CO129-353 - Public Offices - 1908 — Page 754

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(c.) The proceeds of the Government monopoly should be so regulated that the income derived from that source should no more than meet the expenses therewith connected, in order to demonstrate that this method aims solely at control, repression, and abolition of the use of opium and the traffic therein, and is not a revenue method.

It is therefore recommended-

1. That opium and the traffic therein be made a strict Government monopoly immediately.

2. That three years after that shall have been done, no opium shall be imported," brought, or introduced into these islands, except by the Government, and for medical purposes only.

(The time necessary to enable one accustomed to the use of the drug to discontinue the habit has been estimated at from six months to twenty years. It has seemed necessary to the Committee to state a definite period after which the use of opium shall be prohibited, because the force of any law or ordinance depends largely upon the exactness of the time at which it may be enforced. If a longer period than this were allowed, the time at which the habitué would begin to disaccustom himself to the use of the drug would be postponed indefinitely, Three years would seem to be a period of sufficient length. At the expiration of this time the Government will be in a position to determine what is wisest and best to be done.)

3. That the use of opium shall be prohibited to all inhabitants of these islands who are not males over 21 years of age.

4. That only those males over 21 years of age, who have licences to use opium, shall be permitted to use the drug.

5. That licences shall be issued to males over 21 years of age by the Government only, when it is shown, by sufficient evidence, that said males are habitual users of opium, and would be injured by being compelled to discontinue its use suddenly.

(It is to be noted that no distinction has been made among the various nationalities which reside in these islands, as it is believed that the interests of equity and justice are thus best subserved.)

6. That no person who is known to be an habitual user of opium shall be authorized to exercise the franchise, or hold office under the Government of the Philippine Islands.

7. That in case a native of these islands (not a Chinese) violate any of the laws, regulations, or rules against the use of opium, he (or she) shall be punished for the first and second offences by fine or imprisonment, or by both, and for the third offence by being deprived of his (or her) right to exercise the franchise, or hold office under the Government of the Philippine Islands.

8. That in case a Chinese, or other non-native, violate any of the laws, regulations, or rules against the use of opium, he shall be punished for the first and second offences by fine or imprisonment, or by both, and for the third offence by deportation from these islands, said deportation to last for at least five years.

9. That the pupils in the public schools of the Philippine Islands shall be taught the evil and debasing results of the opium habit, and that a primer of bygiene containing this information (and such other as the honourable the Secretary of Public Instruction may deem fit) be prepared and used as a text-book in said schools.

(That part of the primer containing the information relative to the use of opium might be translated into Chinese, and distributed among the Chinese, or published in the Chinese newspapers.)

10. That all persons who are opium habitués, and desire to be cured of the opium habit, be admitted into hospitals, where they may be treated for the same; and that, when such hospitals are under the control of the Government, a fee shall not be charged in the case of indigent persons who voluntarily enter the hospital for the purpose of receiving treatment for the opium habit; provided that nothing in this section shall prevent any person from entering any hospital, refuge, or other institution, not under the control of the Government, which he may choose.

11. That as the Committee is of the opinion that public places for the smoking of opium (fumatories) exercise a pernicious influence on the public, no fumatories be allowed in the Philippine Islands.

12. That the written statement of the licensee, and of two trustworthy persons, one of whom shall, when practicable, be a regular licensed physician, shall be considered sufficient evidence on which to grant a licence.

13. That the cultivation of the poppy (Papaver somniferum), for the purpose of producing opium, shall be made illegal in the Philippine Islands.

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If these findings and recommendations should be approved, it would seem advisable that opium already prepared for smoking, provided there be a demand for it, should be purchased and imported, as the establishment of the plant necessary to prepare the cooked opium (chandoo) is costly and would be an unprofitable investment for the Government, provided that prohibition should go into effect after three years.

The plan outlined is, briefly, as follows:-

1. Immediate Government monopoly, to become

2. Prohibition, except for medical purposes, after three years.

3. Only licensees, who shall be males and over 21 years of age, shall be allowed

to use opium until prohibition goes into effect.

4. All vendors or dispensers, of opium, except for medical purposes, shall be salaried officials of the Government.

5. Every effort shall be made-

(a.) To deter the young from contracting the habit by pointing out its evil effect and by legislation;

(b.) To aid in caring for, and curing, those who manifest a desire to give up the habit; and

(c.) To punish, and, if necessary, to remove from the islands, incorrigible offenders.

In working out the details of the plan the Committee recommends--

1. A. head office or depôt in Manila, where opium my be supplied to licensed consumers in Manila, and to sub-offices ("entrepôts ") in such places as the Commission may select.

2. These "entrepôts" will supply the licensed consumers in their vicinities. 3. A system of entry, registration, and bookkeeping should be devised to keep accurate account of the quantity of opium sold to each licensed habitué, so that it may be detected, in case he is buying for others, or increasing his own dosage. In that case, the quantity sold should be diminished.

4. The licensee should be licensed to buy at one depôt or "entrepôt " only, and should be required to show the vendor his licence, a copy of which, together with a photograph of said licensee, should be furnished to the said vendor.

Appendix (B). (See paragraph 8.)

Regulations adopted by the Imperial Government of China, November 1906, for the Prohibition of the Cultivation, Sale, and Use of Opium.

AN English translation of these Regulations, prepared at the British Legation in Peking, is contained in the White Paper, "China No. 1 (1908)," and has been issued separately by the Society for the Suppression of the Opium Trade.

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