Evening star., 1951-08-26
Lows
It's the Same Penalty
For q Hot Foot Nov
By Hugh Humphrey

0/ Tlu9U TIuHipHISy
The practical joker may not know
1t, but when he gives the "hot foot"
to an unsuspecting sleeper he is sub
ject-under District law--to the
same jail sentence provided for many
offender drug peddlers or
addictS.
Both have committed misdemean-
ors. In the case of the hot foot"
the mere attempt to heat up the vic
TINS shoe is enough-he doesn't have
to be burned. If thoughtless dog
owner forgets to bring his pet indoors
during a severe storm, he also can
be sentenced to a maximum Of one
year in jail-the same as many dope
peddlerS or addicts who are arrested
here for the first time.
There doesn't seem to be any par
ticular reason for this situation.
When the Districts narcotics act was
adopted in 1888, the law was pat
termed after uniform code drafted
by commissions from the States.
The spaces for punishment were lett
blank in the model law. and the Dis
trict-like many States-f1lled them
in with penalties which automatically
made the first offense misdemeanor.
Borrett Wants Revision
That's why Maj. Robert j. Barrett.
superintendent Of police, last week
called on the District Commissioners
for a revision in the act controlling
drug addicts and peddlers. Under
existing provisions, police are ham,
strung in their efforts to combat the
narcotics trafdc.
1t may seem strange that so much
attention is focused on the first
offender addict. His crime appears
to be nothing compared to that Of
the peddler who supplies the drugs.
But, police point out, each new ad-
dict is likely prospect to become a
peddler himself in order to make the
money necessary to keep him sup
piled with narcotics. The big job
in enforcement is nipping these po-
tential peddlers in the bud, before
they can infect others.
Hardened drug addicts have called
the District an easy source Of supply.
But that doesn't mean that the Cap
ital is teeming with organized mar
cotics rings. It's just that almost any
user of drugs can be expected to have
enough on hand to sell little to
some one else.
If known dope addict is found
With hypodermic needles and other
inStruments-but no drugs-in his
possession, the police are powerless.
although they know the addict soon
will be "hopped up and perhaps Civ
ing "shots" to others.
Tough on Sofecrockers
On the other hand, when known
safecracker is caught with the spe-
cialized tools of his trade" he can
be picked up Immediately even if
miles from the nearest strongbox, and
a veteran pickpocket with police
record faces instant arrest if he is
caught lettering in public places.
In the borderline narcotics cases
here punishment is extremely light.
If an addict is able to get drugs from
a doctor by fraud, he falls into this
borderline class. If he is charged
with illegal possession of tax-paid
narcotics, the misdemeanor penalty
still applies. Only after he has been
convicted of first offense does the
heavier punishment apply. And by
then the dope addict may have be-
come hopeless case.
The District is not alone in its lack
Of strong drug laws. According to
Harry j. Anslinger, Treasury Depart
ment narcotics commissioner. only
three States-California Pennsyl-
vania and Florida-have model laws
and enforcement Many Southern
States have even less restrictive laws
than the District. and in some the
job of enforcement is left entirely in
the hands of Federal agents. Mary
land rates high in control. while
Virginia is considerably further down
the scale.
Vireinio Hos Few Addicts
The probable explanation Of this
difference is the scattered population
in the Virginia rural areas, as COM
pared to the greater concentration
of people in Maryland. There are
very few drug cases in Virginia." Mr..
Anslinger says. Most involve tran
sients from other States"
The Districts control Of narcotics
rates rather low on Mr.. Anslinger's
list. But despite the tremendous pub
licity given the drug problem in re-
cent months, Maj. Barrett insists that
it isn't as bad as five or ten years
ago. Veteran addicts and peddlers are
constantly bounded and nabbed by
police But the major comedies that
the juvenile addiction is assuming
serious proportions.
Mr.. Anslinger feels that manda-
tory disqualification of all addicts
on first offense will go long way
toward curbing them.
Maj. Barrett has ordered a special
school to be opened for police this
fall. Specialists in the department
will teach all officers and men every
method of enforcement possible un-
der existing laws.
But, for revision of the act, Con-
gresS has the next move-to tighten
controls so that it will be impossible
for a first-offender drug addict to
escape with the same jail sentence
that can be slapped on the practical
joker. Then police can begin eras-
ing the Districts reputation among
drug addicts as being an easy"
source of supply.