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(b). To control the export of raw opium to countries which restrict its import, unless regulations on the subject are already in existence.
The export of opium from India has been dealt with in Chapter V. Opium is not allowed to be exported to countries. which have prohibited its import, and the Government of India would co-operate with any Government that desired to restrict its imports of Indian opium. To prevent the abuse of Indian opium, the Government of India have, in this respect, gone further than the terms of the Convention demand, by arbitrarily limiting the amount of their opium exports to a figure below the ascertained normal demands of countries which permit its import.
Article 4.
The contracting Powers shall make regulations requiring that every package containing raw opium intended for export shall be marked in such a way as to indicate its contents, provided that the consignment exceeds 5 kilog.
All chests of opium for export are packed in gunny and marked with a number, a red stripe and the words "Benares Opium."
Article 5,
The contracting Powers shall not allow the import and export raw opium except bg duly authorised persons.”
Seventy-seven per cent. of the exports are sent by the Government of India direct to Governments of importing countries. Compliance with this Article in respect of exports by private merchants is secured by notifications issued under the Opium Act of 1878.
The import of opium by post is absolutely prohibited, and import by other means is only allowed to persons properly authorised by Local Governments.
CHAPTER II-PREPARED OPIUM..
Definition. By "prepared opium” is understood—
The product of raw opium, obtained by a series of special operations, especially by dissolving, boiling, roasting and fermentation designed to transform it into an extract suitable for consumption.
Prepared opium includes dross and all other residues remaining when opium has been smoked.
Article 6.
The contracting Powers shall take measures for the gradual and effective suppression of the manufacture of, internal trade in, and use of prepared opium, with due regard to the varying circumstances of each country concerned, unless regulations on the subject are already in existence.
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The measures taken by the Government of India for the gradual and effective suppression of the use of prepared opium are explained in Chapter IV. Except in Burma, manufacture is only permitted to private individuals from raw opium lawfully in their possession, and an individual may not manufacture for his own use more than eleven-fiftieths of an ounce at any one time, Burma is the only part of India where opium is habitually smoked, and there the Government of India have waged a long campaign for its suppression. Within a short period of time there will be complete prohibition of the use of opium by Burmaus for other than medicinal purposes. The sale of prepared opium is prohibited throughout India,
Article 7.
The contracting Powers shall prohibit the import and export of prepared opium; those Porters, however, which are not yet ready to prohibit immediately the export of prepared opium shall prohibit it as soon as possible.
Article 8.
The contracting Powers which are not yet ready to prohibit immediately the export of prepared opium
(a) shall restrict the number of towns, ports, or other Localities through which prepared opium may be exported; (b) shall prohibit the export of prepared opium to countries which now forbid, or which may hereafter forbid, the import thereof;
(c) shall, in the meanwhile, prohibit the consignment of prepared opium to a country which desires to restrict its entry unless the exporter complies with the regulations of the importing country;
(d) shall take measures to ensure that every package exported, containing prepared opium, bears a special mark indicating the nature of its contents;
(e) shall not permit the export of prepared opium except
by special authorised persons.
Both import and export of prepared opium are forbidden under section 4 of the Opium Act of 1878. At no time in her history has prepared opium been exported from India.
CHAPTER III-MEDICINAL OPIUM, MORPHINE, COCAINE, &C.
| Definitions.—By " medicinal opium” is understood—
Raw opium chich has been heated to 60° centrigade and contains not less than 10 per cent, of morphine, whether or not it be powdered or granulated, or mixed with indifferent
materials.
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