The Washington times., 1921-10-24
USE
REPORTED
. !. GROWING
Federal Officials Assert lnstitu-
tional Care Is Only
!, Adequate Remedy.

Institutional tratment is the only
solution Of the drug kaoit, according
to w. s. Blanchard, acting head Of
the narcotic division of the Prohibi-
ton Bureau. Mr.. Blanchard is di-
recting the drive against illicit deal
ers In drugs.
II the present system of curing
drug addicts by private treatment is
adhered to, he said, there is slight
chances Of curing them, and it opens
way for them to procure drugs.
Cure" Maintains Habit.
The Washington officials engaged
In running down the illegal traffic in
drugs are also of the same opinion.
They maintain that the drug addict,
on the pretense of wanting to be cured.
goes to reputable physician and gets
him to treat him. The usual treatment
Is to give the addict the same amount
OF dope" he has been using and then
gradually cut the amount of drug
down. That plan is well known to the
addicts. and as soon as they begin to
feel the effects of the cutting down
they stop the treatment and seek an
other physician, who goes over the
same plan again.
Many cases have been brought to
tho attention Of the Washington au-
thorities where addicts were taking
treatment from several physicians at
the same time.
1t is estimated by Federal officials
that the underground" traffic in
drugs equals the legitimate traffic in
them. This trade Is in the hands of
oA yuh m
have q national organization for pro-
curing and disposing of their supplies.
Drug Struggled Into Country.
For the most part 1t is believed
that they obtain their supplies from
Mexico or Canada, although smaller
quantities are obtained from unscru-
pulous dealers in this country or by
theft. Smuggling is also practiced
to a considerable extent on both the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts, where
the drugs arrive on ships hailing
from the Orient and Europe.
The peculiar thing about the SNUG
Cling Of drugs is that nearly all OF
the drugs smuggled into this country
are shipped from this country after
manufacture by reputable firms and
find their way back again through
Illicit channels. 1t is believed the
headquarters for the national organi-
zation or ring exists outside OF the
United States and that the drugs are
obtained by them with the express
purpose of sending them back into
this country again for illegal sale.
This illegitimate traffic has devel-
oped in recent years and is now
serious menace. 1t is through these
channels that the addict now obtains
the bulk of his supplies.
Opium Imports Increase.
A recent Government survey
showed that while the population Of
the United States was two-and-a- half
times as great in 1900 as in 1860 the
amount of opium entered for con-
sumption annually was approximately
five times as great. This is consid-
cred particularly significant in view
of the fact that the use of large
amounts of synthetic somnifacients.
such as chloral hydrate, sulphonal,
frional veronal, etc, during the last
twenty five years would be expected
70 have diminished to q great extent
the use of opium or its alkaloids for
legitimate medical purposes. This
would indicate the use of opium and
its alkaloids for other than legitimate
medical purposes has constantly IN
creased.
1t has been stated that about 90
per cent of the amount OF the drugs
entered for consumption is used for
other than medical purposes. That
statement is probably extreme, gov
ernmental officials say, but they
have compiled q statement showing
the per capita consumption in this
country and that of other countries
in Europe, which shows this country
consumes from thirteen to. seventy
two times as much opium per capita
a. Is consumed in other countries,
the records of winch wcro available.
Comparative Statistics.
The following Government table
brings out this fact very strongly:
- Total Consump-
sPopu- annual con- tion per
Country. lation. sumption. capita.
Austria 4s 600, 600 3,O00-4 900 h-3-5
Talv -. 30, 3,OOO,O 900 5000 |
Germany. 6O,OOO,OOO lIOOO