KL
Morphia.
!
not
6
production, chiefly for local use, in the Punjaub (Northern India), the Shan States (Burmah), and Laos (between Siam and Burmah).
17. By Article 11 of the Mackay Treaty, signed at Shanghae, the 5th September, 1902, between Great Britain and China, the import into China of morphia was forbidden, except under conditions restricting it to medical use; but the prohibition was not to be enforced until the Treaty Powers assented. Great delay has been experienced in obtaining the assent of some of these Powers, but the last of them, Japan, has recently consented as from the 1st January, 1909. In the Straits Settlements and Hong Kong, regulations have for some years been in force, prohibiting the sale and use of morphia, except medicinally. It is very desirable that similar legislation should be enacted by all the countries represented at the Commission.
18. Those who, in the United Kingdom, have long combated the opium traffic, whilst they recognize the great measure of progress effected by the Indian Government in undertaking to bring to an end the export of opium to China within ten years, provided the Chinese product is reduced pari passu, are by no means satisfied with this measure. They desire a far more rapid suppression, which would be so much the easier because, according to the annual reports of the officials in charge of the cultivation, the ryots find other crops more profitable than opium. They hold, too, that the action of Great Britain, in bringing to an end a "morally indefensible trade," ought not to be conditioned by that of the Chinese Government. In view of Mr. Leech's statement, quoted in paragraph 10, that China is hampered by existing Treaties in her attempts to put down the consumption of opium, they consider that all provisions in these Treaties which restrict her freedom in this respect should be annulled.
satisfied,
71
Speedy
19. We hope that the Governments which participate in the International Commission at Shanghae will not hesitate to take the necessary steps to put an end, urged.
as quickly as possible, to the production and sale of opium, except for strictly medicinal purposes. The traffic which supplies the non-medical use of this drug is condemned by medical science, and Japan has resolutely excluded it from her soil. It is reprobated by the moral judgment of the best elements in the Chinese Government and people. Western civilization cannot but sympathize profoundly with China in her supreme effort to free herself from this enervating and demoralizing scourge. The European nations having Colonies or Protectorates in the East cannot evade the duty of keeping pace with China. We trust that they will not content themselves with this, but regard themselves as bound in honour to set the example of speedy and effective prohibition.
On behalf of the Society,
(Signed)
JOSEPH G. ALEXANDER,
Honorary Secretary.
Appendix (A). (See paragraph 7.)
Recommendations of the Investigation Committee appointed by the American Government of the Philippine Islands, contained in its Report dated June 15, 1904.
WE would recommend the adoption of a system of exclusive Government monopoly, limiting the right of importation, wholesale and retail, of opium to the Government. The exercise of this Governmental function should be intrusted to upright, intelligent, honourable, and well-recommended persons, following the practice observed in Java, with the object of eliminating from so responsible a trust all personal and commercial interests which would tend to extend the sale of the drug. It is understood that this system of monopoly shall be replaced as soon as practicable by one of absolute prohibition.
2. We would recommend the adoption of a system of registration and licensing for all chronic smokers, limiting the right to procure opium in definite quantities to them.
3. As a corrective and educative measure, we would recommend the promulgation of a law depriving all Filipino opium habitués of the right of franchise and making them ineligible to all public offices--municipal, provincial, and insular.
4. We would recommend the adoption of a measure providing for the gratuitous treatment of all habitués wishing to free themselves from the opium vice.
7
Findings and Recommendations.
Definition.
34
embraces
opium In the following findings and recommendations the word opium, raw or cooked, chandoo, morphia, codeia, the other soporific alkaloids found in opium and their salts, and all other articles containing any of these substances and commonly used to produce the same effects as opium.
The Committee considered the following systems or methods of regulating the traffic in opium and its use:-
It has been found-
1. High Tariff or High Licence.
(a.) That the use of opium has increased under high tariff in these islands, and there appears to be no reason, except an increase in price, why high licence should have any diminishing effect on its use greater than that caused by high tariff.
(b.) That smuggling prevails, and would probably increase if the tariff or licence fee were increased; at any rate, there are no grounds for believing that it would thereby be diminished.
(c.) That the matter of raising a revenue from such tariff or high licence would expose the Government to misapprehension and detraction.
2. Local Option.
This method does not seem suitable in any way to the opium traffic.
3. Farming.
To this system there exist the following objections
(a.) The farmer endeavours to increase his profits by extending his business, and so the use of opium is increased.
(b.) Extensive smuggling also exists under this system as found in those countries visited by the Committee.
(c.) The same objections as in (1) exist under this system to the revenue derived from farming.
(d.) And it is hardly moral to delegate to an individual, not a representative of the people, such authority in the way of supervising, detecting, and policing as the farmer usually exercises. To exercise such authority is a function of Government only.
4. Prohibition.
Prohibition may be either immediate and complete or progressive. Immediate prohibition is likely to produce extreme suffering among those who are already habitués of opium, as it is exceedingly difficult for any one to discontinue the use of the drug at once. The investigation of the Committee leads it to believe that immediate prohibition is practicable only as a preventive measure in communities where opium smoking has never obtained. In those communities where opium is used and prohibition has been tried, it has been found a source of blackmail. Progressive prohibition is considered under the head of Government monopoly.
5. Government Monopoly.
A Government monopoly seems, on the whole, to be the most desirable, as a more nearly complete control may thus be had of the use of opium and the traffic therein.
(a.) The agents of sale, or dispensers, of opium must be salaried officials, whose incomes shall in no way be influenced by the sales they make.
(b.) Smuggling would undoubtedly exist, but it is a constant factor in all the methods considered, and it is not believed that smuggling would be greater under the Government monopoly system than under another.
[2050 m-2]
D
748