Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1919-10-01
MILLION DRUG
FIEkDS" IN u. S.
Congress Gets Report of Investi-'
cation Conducted by CON-
nittee.
PROMPT ACTION IS URGED
Strict Enforcement of Law and Stop
ping of Smuggling From Canada
and kiexico Is Recommended
Lack of Adequate Laws.

Washington.-Th alarming spread
of the narcotic drug habit in the
United States is about to be called to
the attention of congress in the report
of an investigation conducted by a
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 viii swell the number of victims
of narcotics.
Legitimate supplies of opium ans
other drugs are struggled from Mex
leo and Canada and along the Allan
tic and Pacific coasts and furnished
to $500 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.
1T is also recommended that edu-
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 which made the in
vestigation consisted of Congressman
Henry t. Rainey of Illinois. Prof.
Reed s. Hunt, Harvard university
Deputy Commissioner B. C. Keith, in
ternal revenue bureau, and Dr. A. G.
Dumez, United States public health
service.
THE number of individuals addict
ed to the use of opium, its prepara-
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.
Owing to the lack of laws and reg
ulations making it 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 United
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 viii 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-
hihitiOn has been i'm effact for soma
years."