Evening star., 1923-06-03
DRUG CONSUMPTION HELD
RAPIDLY DECLINING In u. S.
Harrison Law Gives Best Control OF
Traffic Any Nation Has, Says
Federal Chief.

Heavy seizures made by federal
agents have likewise tended to dis
courage the traffic in habit forming
| drugs. Last Tuesday $4,000 tablets
! of cocaine were seized in New York and
fourteen persons arrested
The statement SO frequently made
that the per capita consumption of
opium in the United States is thiry-
six grains is based on the average per
annum importation of opium for the
period of 1910 to 1915, which was
prior to the operation of the Harri-
son narcotic law, effective March l,
1915, and because there were no ade-
quate means of checking the amount
of opium Icing used in this country
the quantity was largely conjectural.
The official records of the narcotics
division show that during the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1921, the sales of
opium, morphine, codeine, heroin and
dionin made by manufacturers were
sufficient for one and seven-eighths
grains of morphia per capita, whereas
during the fiscal year ended June 80.
1922, the quantity of opium imported
and used by manufacturers was suffi-
cient for only -eighths of one
grain per capita. For the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1921, the per capita
consumption of cocaine, according to
the sales made by manufacturers, was
one-third of one grain. which has
been reduced to one-fourth of one
grain for the year ended June 80, 1922.
Trend Is Downward.
|, The records show a continuing
downward trend in the amount of
both opium and cocaine consumed so
far during the present fiscal year.
Fully as important as any new
regulatory or punitive legislation
that Congress may enact to discour-
age the traffic in narcotic drugs is
the necessity for an increased appro-
priation to enforce the law. This
appropriation now Is only S750,O0O
annually. While the law was not
| intended as a revenue measure, but
as a moral law, it's administration
| has brought into the United States
| Treasury more than 100000 in ex-
cess of the amount appropriated by
Congress for enforcement.
! None of the revenue derived from
| the taxes, fines. forfeitures and offers
| in compromises is used to defray ex-
/ penses of enforcement. During thu
fiscal year ended June 80, 1921, the
! narcotic division turned into the
| Treasury s1,170,291.32, and during the
year ended June so, 1922. s1.269,039.90
The increase during the past fiscal
year is attributed to the heavy fines
| which are being imposed upon viola
| tors by the courts.
u. S. LAW Is Model.
! There is no country in the world
! in which there exists more efficient
method of checking the importation,
! distribution and consumption of mar
| cotic drugs than in the United States
under the provisions of the Harrison
narcotic law, according to r. A.
| Haynes the federal prohibition COM
| missioner.
In the first place, every ounce of
opium and cocoa leaves which comes
! into this country legitimately carries
| a one-cent tax paid by stamps affixed
to the packages. Secondly. all manu-
| facturers and wholesale dealers are
required to submit monthly reports
showing all purchases and sales in
| detail; and, third, all retailers (drug-
| gists), physicians and dentists are
| required to make and submit yearly
| reports showing all narcotic drugs on
hand and maintain records OF pur-
chases and dispositions, which must
be open to inspection. This report
must accompany application for
license (registry and special tax
stamp to handle the drugs and prac-
.tice the profession of physician and
dentist.
Every ounce of opium or coca
leaves imported into this country can
be traced directly to the ultimate
consumer, the records of the narcotic
division showing every step through
which it passes from the time it en-
ters the country until it is sold to
the dispensing physician or the pre-
scription druggist. 1t is believed that
no other country in the world keeps
such a close check upon it's narcotic
imports.