Evening star., 1924-11-09


off the earth are to be taken at the
international opium conference held
in Geneva this month. Since the in
ternational conference of 1912 4s
nations have enacted laws designed
to limit traffic in drugs, and the mar
cotic situation has been improving.
In this country, particularly, the
number Of addicts is on a decline.
and experts say that the United
States has the best control over drug
traffic Of any country in the world.
At the same time, it is recognized
that no country working single
handed can free itself entirely from
bootlegging in narcotics. AS long as
quantities OF crude drugs are pro-
duced anywhere and as long as
peddling Illicit drugs is profitable
and sufficiently practicable there will
be heavy work for narcotic squads.
So the international conference is to
try to interest the governments of the
world in a policy of closer cooper
alton.
One proposal is that production of
opium and coca leaves be restricted
to somewhere near the amount need
ed for medical and scientific purposes
and that the amount of morphine,
laudanum, heroin, cocaine and other
preparations made from the crude
! materials also be restricted.
The opium poppy is grown mainly
where agriculture is very little de-
veloped. The industry is not especi-
ally remunerative, except in in
! stances where large crops are mar
keted 1t Is believed that If the cul-
| ture of the poppy is restricted many
growers will turn to something else
equally profitable.
If. then, surplus opium can be made
scarce, and if close supervision can
make it difficult for peddlers to get
it, these peddlers will have to pay
price for it so high that most add1cts
will be unable to supply themselves.
| This will drive a greater number or
addicts to taking a cure, and 1t VIII
lessen the number of new Vlctlms
The close control of drug trathc In
| this country illustrates how this
| would work. Federal and State en-
forcement of narcotic laws nave
caused the price of bootleg drugs to
| rise to a high level. Morphine and
| heroin are now quoted in the regu-
lar market at s7.s5 an ounce, or
less than 2 cents a grain. Tnls is
the price which the medical profess
sion pays for it's needed supply OF
oniates. AS about one-fourth of a
grain is enough to relieve sunerlns'
! the cost of a dose given by a doctor
| is three -eighths Of a cent.
Dope Peddlers Boost Prices.
The addict, however, takes between
three and ten grains of morphine or
! heroin a day, or even more, and II ne
| buys from peddlars he pays from II
! to 50 a grain. His daily ration OF
| drugs, therefore, costs him from 50
| to $40 daily. Government agents
posing as addicts, regularly buy evil
| dence from peddlers at these rates
| The high cost of Illicit drugs is
one reason why so many addicts turn
| to peddling drugs or to other forms
| of crime as a means of getting large
sums of money. 1t Is one reason, too
J why addiction is not, and cannot De-
| so prevalent in this country as re-
ports sometimes indicate.
Once in q while, for instance, ru-
mors that there are thousands OF
| child addicts in cities or In rural
commpnities are circulated. Col. L.
G. Mutt, head OF the Governments
narcotic Office. says that his men in
| vestigate such rumorss but without
| ever finding evidences to support
them 1t is not reasonable to sup
| pose tnaC peQQler0 "oulu mdAc
practice of turning school children
into addicts, because children could
never get the funds necessary to pay
| for q regular supply Of drugs.
On the contrary, the trend Is In the
| other direction. In the past five
years, the average age level of ad-
| diets has risen from between 18 and
Is years to about 33 years, indicating
that few young persons are being
made narcotic victims. Limiting and
guarding tho amount Of narcotics on
the world market would tend tc
make illicit drug prices everywhere
really prohibitive, and 50 would dis
| courage both peddlers and addicts.
| Close international cooperation ir
the matter of apprehending anc
| furnishing narcotic bootleggers may
also be suggested to the conference
/ in the hope Of driving these para
sites more quickly out Of business
Assistance In this matter would b
| of great benefit to the United States
! G0xaEn@ant. because - RsS cent q