, showed
no decrease over the previous year
Perhaps there were several reasons Tor
this.
The law was only in forcC during the
last four months of that fiscal year
Many drug users laid in large supply
Of their drug just before the law wen'
into effect. Men who peddle drugs IL
legitimately to addicts stocked up with
as much as they could find money To
buy. That was one reason.
Many countries which formerly
bought drugs in Europe have bought
from American brokers since August
1914. That was another reason.
Clause 6 of the law permits the use
Of opium provided the amount In
teaspoonful is not greater than in q
teaspoonful Of paregoric. Cough medi-
cines, diarrhoea mixtures, and many
other patent medicines contain either
opium, codein, or heroin. So Hong as
they keep the percentage as low as 1t Is
In paregoric they are not required to
register with the government under
the Harrison law. That was a third
reason.
All In all, the law has proven q good
thing. In q few years, when we have
learned from experience we should
change some Of the provisionS or this
law. For instance, section should be
stricken out. Paregoric has started
many persons on the road to the drug
habit
Some Of the states have passed laws
similar to the Harrison law or based
on 1t. Among them are New York.
Pennsylvania, Colorado, Connecticut
and Illinois Tennessee has very good
law requiring that drug users regis
ter. Professor Wilbert suggests that
state laws should have the following
additional provisions:
Further restriction Of the quantity
az we'll as the kind OF drugs that may
be sold without a record being kept
Revocation Of the licenses OF physicians,
pharmacists, dentists and veterinarian
who are drug addicts. Revocation OF
license Of physicians, pharmacists dem
lists and Veterinarians who have been
convicted of violating the Harrison law
and state laws on the same subject.