CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 579

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575

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is becoming an evil more serious and more

deadly than opium smoking, and this evil

is certain to increase as the restrictions

which are now placed in India and in China

on the production and use of opium become

more stringent.

Indian and Chinese ex-

perience shows that the morphia and the

cocaine evil cannot be efficiently con-

trolled except at the source

-

in the

stages of manufacture and of distribution

in the manufacturing countries. The

Powers participating in the proposed Con-

ference, in dealing with Recommendation 5

of the Shanghai Commission, will therefore

have to consider whether they are prepared

to impose severe restrictions on the manu-

facture of and trade in morphia and co-

caine in their respective countries. His

Majesty's Government suggest that the Unit-

ed States Government should ascertain from

the several Powers whether, if a Confer-

ence is held, they are prepared to discuss

in