A
A1
Extract paragraph 42 of the Report on the
Administration of the Excise Department in Burma for the
year 1914-15.
Cocaine. Forms III VIII and
IX
The
42. Cocaine licenses rose by 1 to 40 as in 1912-13.
Convictions fell by 129 to 1,319 of which 11 were for
unlicensed sale and the rest for illicit possession.
quantity seized fell from 3,573 to 2,124 ounces avoirdupois.
Convictions however only declined by 129 to 1,319. Some
eight cocaine consumers from Lower Burma migrated to
Mandalay and brought the habit with them, but there was
no appreciable spread. Isolated cases, in which travellers
with small quantities of cocaine in their possession were
arrested, occurred in the Akyab, Myingyan and Pakokku
Districts, which however remained otherwise clear of cocaine.
The habit is confined to the following 18 districts; Lower
Burma. Peru Division - Rangoon Town, Insein, Hanthawaddy, Fegu, Tharrawaddy and Frome, Irrawaddy Division Bassein Myaungnya, Ma-ubin, Pyapon and Henzada; Temasserin Division Toungoo, Thaton and Amherst. Upper Burma.- Mandalay Division- Mandalay; Magwe Division Thayetryo and Magwe;
Meiktila Division Yamethin.
The outbreak of war early in August, completely
changed the course of events, so far as cocaine consumption is concerned, by cutting off the source of main supply,
Mercks brand of cocaine made in Germany. The illicit
traffic was not however immediately effected to the extent anticipated owing to large reserve stocks, licit and illicit,
believed to have been held in India and the Far East.
Stocks of German cocaine were held also in the United
Kingdom, for it has since continued to come in in British
steamers from England. Everywhere, however, stocks
continued to run down and at Rangoon prices of illicit cocaine are believed to have risen from Rs.32 at the beginning to
Rs.90