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The penalties have also been increased, by providing a minimum fine or a ninimum period of imprisonment for even the smallest quantity of opium found. (See Sections 36 and 37 of the Law).
30. Certain further provisions, which come into force from B. E. 3163 (1922-23 ), make it illegal for any person, except home smokers, retailers and dealers, to possess opium pipes. Convictions for offences against this portion of the law should be comparatively easy to obtain, as small quantities of opium are more readily concealed than are opium pipes. A period of one year has been allowed before these provisions come into operation, in order to permit present-possessors of opium pipes to take suitable steps to dispose of them in conformity with the requirements of the Law. (Vide Opium Law, Title IV),
31. Finally there is a third set of provisions, which are to come into force from a date to be subsequently notified in the Government Gazette, before which all smokers must be registered. Thereafter no further applications for registration will be received (except, under well-defined limits, from new immigrants), and no unregistered person will be allowed to purchase or smoke opium. Vide Opium Law, Title V.)
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32. The various steps taken by the Government for the gradual enforcement of greater stringency in the administration of the Opium Regie have now been outlined, from the time of the commencement of the monopoly up to the present day. In the remaining portion of this Memorandum it is proposed, in order to obtain a clearer understanding of the policy of the future, designed to accomplish the final suppression of opium smoking, to enter in some detail into the subjects of registration of smokers, estimated number of smokers, disposal of dross, financial aspects of the question, raw opium smuggling, &c.
THEORY OF REGISTRATION OF SMOKERS,
WITH A VIEW TO THE ULTIMATE SUPPRESSION OF SMOKING.
33. Briefly, the theory is that the prohibition of smoking for those already addicted to the drug is impracticable, and that the only possible way is to devise means whereby other persons shall be prevented from taking to the
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habit. The only effective method by which this object can be attained appears
to be to register all smokers within a certain date, and to limit the quantity of opium which such registered smokers are allowed to consume daily. As these registered smokers gradually die out, the next generation should be free from the habit. The theory sounds simple. but the methods by which it can be put into practice effectively are necessarily difficult and complicated, chiefly in connection with the retailing of the drug to consumers,
34. So far as the, information at the disposal of this Government goes, it would appear that under the systems followed in Formosa, Burna, Javn, Fritish Malaya (Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States) and French Indo-China, the purchaser of opium, whether registered or not, may smoke it in any place he pleases. In Siam this is held to be highly undesirable as control over individual smokers in scattered places is difficult, and such systems as those believed to be in force in the countries mentioned appear to affold oppor-
tunities for smoking for those not yet addicted to the habit.
35. As explained in para. 21 the method of sale in this country is through retailers, for consumption on the premises only- that is, au opium shop is at the same time also a smoking place. Exceptions are made in the case of well-to-do persons of standing in the community, who do not care to enter public opium shops. In order, as far as possible, to deter persons from applying for this privilege, the price of opium for home smokers is 33% higher than that charged in retail shops. That is to say, opium, which in the greater part of the country is sold at 15 ticals per tamlong in the retailers' shops, is sold to home smokers at 20 ticals per tamlung.
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A small class 'of home smokers are those who live or carry on their
livelihood so far from an opium shop that they cannot conveniently come to it to smoke. Such persons also are permitted to have home licenses, but the quantity allowed to them is never more than one tamireng per month. Vide Ministerial Regulations, Clause 3.
The actual position now is that all hemme smokers are registered and licensed, and that these are very few in number. (Vide Annexe VII, Table II). 86. When the third set of provisions of the new law comes into force (see para, 31), all smokers will be registered and their doses limited.
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