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The Siam Observer Monday December 4th 1922
Red Cross.
The Opium Question,
Its Relation to Alcohol.
On Saturday the Oriental Red Cross Congress considered the question of Opium. Sir Clande Hill presided. Several of the delegates expressed their opinion on this international question. Phys Chinds outlined the position of Siam, contending that if the sale of opium was abolished revenue would have to be obtained from other sources, and in the face of extra-terri- torial treaty rights changes in the Customs could not be made without the sanction of certain other nations. Perhaps one of the strongest points was that raised by Mr. McElderry, who feared that if the use of opium was entirely abolished it might lead to the exorsive use of bad spirits by those who at present confined themselves to the moderate consumption of the drug. The Chairman, at the outset pointed out that he bad received a cable from the headquarters of the League in Paris, stating that Congressman Porter was introducing a resoluțion into the House at Washington asking Govern ment to
international
convene an
opium congrees.
Mr. McElderry stated that he agreed) with the terms of the resolution of the Sub-Committee on Opinm (which was ! published in the Siam Observer). The only further point to which he would like to draw attention was the danger of alcohol being substituted for opium among opiam consuming communities. In this connection he would like to read a short extract from the medical, report of the F. M. S. for 1921 re- ferring to the ca tiden of lunacy amongst the inmates of the luna- tic asylume in the F. M. S., the author of the report stated :-"malaria takes first place as a cause with 77 appearances as against 52 in 1919, when it was only the fourth. Gastro- intestinal symtome some next with 51 appearances against 58, but still in the second place. Syphilis comes third with 44 appearances against 64, and alcohol fourth with 36 appearances gainst 54 and third place in 1919. Bull though the number of cases at- tributable to alcohol has fallen, it must ( be remembered that the return is not! really for the whole of 1921. Again if you put the cases in which alcohol was the cause against the two in which opium was the cause, one sees the havoc. alcohol is doing. Especially is this so? amongst the Chinese, who being more. or less deprived of their opium, to high they have been accustomed for férations, take to alcohol-ocally bad spirits and come in
Def,
Mr. McElderry stated that they were not asked to deal with the question of alcohol, but he thought that the subject was so closely connected with opium that it might be advisable to include a reference to the danger of
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Phys Chinda stated that the policy of Siam broadly was to bring about the gradual suppression of the consump- tion of opium. The lawe aimed at the absolute control and the suppression of the illegal nae of the drug. They had a Morphine and Occaine Act, and there also bad been drafted the Earmful Habit Forming Drags Act, which was now in the hands of the Bevising Com. mittee.
There were three out-standing points as far as Siam was concerned,
(1) Financial (8) Smuggling (3) Control.
The Government did not regard with apprehension the gradual reduction of revenue, but the sudden drop of five million ticals, was another matter. The loss could perhaps be recovered by an increase in the duty to, say ten per cent, on general imports, but under the treaties with foreign powers Siam could not make any changes in the Customs The Tariff without their consent. want of power to readjust her revenues as required, was one of the reasons which might deter this country from putting into force the measures having for their object the registration of smokers.
As to smuggling, which would likely develop upon the suppression of the legitimate coneumption, Siam could not do much without the cooperation of neighbouring countries.
There was also the want of control by the authorities over the illicit sale of uplum by certain foreign subjects, due to extra-territorial jurisdiction.
Dr. von Romer explained the post- tion in the Dutch East indies, where formerly the sale of opium was under the farm system. The opium farm was a state within the state, and the maintenence of the monoply often led to diverse and provoking incidente. After a long controversy it was resolv ed to place the oplam directly under Government management, and after, the 1st April, 1918, the farm system was abolished. The attitude of the Datch Government might be describ ed as not being anfriendly toward the question of the abolition of the sale
But of oplum.
there. were certain factors that had to
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