CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 486

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed
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484 Dross

  1. It is unfortunate that the system of retail de-rends to a large extent on the dross which now forms the only profit of the retailer. Dross is the ash left in opium pipes after prepared opium has been smoked. The percentage of morphine is nearly as high in dross as in prepared opium (7 to 8%), and this residue may be smoked or eaten by those addicted to the habit. The eating of dross is, of course, more harmful than smoking since morphine (the harmful alkaloid of opium) is taken into the system by that means.
  1. The amount obtained is roughly 50 per cent of the opium smoked, and it has a market value of about two-thirds of the price of opium. So that of every tamlung of opium smoked, at 5 ticals per tamlung, the value of the ash remaining is about 3.33 ticals. This ash is sold by retailers and constitutes their profit, as they are not allowed a profit on the sale of opium itself. The custom of allowing the retailer to make a profit from this source has been in existence for a very long period, and a certain class of opium habitués has arisen, at least equal in number to smokers who are addicted to the habit of swallowing dross. Owing to the harmful effects of this practice, at least two other countries have made an attempt to try and prevent it, viz., British Malaya (Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States) and Java, but up to the present this Government has taken no steps in the matter. For one thing, prohibition of dross would probably drive the poorer class of opium habitués, who are the dross eaters, to crime in order to obtain money to buy the higher priced opium which would be their only alternative. Further, it must be remembered that the consumption of dross will decline in direct proportion to the decrease in opium smoking, as without the latter no dross can be produced.
  1. With the advent of registration, no person not addicted to either opium or dross will take to the habit, since it is the confirmed opium smoker of reduced circumstances who is finally driven to dross. Young men, in the absence of strict control, may take to smoking deliberately, or may be induced to do so at first for amusement pleasure, but no one will take to allowing dross without already being an opium smoker, since the taste is unpleasant in the extreme, with no novel sensations attending its consumption. It follows that if registration successfully prevents any persons taking to the habit of smoking, it will also effectively prevent any increase in the use of dross.

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484 DrossIt is unfortunate that the system of retail de-rends to a large extent on the dross which now forms the only profit of the retailer. Dross is the ash left in opium pipes after prepared opium has been smoked. The percentage of morphine is nearly as high in dross as in prepared opium (7 to 8%), and this residue may be smoked or eaten by those addicted to the habit. The eating of dross is, of course, more harmful than smoking since morphine (the harmful alkaloid of opium) is taken into the system by that means.The amount obtained is roughly 50 per cent of the opium smoked, and it has a market value of about two-thirds of the price of opium. So that of every tamlung of opium smoked, at 5 ticals per tamlung, the value of the ash remaining is about 3.33 ticals. This ash is sold by retailers and constitutes their profit, as they are not allowed a profit on the sale of opium itself. The custom of allowing the retailer to make a profit from this source has been in existence for a very long period, and a certain class of opium habitués has arisen, at least equal in number to smokers who are addicted to the habit of swallowing dross. Owing to the harmful effects of this practice, at least two other countries have made an attempt to try and prevent it, viz., British Malaya (Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States) and Java, but up to the present this Government has taken no steps in the matter. For one thing, prohibition of dross would probably drive the poorer class of opium habitués, who are the dross eaters, to crime in order to obtain money to buy the higher priced opium which would be their only alternative. Further, it must be remembered that the consumption of dross will decline in direct proportion to the decrease in opium smoking, as without the latter no dross can be produced.With the advent of registration, no person not addicted to either opium or dross will take to the habit, since it is the confirmed opium smoker of reduced circumstances who is finally driven to dross. Young men, in the absence of strict control, may take to smoking deliberately, or may be induced to do so at first for amusement pleasure, but no one will take to allowing dross without already being an opium smoker, since the taste is unpleasant in the extreme, with no novel sensations attending its consumption. It follows that if registration successfully prevents any persons taking to the habit of smoking, it will also effectively prevent any increase in the use of dross.
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16.484 Dross53.It is unfortunate that the system of retail de- rends to a large extent on the dross which now forms the only Frofit of the retailer. Dross is the ash left in oplum ires after prepared opium has been anoked. The per- centage of morphine is nearly as high in drose as in "re- pered orium (7 to 8 ), and this rest due may be smacked or eaten by those addicted to the habit. The est ing ☛ dross is, of course, more harmful then sndking since norrhine (the harmful alkeloid of ortum ) is taken into the system by that means..54.The amount obtained la roughly 50 per cent of the opium smoked, and it has a market value of about two-thirds of the crice of opium. So that of every tamlung of opium smoked, at 5 ticals cer tamlung, the value of the ash re- maining is about 5 ticals, This ash is sold by retailers and constitutes their profit, as they are not alf oved a crofit on the sale of oclum itself. The custom of allo7– ing the retaller to make a rofit from this source has been in existence for a very long period, end e certain class of opium habitués has arisen, at least equal in number to smokers who are addicted to the hrbit ɗ gallowing dross, Oring to the harmful effects of this practice, at least two other countries have made an attempt to try and revent it viz.. British Helaya (Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States) and Java, but up to the cresent this Govern- ment has taken no steps in the mattor. For one thing, re- -rivation of dross would grobably drive the poorer class of opium hebitués, who are the dross esters, to crime in order to obtain money to buy the higher criced orium which would be their only alternative, Further it must be renam- bered that the consumction of dross 111 decline in direct proportion to the decrease in orium smoking, as without the letter no drogs can be croduced.55.With the advent of registration no person not addicted to either oriun or dross 7111 take to the habit, since it is the confirmed opium smoker of reduced cir cum- stances who is finally drivon to dross, Young men in the absence of strict control may take to smoking deliberately, or may be induced to do so rt first for amusement pleas ure, but no one 111 trke to allowing dross ithout al-ready being an opium smoker since the taste is unplers- ant in the extreme, with no novel sonsrtions rttending its consumption. It follors that if registration successfully crevents no cursons taking to the 5-bit smoking it will also effectively trevent any incruese in the use of dross,1
2026-06-26 22:00:26 · Baseline
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16.

