March 15, 1909.]
is decreed that any Chinese subject selling morphia (or making instruments for its use) without a Customs' permit shall be banished to a "pestilential frontier of the Empire." But the facts I have already quoted, and the verdict of those who are in the best position to form an opinion, shew that the steps taken havo so far been ineffective, and that smokers are becoming eaters or morphia injectors.
While evils such as these are imminent in China, which contains so large and intelligent a proportion of the human race it is time that the conscience of the Western Nations was touched, and that their efforts should be directed towards the real issues, which concern alike their honour and China's welfare, and I earnestly wish that those who so disinterestedly devote themselves to the eradication of opium smoking, would turn their attention to this terrible evil and be con- tent with Regulation and Control of Smoking.
RESTRICTION OF MORPHINE IN HONGKONG,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
OPIUM CURES,, (A.) QUACK REMEDIES. A decoction of the leaves of the Combretum Sudaicum has been stated to be & cure for the opium habit. The Director of the Botanical Department, Singapore, informs me that it is a complete fraud which only lasted three months, during which time the promoters made great gains. The only man he knew who tried it became a wreck-took to opium again and died. This was confirmed by the results obtained by the Viceroy of Szechuan who imported a great quantity at the instance of Mr. Alexander.
(B.) EDUCATION.
The education of public opinion, on which both the Straits Commission and M. Hardouin lay stress, is the only real method of curing the habit, the more so that it is usually the rich who smoke to excess. This view is rightly emphasised in the original decree, and there seems little doubt that, throughout the Chinese Empire, among the better classes there has been a very real progress in this direction. Smoking Services and in schools and colleges." The evils is now prohibited in the Army, Navy, and Civil of the opium habit should be inculcated in every school not only in China, but in the Foreign Concessions and British Colonies. But above all stress should be laid on eating opium and of eating
the evils of morphia and also on the misuse of alcohol. or injecting
In Hongkong a strict control is maintained over the sale of morphine and opium compounds. The quantity for local consumption for 1906 aud 1907 averaged 5,000 lbs. of the latter. In order to enhance the price every person licensed to sell has to pay Royalties to the Opium Farmer, so that all the machinery at his disposal for detecting illict import and sale is brought into play. Licenses are only grunted to qualified Chemists of repute and to such Chinese Druggists as had vested interests in the trade before the introduction of the Legislation. If the business changes hands the licenses are not renewed: licensees are required to keep books recording all sales and to issuo certificates to all purchasers. Several of these licenses to Chinese vendors have lately been cancelled for breach of the regulations, and it is proposed not to renew the remainder after one year's notice. At present exemption is only granted to certain well known medicines prepared in Europe or America (specified in a schedule), and to all prescriptions made up on the order of a qualified medical practitioner. Representations have been made by the Chamber of Commerce and by one of the large European druggists complaining of the restriction on trade, and claiming exemption on all preparations in which opium or morphia is not the sole ingredient, but this would defeat the object in view, to check the sale of the so-called "anti-opium pills containing morphine, etc. To limit the quantity of opium or morphia contained in a pill would obviously be futile for several could be taken to produce the result desired. If it should be possible I should wish to prohibit the sale of all pills, powders, or draughts (except on the prescription of a qualified medical officer) which contained opium or morphia, unless in coin- bination with some other drug in such propor- tion that it would be disagreeably operative— say an aperient or an emetic-if the pills were consumed for non-medicinal purposes. The transmission by post of opium, morphine or cocaine is prohibited and it is also proposed to abolish the bonded warehouse, for compounds of opium and morphine hitherto maintained by the Farmer and to retain a Government warehouse Jonly. The question is at the present moment
under the consideration of the Government.
..
The drastic Ordinance of September 1893 "for the suppression of the pernicious practice | of injecting preparations of morphine by un- qualified persons, together with the provisions of the Prepared Opium Ordinance which imposed a Royalty of $30 per tael for morphin (600 per cent. ad valorem) and $5 for opium, have been so effective in restricting the illicit use of these drugs, that whereas in the Straits Opium Report Hon. Dr. Galloway stated that 39 out of a group of 595 prisoners taken at random (viz., 6} per cent) bore injection scars, only one person so scarred was on a recent examination found in the whole of the inmates of both hospitals and gaols of this Colony.
It
PREVALENCE OF SMOKING,
221
to show that they are often exaggerated, but I learn from Sir A. Hosie that in Szechuan they are deplorable, mainly because the population is very poor, and there is a tendency for heavy money upon opium instead. He believed (as smokers to forego their food, and spend their many experts do) that as long as a man is well nourished, opium smoking does him little or no harm, since post mortem examinations have shown that the organs are entirely unaffected. The victim of indulgence really suffers from starvation. In Hongkong therefore where wages are high, and employment easy to obtain, the coolie can afford to feed well, and also to pay for his smoke and so little or no harm is done. But even in Hongkong smoking is a great economic evil tending to the waste of time, and of money in unproductive self-indulgence. My s object so far as the general question is concerned has been to demonstrate:--
(a.) That it must be dealt with gradually and not by precipitate methods.
