71
COPY.
ROYAL COMMISSION ON OPIUM.
Questions regarding opium consumption and opium revenue in the Colonies and Dependencies of Singapore, Penang and Hongkong.
(1) Is opium commonly consumed by people of Chinese, Malay, or other Asiatic race in Colony?
(2) What proportion—should you conjecture—of the adult males of each race are consumers? Do women consume opium to any extent? Do children?
(3) What have you observed to be the effects of opium moral, physical and social, on consumers? Is the effect the same on consumers of each race, or can you draw distinctions between the effects on consumers of different races?
(4) Do consumers chiefly smoke, or do they eat opium? or do they drink a decoction of opium? If opium is taken in two or all of these forms, can you distinguish between the effects of each?
(5) Do the great majority of opium consumers become slaves to the drug and eventually become "opium sots," or do you find the majority, or a considerable proportion, of consumers to be moderate consumers?
Example:- A man who smokes opium happens to be called upon suddenly to do a certain work, he has first to smoke his opium before he starts it, otherwise he is not fitted to perform any work.
The distinction between opium & alcohol, as far as I can detect is this:- A man who is addicted to drink can very often knock it off without causing any serious injury to his health, while an opium smoker finds when opium is taken away from him he is prostrated for weeks and months.
(6) Is it correct to say that there cannot be such a thing as moderation in the consumption of Opium? Do you know any or many cases of consumers who have taken their opium for years without harm to themselves? If so, please give description of one or two such cases in detail.
A great majority of Chinese consider...
(7) Do a majority of the labourers, or of the merchants, or of the artizans, belonging to Asiatic race with which you are conversant, consume opium? If so, what is generally the effect of the opium habit on their efficiency in their calling?
If possible give details and examples in reply to this question.
(8) How does the use or abuse of opium among any Asiatic races with which you are conversant compare with the use or abuse of alcohol among such races, in regard to the effect on consumers?
Opium smoking is a degrading and injurious habit for one to fall into. They regard the opium habit as a waste of money, precious hours, & especially the lack of good constitution than to alcohol!
(9) Is the habit of consuming opium condemned as degrading, or injurious, by the general opinion of the Chinese, Malay or other Asiatic race? How would such races regard the opium habit as compared with the alcohol habit?
(10) Can and do opium consumers break themselves off the opium habit?
(11) If the supply of Indian opium were to be cut off, what would be the effect on opium consumers, and on the Asiatic population of your neighbourhood? Would they supply themselves with opium from elsewhere? or would they take to alcohol or to some narcotic other than opium: would they abstain altogether?
[C.0.3). 18.]
It would be done with extreme difficulty.
11. If opium supply were to be cut off, it would cause a certain excellent stir in the beginning, give little trouble to the smokers. They would not be able to supply themselves from elsewhere.
71
COPY.
ROYAL COMMISSION ON OPIUM.
Questions regarding optum consumption and opium revenue in the
Colonies and Dependencies of Singapore.
Penang and Hongkong.
(1) Is opium commonly consumed by people of Chinese, Malay, or other Asiatic race in Colony ?
(2) What proportion-should you conjecture-of the adult males of each race are consumer Do women consume opium to any extent? Do children?
(3) What have you observed to be the effects of opium moral, physical and social, on consumers? Is the effect the same on consumers of each race, or can you draw distinctions betwee the effects on consumers of different races ?
(4) Do consumers chiefly smoke, or do they cat opium ? or do they drink a decoction of opium!❤ If opium is taken in two or all of these forms, can you distinguish between the effects of each ?
(5) Do the great majority of opium consumers become slaves to the drug and eventually beco "opium sots,” or do you find the majority, or a considerable proportion, of consumers to be moderaj consumers ?
very irregular their activity they Example:- A
orc
kara
& not pundial, and regarding
not far from sloth who raokes opium happens to be called and denly to do a certain work, be has first to smoke his opium before be starts it, otherwise he is not fitted to perform auf work.
s. The distinction between opium & alcohol.
al can
detect is this: -
as far
ad
&
man who is addicted to dricks caw very
very often knock it off without causing any
serious injury to his health, while
ai
it almost filling.
oprim smoker finds
when
opium is laken away from him be is postrated for weeks for encouths.
sonetime
(0) Is it correct to say that there cannot be such a thing as moderation in the consumption (J. A great majority of Chinese consider
Opium? Do you know any or many cases of consumers who have taken their opium for yea without harm to themselves? If so, please give description of one or two such cases in detail.
(7) Do a majority of the labourers, or of the merchants, or of the artizans, belonging to Asiatic race with which you are conversant, consume opium? If so, what is generally the effè of the opium habit on their efficiency in their calling?
If possible give details and examples in reply to this question.
(8) How does the use or abuse of opium among any Asiatic races with which you are converse compare with the use or abuse of alcohol among such races, in regard to the effect on consumers?
I
opciems smoking is a degrading and injurious habit for one to fall in to. They regard the operen is less habit, waste of money, precious hours, & expecially the lack of good.
στι
constitution than to alcohol!
(9) Is the habit of cousuming opium condemned as degrading, or injurious, by the geno. It can opinion of the Chinese, Malay or other Asiatic race? How woubl such races regard the opium hall as compared with the alcohol habit P
(10) Can and do opium consumers break themselves of the opium habit?
(11) If the supply of Indian opium were to be cut off, what would be the effect on opi consumers, and on the Asiatic population of your neighbourhood? Would they supply themselves w opium from elsewhere? or would they take to alcohol or to some narcotic other than opium: would they abstain altogether?
[C.0.3). 18.]
*
be done in with extreme difficulty.
11. If opium
caals
of
beat
opcem were to be cut off, it would Co-
a certain excelent ein the beginning give little trouble
trouble to the smokers. They
to supply
would they
will not be able
from elsewhere, ron
Menneelves.
Cabe
awy
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