South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-11-02
.BN ROYAL :. COPELAND. VI. u.
OF Health. New York

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commissioner OF Health. New York.
III owned "A newspa per. it seems
10 me I should run an editorial ev-
Gerry dsy on the evil OF narcotic drugs
.aud the terrible effects OF drug adj
sa.ct,on.
Hardly a day passes but a dispatch
from some city in some part Of the
world tells Of this deadly habit.
The importation OF opium into
-fhis country IS about three-quarters
of Is million pounds annually. This
..Leans that for every man, woman
-aud child ia America there is i'm
ported more than 40 grains Of this
Dangerous drug No other civilized
scountry imports more than three
-grains per capita. We are using
sdozen times as much opium as are
sthe citizens OF any other land.
we have laws designed TO con-
y rol the distribution and use OF hab-
sst-forming drugs" you naturally
say. why do We not curb the
-eyil2"
\ Workable Plan.
These laws do not work, because
sthe opium business is an interna-
tianai affair. II cannot be con-
sFrolIed by one country acting alone.
There was a conference and agree
-1neut known as The Hague Con-
ventiOn." intended 60 regulate the
opium evil That has failed for
many reasons. But by a very sim
-1Io procedure the United States and
canada could end the whole devil
.ccrned.
Here is a plan which would surely
: succeed:
let each country determine the
amount of opium needed for the
Legitimate uses OF the medical pro-
fession This would be an arbitrary
estimate. Of course, and the amount
might not be hit upon accurately at
first However. that is unimport-
ant. because. If necessary, the fig
1res could be changed from time 10
time
On-hand. should say the United
States should import not TO exceed
seventy thousand pounds. and Can
ada eight Or ten thousand pounds
OF opium.
Let each country have it's quota
of opium made into morphine and
such other opium derivatives as are
Of recognized medical value. This
should be done under government
oversight.
Let opium and its derivatives be
sold only i'm recognized establish
ments. as liquor is dispensed by le-
climate druggists in the United
-
ment agencies in the Province OF
= Quebec This would make available
. 90 the medical profession such
amounts OF opium as are essential
20 the honest practice of medicine.
Some simple regulations should be
made TO insure the good faith OF all
concerned.
Stamp Trade Out.
Having provided for their own sick
let the United States and Canada
2 absolutely prohibit the expectation
or opium. morphine and all others
of it's derivatives.
This would end the smuggling into
the United States Of large quantities
OF narcotics now shipped from the
United States 10 Canada and other
countries. but secretly brought back
into the United States. Such snug
gled drugs, in large quantities, are
now sold clandestinely on the streets
Of New York and other cities. Large
amounts Of American morphine are
used i'm Canadian cities
Until the importation and manu-
facture of these terrible pOisons are
regulated. and until expectation Is
prohibited. the evil viii go its wicked
way. destroying thousands OF young
Z men and women, boys and girls.
helpless victims of the most deadly
or all vices OF modern times
Doctors may wrangle about the
best method of treating drug ad-
q ctlon. police departments may
work overtime ferretng out Offend
ers against the laws. the courts may
be clogged with drug cases, and the
jails may be crowded with the pitt
fuI victims OF the traffic, but moth
ing will avail until the ciandestine
: sale OF opium and morphine is stop
ped. When the stun cannot be had
drug addiction is wiped out as
matter Of course.
Let Us end the whole miserable