The labor standard., 1919-08-15
MILLION ''DRUC
 TENDS" IN ]. s.
Congress Gets Report of lnvesti-
 gation Conducted by Con- 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 or 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 Ay a committee appointed by the seer Htary of the treasury.
 The chief findings of the comml lttee are:
 The number of persons in athe 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 prohibi- tion will swell the number of victims of narcotics.
 Illegitimate supplies of opium and other drugs are smuggled from Mex ico and Canada and along the Allan tic and Pacific coasts and furnished to 1,s0O organized dope" peddlers.
 Summary of Recommendations.
 The committees recommendations include strict enforcement of the pres ent federal anti-narcotic act; addi-
 
 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.
 Tt 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 it's 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. 0. Keith, in- ternal revenue bureau, and Dr. A. c. Dumez, United States public health service.
 "The number of individuals addict ed to the use of opium, it's prepara- tions or alkaloids, and coca leaves, their preparations or alkaloids, in the United States has at various times Teen estimated to be from 100000 to 4,0OO 1000" says the committed '"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 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"