El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-24
Drug Habit Is
GroWing Fact
In T. S. Noe
America Leads In The Per
Capita Consumption Of
Narcotic Poisons.

FORCES which conducted the campaign
for national prohibition now turn
their attention TO the traffic in habit
forming drugs is the suggestion made
by some students Of drug addiction in
this country.
There are more than million drug
addicts in the United States; drug ad-
diction is steadily increasing; the Il
licit drug sellers have national or
ganization and are making enormous
profits; native born Americans make
up most Of the army Of drug addicits:
the United States probably leads the
world IN the per capita consumption
OF opium and cocaine-these are the
leading facts with regard to this
traffic, which were brought out by
the investigating committee appointed
by the secretary of the treasury.
Laws Inadequate.
The committees investigation fur
Their showed that the present federal
law Is not curbing the traffic: that
most Of the state and municipal gov
ernments are doing nothing effectual
larger cities there is no realization.
either among officials or or on the
part OF the public, Of the extent and
danger Of drug addiction in this coun-
try.
Here, surely. is q situation which
calls for a campaign OF propaganda
and education. such as that which put
over the prohibition amendment Pub
lie sentiment must be aroused before
anything can be accomplished. And
whereas prohibition Is at best a de-
batable measure, there is no question
by habit forming drugs They destroy
life. create vice and crime, incapaci-
tate workers. and there is no such
thing as habitually using them with
safety or in moderation
Anyone repeatedly taking mar
cotic drug over q period OF 80 days. in
the case Of a very susceptible individ-
Of becoming an addict And when ad-
diction has been established. IL is I'M
possible for the individual to discon-
tinue the use Of the drug without out
side assistance" says the report Of the
treasury committee.
This paragraph destroys the Illus
ion that only the weak and the degen-
crate are in danger from drug addic-
ton. II means that anyone may &C
cuire a habit at the hands Of care
less or inscriptions physician, which
he cannot possibly throw Off OF his
own unaided will.
Nearly All Criminals
The committee also asserts that
there is no such thing as using the
narcotic drugs without damage TO
physical and mental health The
physical condition OF the drug addict
is now recognized by physicians as
definitely diseased state. IN which the
respiratory ORGANS. heart and kidneys
are affected The drug addict win al
most Invariably resort to any crime
which is necessary to obtain the drug
Complete insanity IS often the ults-
mate effect.
These facts show plainly that the
habit forming narcotics are drugs
from which a nation can be saved only
by keeping them out of the country.
China recognized this fact long ago
and acted upon II. But the United I
States Is permitting a large Illicit /
traffic in these drugs to go on. and j
pensed in the form OF patent medi-
cines and by physicians, much o.
which reaches addicts.
The control of the trade through /
so called legitimate channels is
matter OF education and OF federal. 1
state and municipal legislation The
recently amended Harrison law is a
carefully considered step toward fed
sral control Of the traffic and New
York city Is making good progress in
out the municipal problem
80 Percent Struggled.
But the hard fact Of the situation is
that over half OF the enormous guam
.ity OF opium consumed in this coun-
country (enough TO give every man.
woman and child Sc doses a year. is
smuggled over the borders and dis
.ributed by Illicit peddlers The boot
egging OF liquor. which fills so much
pace in the papers, is comparative
" harmless business compared to this
opium smuggling trade with its inter-
national organization and its million
helpless customers. whom II is killing
~ slow poison. Z
The largest part OF this smuggleo
iope comes across the long Mexican +
border. The internal revenue office
,annot even pretend to patrol II with
It's present force. Opium crosses the
line in automobiles and on pack bur-
ros in enormous quantities
Selling Is Hardest.
Smuggling the opium into this
country IS probably the easiest part OF
The business Selling * is more diff I
cult. T1Xicab drivers. servants. por-
ters. lunch room helpers, solicitors,
pool room employees.
and gamblers are given
by the police OF various cities as the
occupational types that most often
act as distributors. But great va
riety OF ingenious methods are usea
to distribute the Illicit goods. Walk I
ing sticks with hollow handles have
been used so often that they are no
longer considered safe by tbs ped
dlers A cripple successfully sold I
opium he carried in the pads on the
arm rests OF his crutches- well I
dressed and refined looking woman 4
sold opium in peanuts from which the
kernai had been removed Postcards
with raised lettering have been found I
10 contain considerable quantities OF
dope. and II has been shipped under
stamps affixed to letters. Opium has
been baked into pies and substituted i
Tor the works OF watches. II has 4
been carried in a glass eye, and the 1
nunp Of a hunchback has been found /
10 contain hundreds Of dollars worth 4
II It. This system OF distributions as
above stated. is organized. and gem
orally speaking It works we'll There 1
was some little difficulty during war
line. but the drug addict who has