558
prosa,
53.
16.
It is unfortunate that the system of retail do- rends to a large extent on the dross which nor forms the only profit of the retailer. Dyoss is the ash left in opium ipes after prepared opium has been smoked. The per- centage of morphine is nearly as high in dross as in re- tered opium (7 to 8 ), and this real due may be smoked or eaten by those addicted to the habit. The eating of dross is, of course, more harmful then smoking since nor chine (the harmful alkaloid of orium ) is taken into the system by that ine ans..
54. The amount obtained is roughly 50 per cent of the opium smoked, and it has a market value of about two-thirds of the crice of opium. So that of every tamlung of opium smoked, at ticals per tamlung, the value of the ash re- maining is about 5 ticals, This ash is sold by reteilers and constitutes their profit, as they are not allowed a profit on the sale of oclum itself, The custom of all07- ing the retailer to make a rofit from this source has been in existence for a very long period, end a certain clas8 of opium habitués has arisen. at leest equal. in number to smokers who are addicted to the hrbit ₫ swallowing dross, Oring to the harmful effects this practice, at least two other countries have made an attempt to try and event it viz., British felaye (Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States) and Java, but up to the present this Govern- ment has taken no steps in the matter. For one thing, de- -rivation of dross would probably drive the poorer class of opium habitués, who are the dross eaters, to crime in order to obtain money to buy the higher criced opium which would be their only alterative. Further it must be remem- bered that the consumption of dress ill decline in direct proportion to the decrease in orium smoking, as without the letter no dross can be produced,
55.
With the advent of registration no person not addicted to either ociun or dross 111 take to the habit,
of reduced or cum- since it is the confirmed opium smoker stances who is finally drivon to dross. Young men in the absence of strict control may take to smoking deliberṛtely, or may be induced to do so rt first for amusement plans- ure, but no one 111 trke to allowing dross without nl-
since the taste is unplers- ready being an opium snoker ant in the ortrene, with no novel sensations rttending its consumption. It follo"s that if registration successfully crevents no persons taking to the 5-bit d smoking it ill also effectively crevent any increase in the use of dross,
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