Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-20

According to O pamphlet issued by
the United States Public Health Serv-
ice (Reprint No. 924) 1.-The claim Is
made that the laws which have been
enacted to curb the use OF narcotics
have increased addiction by making
illegal traflc In these drugs profitable"
That sounds verify like the argument
against the Volstead law concerning
intoxicants-the claw curbing the evil
increases It, by making bootlegglng
profitable" But proofs to sustain the
argument appear lacking, and most OF
it becomes Just assumption and prop
uganda for repeal Of all restraint.
In the case Of narcotics, the Public
Health Service gives substantial proof
To the contrary-addiction thereto Is
decreasing. Nevertheless, 1t remains
filled with horrors, deceit, misery and
death. Recent outbreaks Of prisoners
in penitentiaries are traced to the des-
peration Of confined addicts, who led
the conspiracieS and set fire to Govern
ment buildings costing million. dollars
or more, besides the lives Of several
The Federal penitentiaries are &C.
riously ovsrcrowded, and to that con-
gestion Is largely attributed the unrest
which gave the narcotic addicts the OPP
portunity to start the rtoting In the
hope that some might escape. To rem
edy that crowded condition, 1t Is pro-
posed to construct ampler quarters In
the prisons, and also to relieve the
prisons Of all narcotic addicts. They
will be placed on two narcotic farms
one probably to be located near At
lanta, Ga, and the other in Northern
Texas, so that tho inmates may be
given outdoor employment, under guard,
while receiving both punishment as Vio-
lators of some Federal law, ana treat
ment as patients mentally III.
For only those who are convicted
criminals are held In such institutions
against their wills, while, occasionally,
addicts who voluntarily apply Tor treat
ment are taken in upon their appl1ca-
ton and held only 50 long as they are
willing to remain under treatment. To
be q narcotic addict is not. In itself,
sufficient to cause arrest, although I'M
lawful possession Of narcotics may DO so.
The first anti-riarcotic law was
adopted in 1898. The same authority aS
above quoted, says:
"The number Of addicts has decreased
steadily since 1900. Before this decrease
set in there may have been $4,000 ao-
diets in this country; now the maximum
estimate puts the number not over LOO.
600. and the accepted estimate is about
10000. The greater number OF add1ctS
in prison at present, as compared WIN
former years, is due to the rigid en-
forcement Of recently enacted laws, and
not to an increase In the prevalence OF
addiction"
Another conclusion set forth in the
pamphlet will be read with surprise, and
surely some skepticism:
'While physicians have been credited
with being responsible for the creation
Of many addicts in the past, 1t 1s con.
cluded as q result Of our studies ana
observations that but few cases OF re-
cent addiction can be 30 attributed.
Few cases?" WIN that check up with
the number Of surgical cases among
the veterans Of the late war, VINO nave
suffered for 10 or IL years with incur
able wounds and have been given opiates
for relief from agony, until, with no
blame to either the surgeon or the pa.
tient, there is found no possible recourse
but the "daily dozen'--or seven or eight
grains Of morphine. Such Victims
have become addicts against their wills,
but nevertheless addictS, menace 70
society as well as themselves, demanolns
q continuance Of the drug, unless ecien-
tifically treated and relieved RELIEF does
not follow mere depriving OF the drug.
for that makes the victim desperate and
puts him In agony; 1t comes only through
PROLONGED treatment under institutional
restrictions. without that, the addict
becomes deceitful and utterly tntrust-
worthy and unscrupulouS In his deter
mination to gain hts illegal supplies.
It is q striking demonstration OF the
lnadequacy Of measures to suppress the
evil that only after the addict commits
crime due to his afiiiction can he be ar
rested and segregated from society,
where he may be forced to receive treat
rnent for his mental disease" Volun-
teer applicants for treatment at Fed
eral institutions are free TO leave when
they most need restraint against their
own weakness.
8 The Public Health Service report says:
'1Ths proportion Of the delinquent
type Of addict q gradually increasing.
This - apparently not due " an M