484

Dross

53. It is unfortunate that the system of retail de- rends to a large extent on the dross which now forms the only Frofit of the retailer. Dross is the ash left in oplum ires after prepared opium has been anoked. The per- centage of morphine is nearly as high in drose as in "re- pered orium (7 to 8 ), and this rest due may be smacked or eaten by those addicted to the habit. The est ing ☛ dross is, of course, more harmful then sndking since norrhine (the harmful alkeloid of ortum ) is taken into the system by that means..

54. The amount obtained la roughly 50 per cent of the opium smoked, and it has a market value of about two-thirds of the crice of opium. So that of every tamlung of opium smoked, at 5 ticals cer tamlung, the value of the ash re- maining is about 5 ticals, This ash is sold by retailers and constitutes their profit, as they are not alf oved a crofit on the sale of oclum itself. The custom of allo7– ing the retaller to make a rofit from this source has been in existence for a very long period, end e certain class of opium habitués has arisen, at least equal in number to smokers who are addicted to the hrbit ɗ gallowing dross, Oring to the harmful effects of this practice, at least two other countries have made an attempt to try and revent it viz.. British Helaya (Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States) and Java, but up to the cresent this Govern- ment has taken no steps in the mattor. For one thing, re- -rivation of dross would grobably drive the poorer class of opium hebitués, who are the dross esters, to crime in order to obtain money to buy the higher criced orium which would be their only alternative, Further it must be renam- bered that the consumction of dross 111 decline in direct proportion to the decrease in orium smoking, as without the letter no drogs can be croduced.

55.

With the advent of registration no person not addicted to either oriun or dross 7111 take to the habit, since it is the confirmed opium smoker of reduced cir cum- stances who is finally drivon to dross, Young men in the absence of strict control may take to smoking deliberately, or may be induced to do so rt first for amusement pleas ure, but no one 111 trke to allowing dross ithout al-

ready being an opium smoker since the taste is unplers- ant in the extreme, with no novel sonsrtions rttending its consumption. It follors that if registration successfully crevents no cursons taking to the 5-bit smoking it will also effectively trevent any incruese in the use of dross,

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