Evening star., 1917-12-16
DRUG HABIT IN D. c.
PRODUCES CRIMES
Pharmacy Inspector Sanders
Deals With Evil in An
1 nuaI Report.
PAREGoRIc SALE LARGE

Tt is alarming to note the terrible
evils OF the drug habit and almost I'M
possible to estimate its enormous pro
portions, as it is fostered in secrec!
and is responsible for a large portion
of the crimes against the community
The foregoing statement forms par
of the annual report recently made Z
Mai. Raymond W. Pullman, superinten
dent of police, by Detective r. A. San
ders, pharmacy inspector
In our Investigations the past year.
he reported for his assistant. Detective
Harry A Evans, and himself, wv
found many addicts were using enor
nous amounts of paregoric and othel
preparations containing narcotic drug.
in exempted quantities. In some case:
we found that individuals purchase sew
eral times during the year from nearly
every drug store in this jurisdiction
making their purchases far apart, ane
frequently sending strangers to make
purchases for them in order to keeI
the druggists from suspectihs they
were addicts.
The provisions of the Harrison mar
cotic law and the local pharmacy law
are not adequate for the suppression
of the Illegal use and traffic in mar
cotic drugs
Many druggists refuse to sell to
persons suspected of being habifual
users of such preparation. while we
have good reason to believe that 9TH
ers do not restrict such sales. but
rather, encourage them, so long as
their victims can produce the purchase
price.
Getting All the Drugs They Need.
Many of the drug addicts who are
financially able to pay physicians fees
and purchase narcotic drugs prescribed
by the physician for them are getting
all such drugs they want, under the
Euise of taking treatment for the cure
of drug addiction, which consists OF
giving the patient any quantity he de-
sires. In the majority of cases the
patient is now consuming more mar
cotic drugs than he was two and one
half years ago, whten he began the
treatment Several addicts that have
not been able to pay for the treatment
mentioned above have been treated al
hospitals and are completely cured OF
their addiction. 1t is the opinion OF
the majority of physicians that hos
pitaI treatment is the only successful
way to cure drug addiction.
In view of the foregoing facts, the
pharmacy inspector vigorously ap-
pealed for the enactment of a law to
overcome the shortcomings of the Har-
rison and pharmacy laws, suggesting
penalty of a fine of $4,000 or FIVE
years imprisonment or both for viola
tions of it.
He recommended the enactment of
the following:
That it shall be unlawful for any
person. by himself or by his servant or
agent or as the servant or agent of
any other person or of any firm or cor
poration. to sell. furnish. dispense, give
II aefr fhaNAA
control of any coca leaves. opium, In
dian hemp, loco weed, cannabis indica,
chloral hydrate, any compound, salts.
dertvatiye or preparation containing
any Of the same or any synthetic chem
ical used as a substitute or a prepara-
tion containing the same, hypodermic
syringes or needles. opium pipe or para
phernalia for preparing for use OF
smoking opium. Such possession or con-
troll shall be sufficient evidence for
conviction. after which all exhibits
used as evidence shall be destroyed by
the property clerk of the police depart
ment.
Not Applicable to Profession.
THAT the possession or control of
any OF the prohibitive drugs or articles
shall not apply to druggists, physicians,
dentists or veterinarians in pursuit of
their lawful profession nor to patients
or their attending nurses under the inn
mediate treatment of the physician
prescribing the drug, nor to certain
government employees exempted under
the Harrison law in pursuit of their
lawful business.
That any of the prohibited drugs or
articles may be dispensed by druggists :
to druggists. physicians. dentists, veter-
fnarians or government agents who
are lawfully engaged in making pur-
chases Tor government institutions on
authorized order forms when in .pur-
a " ful hrYo
prescription when written In good faith
by physician, veterinarian or dentist
That no physician shall sell, dis
pense. give away or prescribe any OF
tine prohibited drugs for any purpose
whatsoever. except for the cure OF
drug addiction. injury, disease or de.
1ormity, and In the treatment and
cure OF drug addiction each dose OF
hharcotlc drugs shall be administered
by the attending nurse. In no case
snail any narcotic drug or drugs OF
compound or composition thereof bt
placed in the possession or control o1
ana addict, nor in the treatment Of an
addiet shall the amount prescribed OF
administered exceed five grains for the
arst twenty-four hours Each succeed.
ing DAY the amount shall be diminished
and IN no case shall the period for
giving narcotic drugs exceed ten days
Shall Report in Writing.
any pHsSIcian attempting tf
treat or cure drug addiction shall re
port In writing over his signature Il
the major and superintendent of police
@itnin twenty-four hours after tn,
nrst treatment. the true name in ful
ana ADDRESS OF the person under treat
inent, the name of the drug TO which
ne Is addicted. the kind and ouantit,
OF narcotic drugs used in his treat
lnent. and at the termination of tn,
period Tor giving narcotic drugs h,
shali report in the same manner tn,
eondition or the patient and the kline
ana amount Of narcotic drugs use,
each twenty-four hours during III,
treatment
That every physician shall keen ,
complete and accurate record of al
prohibited drugs used, giving the date
name and address of every person h
treats the kind and amount of dru;
used. and shall ascertain from a persol
applying for treatment for drug addic
uon II he is receiving or has ha,
treatment for the same purpose fror
any other physician. II he finds tha
ne is under the care of another physj
clan he shall refrain from giving an,
Of the prohibited drugs.
Open to Inspection.
The record of physicians transac
tions in narcotic drugs and the treat
ment OF drug addicts shall be omen I
inspection by duly authorized once
of the law
That no person shall seek to nroc,,r
or receive treatment for drug addictio
while getting treatment for the sam
from any other source.
THAT no person shall make an
fraudulent representation SO as /
i ~