CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 480

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478

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enly effective method by which this oricet can be attd incd appcars to be to rogister all smokers Within a certain desc, and to limit the quantity & enlum "hich such registered smokers are allored to consumo dily. As these registered smokers gradually dic out, the next genert ton should be froo from the habit, The theory sounds simple, but the methods by hich t orn be cut into prctico cffcctively are nocos- arily difficult nd complicated, chicfly in connection with the retailing the drug to consumers,

this

34. Co fr as the information at the disposal of Government gocs, it ould appo r tht under the systems follood in Formos, Burne, Jrva, British falnya (Str its Settlements and Federated (alay States) and French Indo- China, the purchaser of opium, whether registered, or nat may smoke it in any place he pleases. In Siam this is held smokers to be highly undesirable as control over individual

in scattered plaves is difficult and such systems as those believed to be in force in the countries mentioned appear to afford opportunities for smoking for those not yet ad-

dricted to the habit.

35. As explained in para 21 the method of sale in this country is through retdlers for consumption on the remises only that is, an opium shop is at the same time alr smoking dice, Exceptions are made in the case of well-to-do persons of standing in the community who do not care to enter cublic opiwn shops. In order, as far as possible to deter persons from applying for this privilege, the rice of opium for home smokers is 331/37 higher then that charged in re- tail shops. That is to say, opium, which in the greater part of the country is sold at 15 tlonls per tamlung in the re- tilers shops, is sold to home smokers at 20 tickls per tom- lung.

A sarll clras of home smokers are those who live or carry on their livelihood so far from an opium shop that

Such perna they cannot conveniently come to it to smoke.

1 re permitted to have home licenses, but the quantity 11ored to them is never more than one trmlung por month. Vide linisterirl hegulations. Ciruse 3.

The actual position nor is that all home smokers ro registered "m licensed and that those rre very few in num- ber. (Vide racze VII, Tble II).

36. When the third set of grovisions of the new law comes into force ( sue, prrc.

11 smokers ill be regi forca and their assoft.3.) The position will than 8

is-

that (part from home smokers who will continue to be very few in number) 11 rogistered smokers must obtctastheir drily allow^nce from, and smako it in a public/shop from

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