!
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[51173]
No. 1.
2546
555
[December 216) JAN 12)
SECTION 3.
Sir C. Clementi Smith to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received December 21.)
(No. 4.) Sir,
The Hague, December 18, 1911. CHAPTER III of the programme dealing with morphine and cocaine and the official definitions of those drugs had been issued to the conference some days before the 18th December, when they at length came up for discussion. In the interval, we had ample opportunity of ascertaining the views of other delegations in regard to controlling trade in these drugs, and as to what measures to that end they would be able to accept. The series of resolutions which we presented under Chapter III must therefore be taken as indicating not the limit of control which we desired to have introduced in the trade, but rather the maximum amount of control which we could expect the countries represented here to accept unanimously. These considerations must be taken as accounting for the fact that under some of the heads for discussion neither we nor any other dologation have so far been able to introduce any resolution which was likely to meet with unanimous approval; and that those resolutions which we did introduce were generally accepted with little difficulty or discussion. The resolution under item 6 did, it is true, give rise to some debate. In its original form, stipulating that the participating Governments undertake "to provide for the prohibition of the unlawful possession for the purpose of distribution or sale" of morphine, &c., it seemed likely to come into conflict with the juridical systems of some countries, and a weaker formula was substituted for the original resolution.
You will observe that the last two items of Chapter III of the programme, Nos. 12 and 13, dealing with preparations containing morphine and cocaine, and withi other alkaloids having pernicious effects similar to those of morphine and cocaine are in an incomplete form. The Programrae Committee found itself unable to deal adequately with so technical a subject, and referred it to a committee composed of those members of the conference possessing medical and chemical knowledge. These gentlemen submitted a draft resolution which combined the two items of the programme in one formula, and which had met with their unanimous approval. This was agreed to without question by the conference as a whole, and appears as a resolution adopted under item 12 of Chapter III.
You will also see that the Chinese delegation projected the compilation of a fourth chapter, but that the Programme Committee progressed no further than the heading, "The consideration of anti-opium remedies." The fact is that the committee found itself unable for lack of technical knowledge to deal with this question, and referred it to the consideration of the experts. The latter decided that if by anti- opium remedies were meant the best methods, whether by the administration of medicine or otherwise, of bringing opium-consumers to health or weaning them from their evil habits, then the subject was one for doctors rather than for statesmen, and was certainly unfit for the consideration of an international conference such as is now assembled here. If, on the other hand, were meant those quack medicines now on sale in so many of the drug shops of the Far East purporting to cure the opium habit, but generally containing a certain percentage of morphine, or cocaine, or some derivative of opium, or these alkaloids, then the subject would be adequately dealt with by the resolution which they had framed under item 12 of Chapter III.
I have the honour to enclose herewith copies of Chapter III of the programme; the minutes of the 7th and 8th plenary sessions; and a statement of the resolutions dealing with morphine, cocaine, &c., adopted by the conference.*
I have, &c.
CECIL CLEMENTI SMITH.
• Not printed.
[297 x-3]