The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-04
WOULD
BAR NARCOTIC
DRUGS
DR.. Carleton Simon, OF New
York, Favors Check at
Source of Supply.

Punishment of habit-forming mar
cotic drugs by striking directly at
sources of world supply is embodied
in a plan laid before the nti-Nar-
cotic Conference, in session at the
New Willard Hotel today, by DIR.
Carleton Simon, deputy police conn
missioner of New York City, in
charge of the narcotic division.
DIR. Simon's solution of the drug
problem was offered the conference
late yesterday. It's salient features
are:
Substitute non habit forming drugs
for habit-forming drugs wherever
possible.
Outlaw heroin-do not allow it
in or out of this country.
Determine whether cocaine can
not be replaced by the known sub
stitute for this drug.
Permit physicians to treat those
cases which are medical cases. All
cases not in the hands of physi-
clans, and buying drugs on the
streets, should be given cure con-
sisting of isolation and custodial
care.
Should Examine Cases.
"A11 cases should be examined to
determine whether they are mental
detectives. Those who are mental
detectives should be placed in
proper institutions indefinitely. Con.
firmed criminal addicts should be
placed away for an indeterminate
period.
by these means. the supply
will cease automatically, because
OF the lack Of demand -
Commissioner Simon told the
conference that Experiments and
experience have proven that there
is a substitute for cocaine"
This substance is known to the
medical profession as "Paraamino.
b e n z o ] diethylaminoethanolhydro.
chloride"
The speaker declared that the
Government "has no constitutional
right to arrest a man for the pos.
session Of narcotic drugs in small
quantities for his personal USE"
Limit on Government.
Neither has the Government the
right" said Commissioner Simon,
ito open sanitarinrns for the cure
of addiction cases. This right is
reserved to States and municipali-
ties
The educational campaign con.
Quoted by experts of international
note and by public,spirited news
papers is bearing fruit. in New
York, according to Commissioner
Simon.
1--WE know the drug traffic is
being controlled in New York" he
said, because figures show that
the. average age of addicts is going
higher. This means that there are
less new addicts, and that the ma
jorfty of existing cases are those of
long standing.
"Only 2 per cent of persons ar
rested in New York city for VIOLA
ton of the narcotic laws owed their
addiction to medical reasons. Nine
ty-eight per cent of the addicts were
caused by vice, morbidity, curiosity
and from criminal origin"
Would Limit Growth.
The contamination of the Porter
resolution in limiting the growth of
narcotics is "devoutly to be wished, -
said Commissioner Simon.
Whether, with the unsettlement
attendant to the close of the world,
war, 1t Is possible to control the pro-
duction in India, Persia, Turkey, and
China is question deserving the
most serious consideration" Com
missioner Simon declared.
Commissioner Simon disclosed that
synthetic cocaine and heroin are be-
ing made from coal tar. The substi-
tutes are so skillfully manufactured,
he said, that chemical analysis fails
to distinguish the bootleg" drug
from the genuine article.