509
No women nor persons under 18 years of age
Originally the numbor of dens was may be admitted to the duns. fairly large; now-a-days a permit is only given when there is abso- lute neud for a den in a place, (for instance with a view to the
The few dons for women, large number of persons passing through). to which mon had no admission, which formerly existed, have now been abolished.
The number of dens diminished from 160 at
the end of 1914 to 72 at the end of 1921,
The very considerable diminution in noorly every district since the introduction of the rugie is indicated in *ppendix 1.
From that it also appears that the number of opium-retailshops in nearly every district is also greatly roduood, This reduction is carried as far as possible without encouraging smuggling, and the re-sale of opium too much.
The hours during which the opium-retailshops
are also being gradually reduced, are open for the sale of opium Where that is at all possible, those shops are closed on Sundays and holidays, In districts where there exists a system of licences (suo balew), it is becoming more and more a practice no longer to sell opf,overy day in the smaller places, but only once or twice
a wook.
Rugistration.
In districts also whore the introduction of a liconco-system had not yet been thought of, the buyers wore rogistered at oooh rotailshop as for as that was possible with the available staff.
The registration was gradually extended, Thereby data worn obtained which were of uso in the investigation into the possibility of introducing restrictions in cortoin districts."
IX.
As was already stated in § III, the already previously existing rugulations, whereby it was forbiddon to overy one in cortain districts to possess opium, word es fer as possiblo kept in fores when the Opium-rugiu was introduced.
(1) Cons..quently it is possible to do with a smaller staff, as a steff which wos formorly ruquired for one place, can now serve two or more plnous.