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A dealer in medicinal opium must not sell it at a price higher than that set by the Government, and must not without à just cause refuse to sell it.
It is abso-
IMPORTATION AND EXPORTATION OF OPIUM. lutely forbidden to import opium except by the Government As to its ex- or persons acting under Government orders. portation, in the case of medicinal opium, the dealer there- in may export it with the permission of the Minister for Home Affairs when it is needed for compounding purposes by a medical practitioner, a dental or veterinary surgeon, or a pharmacist in a foreign country who is a Japanese subject; but in such case the order must be certified by the Japanese Consul or other Japanese authorities of the user's place of business. Thus it is made absolutely impossible to export opium to foreigners.
Government Sale of Opium for Manufacture of Medi- cines: The Government sale of opium for manufacture of me- dicines was commenced when a portion of the Opium Law was
The reason therefore amended for that purpose in 1917. was that in view of the effects of the European War upon our medicine trade, the Government decided to protect and encourage the manufacture of medicines generally, issued the Law for the Encouragement of the Manufacture of Dyes and Medicines in 1915, and recognized the necessity of sell- ing opium for the manufacture of medicines, as material for the manufacture of morphine salts and their derivatives. But with regard to this sale, as it was necessary for the pur- pose of control to restrict the qualifications and number of persons to whom the opium was to be sold, the Minister for Home Affairs specially designated four medicine-manu- facturing companies of high credit and decided to sell to them the opium required for the manufacture of morphine and other opium alkaloid salts and their derivatives up to an amount not exceeding the estimated demand therefore in the country; and the opium for the purpose has been im- suitable by the ported by trading companies considered Government, or the above mentioned medicine-manufacturing companies acting as its agents and sold to the latter com- panies at a price equal to the actual cost; and to the ma- nufactories Government officials are sent from time to time If a designated company neglects to to inspect their work, follow the provisions of the Opium Law or to obey the orders of the Minister for Home Affairs, its designation may be cancelled.
PENALTIES FOR OFFENCES.
Any person who manufactures opium without the permission of the local governor, or se-