Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-20
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

crease in the number Of this type, but
to a gradual elimination OF normal
types"
criminal addicts, who have not
progressed so far as to grow desperate
or who may not yet have been unable
to get what they craved without deceit
or crime, One OF TIE recently enacted
laws has made it O crime for unlicensed
persons to have narcotics in their pos
session. This law Is being rigidly en-
forced, and addicts, who formerly were
unmolested, are now being sent to jail.
Confirmation Of the estimates based
on the supplies Of narcotics available
and on the findings Of the various sur
veys as to the number Of addicts and
the trend Of narcotic addiction in the
United States Is furnished by the ex-
perience Of physicians as related to U.s.
We have interviewed physicians from
all parts Of the United States and it is
unusual to find one who has an addict
among his patients. Few besides those
who have contact with penal institu-
lions and certain hospitals and SAM
tariumS meet any great number. Many
physicians still occasionally see q
transient addict who drops in and begs
for q dose, but this, too, Is growing
rare. Some of the physicians who have
been practicing for years in small towns
and rural communities speak Of addicts
they have cured by the aid Of the Har-
riSon law, or who have, without outside
assistance, cured themselves. Some Of
them are taking care Of one or more
old or .incurable cases, but from the in
formation they give It seems that new
cases Of addiction are not arising to
take the place. Of the old ones who
die.
It Is found that the proportion Is
about four males to one female addict
There are few under 20 years or over
so years OF age-comparatively few over
40 years.
The number varies geographically; In
California 1t Is 1919 per 100000, while
in Mississippi, New Hampshire and YER
mont there were none recorded. The
average for the whole United States Is
IL per 100000 population.
In the last three years the number
Of addicts committed to Federal inSti-
buttons for violation Of Federal laws is
II ,697, Of whom only 10 per cent were
women. More than three-quarters
proved to be confirmed addicts, and Of
the total who serve sentence In pris-
on, 80 come back again as "repeaters"
under conviction on q second crime.
Most Of the peddlers Of cohtraband
narcotics are themselves addicts, who
sell the stuff at sufficient profit to four
or five other addicts to give them their
own supplies. It Is characteristic that
addicts "hock together" but It Is denied
that peddlers succeed in making new
addicts for the sake Of their trade.
~ x
The proposed new institutions or
narcotic addict farms" will not change
the Harrison law nor any other pre-
viouSly enacted legislation to regulate
the evil; the act will simply supplement
the former laws and undertake to pro-
vide more scientific treatment Of the
victims by segregating them and giving
them outdoor employment as part of
their treatment. The measure was In
troduced by Representative Porter Gre
publican) Of Pittsburgh. The act Is al
ready passed by Congress, and the Sc
lection Of the sites Of the farms and
construction of buildings Is all that re-
mains to be done. These farms will re-
neve the 1888 Federal prisoners Of
1859 addictS to narcotics-one- out Of
every i've delinquentS In Federal prisons
being drug victim.
Copyright, 1929, BY Paul v. Collins.)