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system of Monopoly the quantity of Opium consumed, and
consequently the number of those who smoke, has been
greatly reduced, and illicit traffic in the drug prevented;
and finally that effective steps have been taken to
restrict and if possible to abolish the trade in Morphia
and in Opium Compounds for internal consumption or hypo-
-dermic injection. Steps are being taken at the present
time to still further restrict the use of Morphia and
Compounds of Opium.
8.
I arrive finally at the following
conclusions:-
(a).
That on the assumption that China
continues to give effect to her anti-opium decrees and
consequently that the export from India and also the pro-
-duction and export from China will both cease in a period
of 10 years the available supply for local consumption in
Hongkong will diminish pari passu. Smoking in Hongkong must
therefore decrease at least as fast as in China, but there
is no reason why the Government should not co-operate in
this movement by periodically decreasing the number of
chests which the Farmer is allowed to purchase, subject to
the same proviso as that adopted by the Indian Government.
(b).
That the best and indeed the only possible