(b.) And above all that there are other and worse evils which unless foresight and care are exercised may prove worse than smoking. And in so far as this Colony is concerned I have hoped to shew
(a.) That we have not been idle and apathetic in the aspects of the question which seemed to us of paramount importance.
(b.) That owing to the control exercised and to the local conditions of the population, the evil here assumes a very different aspect from what it does in some parts of China.
F.D. LUGARD.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, October 18th, 1908.
Revised: February 25th, .909.
THE OPIUM COMMISSION.
TEXT OF THE RESOLUTIONS.
the International Opium Committee to be The following are the Resolutions adopted by submitted to the respective Governments represented:-Be it resolved:
may be of use to restate the facts as to Jordan gave it as his opinion that only 8,000,000 the prevalence of opium smoking. Sir John (say 2 per cent) of the population of China were addicted to the habit. Sir Robert Hart, I figure. Dr. Ayres states that the Chinese believe, estimated it (in 1881) at a much lower
smokers to population in China at 2 per cent. Customs returus estimate the number of (1863)-probably referring to Sir Robert Hart's and very careful calculation puts it at con- estimate. Mr. Clementi in a recent elaborate siderably less than 2 per cent for the whole of China, but 4.4 per cent in the province of Sze- chuan; where purely native opian is smoked, while in Hongkong where the adult male population (who alone smoke) is three times
1. That the International Opium Commission dominate in China) the percentage of smokers Government of China in their efforts to eradicate that of the adult females (while the latter pre-recognizes the unswerving sincerity of the is 6.25. These figures are challenged by a paper named Chinese Opinion which argues that it is throughout the Empire; the increasing body of the production and consumption of Opium only the adult male population which I should public opinion among their own subjects by be reckoned, and works out a percentage of which those efforts are being supported; and Mr. Clementi's figures for adult malos the roal, though unequal, progress already made are, however, more liberal, being 12.94 for in a task which is one of the greatest magnitude. China is largely rural the lower estimate Government of China in Hongkong only. As the population of 2. That in view of the action taken by the is probabbly more
suppressing the for a proportion who smoke less than the Governments to the same end, the International correct, and allowing practice of Opium smoking, and by other amount calculated (though this again is probably. Opium Commission recommends that each De- more than balanced by the excessive smokers) legation concerned move its own Government it will probably be approximately correct to say to take measures for the gradual suppression of that not more than 1.5 per cent of the total the practice of Opium smoking in its own population smoke opinm, and not more than ten territories and possessions, with due regard to large proportion of whom are only casually concerned. per cent of the adult males are smokers, - a the varying circumstances of each country •
In June 1908 a Pharmacy Ordinance was enacted under which morphine and cocaine and their preparations were scheduled as Poisons with further restrictions as to their wholesale and retail use. In view of the experience of India, cocaine (though not at present abused here) was made the subject of elaborate re. gulations of a similar nature to those already in force regarding morphine and opium com- pounds in order to control the wholesale trade and prevent illicit import to China.
8.31.
addicted.
DIFFICULTY OF GIVING UP THE HABIT.
It has been stated that great difficulty is experienced in giving up the habit, but in the with no ill results beyond a little temporary Hongkong gaol the drug is entirely prohibited diarrhoea.
CONCLUSION.
I have attempted in the foregoing paragraphs to shew that those who may claim to be not less interested in the question of the Native Races, and in the welfare of the intelligent, in- dustrious and most interesting population of China than the Mover and Seconder of the Resolution in the House of Commons, have some doubts as to whether the common object we all have in view can best be achieved by the particular methods proposed.
I have endeavoured to pre- sent a reasoned opinion on this subject and to submit some practical suggestions, without going too. largely into the immense field of discussion which this subject opens up; and while doing so I trust I may claim to have vindicated the Colony of Hongkong from the charge of apathy, and of having made no sacrifices to promote the Policy of the Home Government in
this matter.
I trust nothing I have said in this Memo. may lean to the conclusion or inference that. I do not recognise the evils of the Opium Habit. I have quoted on page 11 from the Indian Commission
3. That the International Opium Commission finds that the use of opium in any form other. wise than for medical purposes is held by almost every participating country to be a and that each country in the administration of matter for prohibition or for careful regulation;
its system of regulation purports to be aiming, as opportunity offers, at progressively increas- ing stringency. In recording these conlusions the wide variations between the conditions pre- the International Opium Commission recognizes railing in the different countries, but it would urge on the attention of the Governments con- cerned the desirability of re-examination of countries dealing with the same problem. their systems of regulation in the light of other
4. That the International Opium Commission finds that cach Government represented has strict laws which are aimed (lirectly or indirectly
derivatives and preparations into their respective to prevent the smuggling of Opium, its alkaloids, territories: in the judgement of the Inter- national Opium Commission it is also the duty of all countries to adopt reasonable measures to prevent at ports of departure the shipment of Opium, its alkaloids, derivatives and prepara- tions, to any country which prohibits the entry of any Opium, its alkaloids, derivatives and. preparations.
5. That the International Opium Commission finds that the unrestricted manufacture, sale and
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سماكم