This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[34139]
628
[October 3.]
SECTION 3.
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey-(Received October 3.)
(No. 361.) Sir,
Peking, August 12, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a Memorandum on the subject of opium smoking in China, which has been communicated to me by Dr. G. Douglas Gray, of this Legation.
The Memorandum is interesting in connection with the present movement for the eradication of the habit, and you will perceive that Dr. Gray lays more stress on the curing of the craving than on the curtailment of the import and production; but it appears to me that, to make the efforts of the Chinese Government successful, both measures should be carried out concurrently.
As regards the prevalence of the habit, Dr. Gray assumes that from 30 per cent. to 40 per cent. of the population of China are addicted to the drug. These are the figures given by the Chinese Government; but, while the percentage of adult smokers in Szechuan, Yunnan, and Kueichow is undoubtedly high, the rate for the other provinces is very much lower.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Dr. Gray on Opium Smoking.
Some Observations on the Habit and some Medical Considerations as to the best method of its Effective Suppression.
DURING the past year the efforts made by the Imperial Chinese Government to suppress the opium habit have taken definite steps, and there can be little doubt that the continuance of the habit has been made difficult for the better classes to such an extent that many of them are being brought face to face with the necessity for taking active steps to get rid of the craving. Some officials have already done so, but in the majority of cases only a moderate degree of success has been obtained, and they still smoke opium though in lessened quantity. There can be no denying the fact that among the provincial officials, the mercantile and lower classes, a large number of people smoke as before, and have no idea of discontinuing the practice until such time as the supply of opium fails. But the craving is such a strong one that unless a smoker has moral and medical help given him he will do his utmost to procure the drug illicitly, or will be driven to supply the want his system feels by substituting some other habit such as the taking of morphia, cocaine, chloral, or alcohol.
Opiates of one sort or another are an absolute medicinal necessity in every country. It would be well to recognize this fact at once, and, when admitted, it will be seen that it is impossible to exclude it from among the drugs which are raised in China or are imported into it. No doubt severe restrictions may be made on the manufacture, sale, or import of it in the form most suitable for smoking-the more stringent these restrictions are the more alert will the consumers become to the means of satisfying themselves and it will, no doubt, be found that the habit of secret indulgence will increase, and this will necessitate strict repressive measures with the usual concomitant discontent among the people. It has been found that in those States of America in which prohibition against the sale of alcohol exists there are now many ingenious methods of evading or breaking the law that were never imagined by the authorities at the time prohibition was first put in force.
[1980 c-3]
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government,L
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[34139]
628
[October 3.]
SECTION 3.
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey-(Received October 3.)
(No. 361.) Sir,
Peking, August 12, 1908. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a Memorandum on the subject of opium smoking in China, which has been communicated to me by Dr. G. Douglas Gray, of this Legation.
The Memorandum is interesting in connection with the present movement for the eradication of the habit, and you will perceive that Dr. Gray lays more stress on the curing of the craving than on the curtailment of the import and production; but it appears to me that, to make the efforts of the Chinese Government successful, both measures should be carried out concurrently.
As regards the prevalence of the habit, Dr. Gray assumes that from 30 per cent. to 40 per cent. of the population of China are addicted to the drug. These are the figures given by the Chinese Government; but, while the percentage of adult smokers in Szechuan, Yunnan, and Kueichow is undoubtedly high, the rate for the other provinces is very much lower.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Dr. Gray on Opium Smoking.
Some Observations on the Habit and some Medical Considerations as to the best method of its Effective Suppression.
DURING the past year the efforts made by the Imperial Chinese Government to suppress the opium habit have taken definite steps, and there can be little doubt that the continuance of the habit has been made difficult for the better classes to such au extent that many of them are being brought face to face with the necessity for taking active steps to get rid of the craving. Some officials have already done so, but in the majority of cases only a moderate degree of success has been obtained, and they still smoke opium though in lessened quantity. There can be no denying the fact that among the provincial officials, the mercantile and lower classes, a large number of people smoke as before, and have no idea of discontinuing the practice until such time as the supply of opium fails. But the craving is such a strong one that unless a smoker has moral and medical help given him he will do his utmost to procure the drug illicitly, or will be driven to supply the want his system feels by substituting some other habit such as the taking of morphia, cocaine, chloral, or alcohol,
Opiates of one sort or another are an absolute medicinal necessity in every country. It would be well to recognize this fact at once, and, when admitted, it will be seen that it is impossible to exclude it from among the drugs which are raised in China or are imported into it. No doubt severe restrictions may be made on the manufacture, sale, or import of it in the form most suitable for smoking-the more stringent these restric- tions are the more alert will the consumers become to the means of satisfying themselves and it will, no doubt, be found that the babit of secret indulgence will increase, and this will necessitate strict repressive measures with the usual concomitant discontent among the people. It has been found that in those States of America in which prohibition against the sale of alcohol exists there are now many ingenious methods of evading or breaking the law that were never imagined by the authorities at the time prohibition was first put in force.
[1980 c-3]
B
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