CONTROL OF OPIUM IN JAPAN PROPER.
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The control of opium in Japan was under considera- tion oven prior to the Restoration of Imperial Authority; for in July, 1858, when a treaty was concluded between tho Shogun Iyocada Tokugawa and the British Govornmont, its im- In the Meiji Era the prohibition portation was prohibited, became still stricter, and in August, 1870, the Regulations for the Handling of Crude Opium were issued, whereby drug- gists and medical practitioners were required to report to the authorities having jurisdiction any sale or purchase
of opium for medicinal purposes, and Chinese subjects in this country were warned that the smoking and transfor of opium in Japan were strictly prohibited and any person violating this prohibition would be severely punished; and further, those persons who were unable to overcome the smoking habit would bo instantly deported from the country. In 1880 the Penal Code was issued, and brought into opera- tion in January, 1882. In Part II. Chapter V. Section 1 of this code the offences connected with opium wore defined, namely, importation, manufacture, or sale of opium, impor- tation manufacture, or sale of implements used for opium- smoking, socking profit by providing rooms for opium-smok- ing, enticing others into opim-smoking, and possession or taking charge of opium or implements for smoking it; and the penalties in those casos wore made scvoro, compared with other offences (the code was amended in 1907 and those offences were defined in Part II. Chapter XIV of the amond- cd code). Although the importation and sale of opium waS thus absolutely prohibited, the Imperial Government had long_recognized in view of its indispensability for medi- cinal purposes, that, as the absolute prohibition of its
treat- importation would defeat the purposes of medicàl ment, it was necessary to find a way for its supply. AI- though opium has from old times been produced in Japan, the amount was insufficient to meet the general demand; and accordingly it was decided that the deficiency should be met by devising a moens of purchasing abroad, and that all opium, whether of home or forcign production, should be made ovor to the Government, which, after determining the composition needed for medicinal purposos would dis- tribute it throughout the country, and when it had desi- gnated the druggists specially permitted to sell opium, cause all persons, Japanese or foreigners, to purchase from such druggists any opium required by medical pros- criptions. This decision onabled Japanoso and foreigners to obtain medicinal opium on the one hand, and on the other
The rogula- strictly prohibited its privato importation,