491
23
that ourport to cure the opium habit, when those so-called medicines contain opium or other derivatives.
Opium is prepared by the
Govermat factory in
Bangkok for smoking purposes; there are two grades of opium, the first grade is made from Indian opium, whereas the inferior quality 19 more diluted and composed of Indian and Chinese obium.
The illicit use of morphine and other derivatives
is confined to medicinal purposes.
The illicit use of morphine in the form of hypo- dermic injection is rarely wet with and the habit is not spreading. I
As stated above, Siam does not produce cpium because
it does not cultivate the poppy.
imports- The Laws, aDecrees and Regulations on the
derivatives are found trans- tion, sale and use of opium and its lated in the Appendixt it is deemed not necessary to reproduce certain regulations, which have been abrogated or which present little interest. (Annexes Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.)
In conclusion, the attitude of the Royal Sieme se it affecte Siam is Government regarding the opium question as clearly defined in His Majesty's speech of the 21st September, 1908 (Annexe No. 8). From its perusal it will be seen that it is the aim of the Government te ultimately suppress the use of Optum, but to attain the desired end the line of policy to be followed must be carefully considered and very thorough inves@igation made into the matter, before venturing on experiments that might prove disastrous to the revenue of the State without king any progress towards the suppression of the vicc.
For as shown o lechero, the opiun consumed in Siam is wholly imported and controlled by the Governm nt #horoby its
If however, any salo can be kept within reasonable limitg. sudden and spasmodic attempt at suppression of the traffic wore to bc ade, it would only result in a vast increase of smuggling. Consequently His Majesty's Government has decided to suppress the trade by gradusi stops: it has begun alroy by making the monopoly as completo ant effectiye as possiblc in taking over the Farms under the old system (January, 1907). It has also placed in some districts salaried officials to supervise the sale of opium and it is hoped that in the near
It is worth while futura this syston will be generalized.
entioning that the number of opium shops in Bangkok since 1907 has been reduced from 900 to 700, and it is the intention of
Goverment to issuo a Decrcé liiting the maximum numb r
1908. of opium shops to that existing on the 16th November, non the now sveton is in fored, it is cxpucted that the nu ber of opium shops in Bangkok 111 bo reduced to 200.
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