The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-07-16
MILLION DRUG
FIENDS" IN U. S.
Congress Gets Report Of Inyesti-
cation Conducted by Com
mittee.
PROMPT ACTION is URGED
Strict Enforcement of Law and Stop.
ping Of Smuggling From Canada
and Mexico Is Recommended
Lack of Adequate Laws.

Washington.-The alarming spread
Of the narcotic drug habit in the
United States is about to be called to
the attention of congress 10 the report
Of an Investigation conducted by
committee appointed by the secretary
of the treasury.
The chief findings of the committee
are:
The number Of persons in the
United States addicted to the use OF
drugs exceeds 100000 at the pres
ent time"
Increase Of the drug habit In the
dry South leads many authorities to
the conclusion that national prohibit
ton will swell the number of victims
Of narcotics.
Legitimate supplies Of opium and
other drugs are struggled from Mex
leo and Canada and along the Attain
tic and Pacific coasts and furnished
to 1900 organized "dope" peddlers.
Summary of Recommendations.
The committees recommendations
include strict enforcement of the pres
ent federal anti-narcotic act; addi-
tiOnal federal legislation enforcement
of state laws; concerted action on the
part of state and municipal govern
ments to suppress the Illicit traffic;
stopping smuggling of dope from Can
ada and Mexico.
eft 10 also rooCrnDnondo1 That oJV-
cational campaigns be instituted in
all parts of the United States for the
purpose OF Informing the people of
this country including the medical
profession, of the seriousness of drug
addiction and its extent in the United
States" says the report.
The committee whichohade the In
yestlgatiOn consisted Of Congressman
Henry T. Rainey of Illinois, Prof.
Reed s, Hunt, Harvard university :;
Deputy Commissioner 4, G. Keith, in
ternal revenue bureau, and DR.. A. G. !
Dumez. United States plRSic health
service.
'"The number of individuals addict
Vu W lhC uoC VI ITO DICpulu /
tons or alkaloids, and coca leaves,
their preparations or alkaloids, In the
United States has at various times
been estimated TO be from 100000 to
100000" says the committee. "These
estimates must, however, be looked
upon as mere guesses.
Sowing to the lack of laws and reg.
ulations making 1t compulsory for the
registration of addicts, it has been I'M
possible for the committee to obtain
information which would give the ex.
act number of addicts in the Uniteo
States
Causes of Drug Addiction.
The causes of drug addiction in the
order Of frequency were given by pO-
lice authorities as follows: Use Of
physicians prescriptions, association
with other addicts, prohibition, use
Of narcotic drugs for chronic diseases
curiosity to learn the effect Of the
drug, prostitution. use Of patent or
proprietary medicines, use of certain
narcotic drugs as a stimulant, idle
ness and use by dentists.
"What effect, If any, nationwide
prohibition will have, on the situation
could not be definitely determined BY
the committee" the report says. "The
consensus appears TO be that the num-
Der of addicts will increase as soon
as the prohibition laws are enforced.
This opinion apparently receives some
support from investigations made in
some of the southern states where pro-
hibition has been in effect for some
years." (