Evening star., 1936-01-22

of eyes from which the spark of living
seemed to have gone and a degree Of
emaciation that stretched the flesh
drum tight over ribs and cheek bones.
They want to get in the clinic, "
said DR.. Chen. Most of them are
pretty far gone or they wouldn't be
here. That man there has been smok-
ing opium for Is years. He says he
has constant pain in his abdomen
probably a tumor. That fellow there
began losing his sight many years ago
and took up smoking to relieve the
discomfort. You can see he's almost
blind At the clinic we can treat the
disease along with the opium habit
and we can cure the habit. Many Of
them smoke opium to forget pain or
troubles, although the majority take
it up in the first place for pleasure and
then continue it as a habit, when they
become susceptible to other diseases
tuberculosis. for instance. We take
care of them for as low as 20 cents
a day. Those who can pay more.
Many of them pay nothing. We have
a fund raised through public subscrip-
tions. The colonial government Of
British Malaga has given us one con-
tribution OF $1,000"
Emphasizes Statement.
The doctor. quiet-spoken Chinese
educated in Singapore. paused and re-
peated the statement for emphasis.
They have given us one contribu-
ton of $1,000. They take in many
times that amount of course, through
the government sale of opium"
The British colonial governments S
revenues from sale of opium in British
Malaga amount now to about Is per
cent ($13.36l 1856 in 1889 of its total
revenues. In lush years before the
depression it was as high as so per
cent. While tighter government re-
strictions surrounding sales to licensed
opium addicts are advanced in some
quarters to explain the decreasing pro-
portion. Dr. Chen, who has made the
treatment of the opium habit and its
suppression his speciality. does not be-
lieve that government restrictions have
done anything to decrease opium ad-
diction. although the depression has
decreased purchasing power and
turned opium smokers to cheaper
opium eating.
DR.. Chen's professional detachment
is tinged with bitterness toward the
policy VI government which derives
fourth of its revenues from sale of
opium to his own people, with the
rationalizing excuse that the Chinese
would smoke opium 10 matter what
restrictions were placed on its sale
and 1t is better to put the business in
the hands of government monopoly
than TO leave it unregulated in pri-
vate hands.
Addicts Put at 100000.
IN 1929" said DR.. Chen. tine
League of Nations ENQUIRY Commits
sion, which seems to me to be a sort
Of mutual admiration society with
British and French members, esti-
mated the number of opium addicts.
licit and illicit, to be about 100000
out of a population of 4,385,346 in
British Malaga. If you count out
persons under IS years of age, those
figures mean that of every 10 adults
in British Malaga one is an opium
addict. Practically all opium smokers
are Chinese and there are l,273,000
adult Chinese in British Malaga. So
The commissions figures indicate
that one out of every four Chinese is
an addict. That is conservative esti-
mate. Among the coolies working on
some of the plantations and in the
tin mines opium is a;rnost as much
part Of the daily ration as rice. On
Christmas Island practically every
laborer is an addict.
Some of the government people say
that opium smoking is an imported
vice IN British Malaya-brought here
by the Chinese. But the League of
Nations Commission found that IS per
cent of the addicts living in Malaga
acquired the habit after coming here.
That has been substantiated in our
own work at the clinic. And the
spread Of the habit among the Chinese
here IS due to the case with which
the stuff can be bought"
Control Can Be Evaded.
Only registered addicts may pur-
chase opium at the government stores.
But while the government has de-
creased the amount that may be
bought at one time, the amount is
arge enough for the registered addict
to share it among his non-registered
friends. Or he NAV purchase the
maximum amount at one store and 60
10 another and buy the maximum
amount there. Opium dens in Singa-
pore are illegal, but they exist. DR..
Chen says one difficulty in combating
opium smoking is that the habit Is a
secret vice, unknown to the victims
friends until the later stage. It de-
,troys all will power among the VIC
Inns, he says, leaving them with only
,ne incentive-to acquire the means.
~ any device, with which to get the
opium.
There is only one remedy" said
Dr.. Chen. THAT is legislation outlaw
ng the smoking Of opium. Addicts
Are durable. The government monop-
,ly has largely eliminated smuggling.
No poppies are grown In Malaga. All |
he legal opium comes from India.
The British government has outlawed
opium smoking among its own people.
Possession of equipment or use of the |
lrug in England is punishable by i'm
,risonment. Why doesn't the same |
hing hold here? The answer, Of |
'ourse, is that the government profits.
When you eliminate the source Of Is
yer cent Of your revenue, 1t requires
The colonial government may be
the time when public
eminent will demand legislation OUT
nu,inr ox,iym from Rrftish Ma1avn