The Washington times., 1923-02-11

1OAOe
The dope evil IL one Of the
greatest problems confronting the
United States today. Much has
been written on the subject; but
the problem has never been
brought forcibly to the mind Of
the average American citizen In
language which can be under.
stood. aVenereal diseases and tu-
berculosis constitute serious prob
lens, but reliable statistics give
the general public an approximate
idea Of their prevalence. This Is
not true Of the narcotic drug sit
uation. Reliable statistics cannot
be secured on drug inebriety, but
some idea OF the magnitude Of the
menace may be gained from the
fact that approximately 600, 900
pounds Of opium, or its equivalent
in morphine, and 10000 ounces
Of cocaine are imported into tho
United States every year. It has
been estimated that one-half or
more, probably nine-tenths Of this.
ultimately finds it's ways into the
hands of drug habitues.
NO RELIABLE FIGURES.
There are no authentic figures
On the total quantity Of. contra
band narcotics slnuggled into this
country. During the last fifty
years the importation Of opium
has increased SSS per cent. while
the population has increased only
13S per cent. Estimates on. the
number Of drug addicts in the
United States have been .variously
given from zoe. 900 to 500. 900, but
these figures are seemingly low
when compared with the quantity
of narcotics imported.
During the world war large
numbers Of soldiers and sailors
were found to be addicted to habit
forming drugs, and this was es-
pecia1ly true Of men enlisted and
drafted from the larger cities. :.
Statistics compiled by the in
ternational opium commission es-
timated that there were probably
more than 10000 opium smokers
in the United States, exclusive of
Chinese. There is no method by
which we can form an estimate on
the total number Of morphine,
heroin and cocaine habitues, as
these exist in almost every vii
Iage and hamlet throughout the
nation. and their numbers run
into the thousands in the larger
cities.
FOREIGN SOURCES.
The quantity of narcotic drugs
manufactured in this country find
ing ultimate disposal In Illicit
channels is very small when CON-
pared with the foreign and i'm
ported products. The main sources
Of supply of Illicit drugs. and OF
al the countries OF Europe, Ger
many leads in the manufacture
Of habit-forming drugs.
Practically the entire supply Of
contraband drugs emanating from
Europe comes from Germany.
The greater part Of the drugs
from Belgium, France, England
and nfh0r
come primarily from Germany
and are received in America
through these indirect sources.
OF the German cities manufac-
turing these drugs Darmstadt
seems to be the foremost pro-
Queer. Other great chemical pro-
ducing cities of Germany are also
turning out enormous quantities
Of narcotic drugs.
The critical financial situation
in these densely populated areas
Of Germany accounts for the
great increase in the traffic
among these people. Large quaint
ties of narcotic drugs are stolen
from these factories by employees
or others and are sold to agents
in the occupied zones. The Ger
man authorities are endeavoring
to suppress this, but the economic
condition of the people is such
that almost any source Of reve-
nue. will be exploited to the limit.
Habit-forming drugs are brought
into the United States chiefly by
incoming vessels from foreign
ports. In the Pacific a great in
crease in ocean trade in the past
three years has been responsible
Tor the augmentation of the traffic
on the West coast.