CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 557

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often made f ssuming n incre-se or decrerse in opium con- sumption by a mere consideration of the monet ry results attained. In no case, ho ever, should any conclusions on the point be drim, in the rbsence of information, as to the amount of opium sold or consumed.

It ill be seen from this that

43. Annexe VIII sho:s year by year the total revenue of the Strte from all sources, the revenus derived from op- ium, the quantity of orium sole, and the price charged to

·e consumer, rer tralung. e quantity sold hrs not varied vory gros tly s nce the Gov- nacht took over the "Form", running between rpppoxineto- The revenue

· 2,000,000 and 1,800,000 temlungs annually. scruing to the Government hes, horcvor, incressed stondily ring, in nearly all casus, to the gradually enhanced sale rice of the drug. The immediate effect of an increr sed rice is as the Tablo shows, generally a slight drop in the vantite sold during that year, but the amount usually rises

In nearly n subsequent years to the normal consumption. all orses, the coononic condition of the country, as af- facted by the state of the rice erop and the consequent trada position, is reflected in the sales of the võ^r,

44. A study of the T,blo will show that commencing from B.E. 2453 (1910-11) the sale price has been greduålly raised until, by B. L.2460 (1917-18, it s noarly double the figure of B.E. 2452 (1909-10); the profits were also proportionatc- ly incro-sud, but thẻ quentity sold ruma ined practically un- chengod. It is clorr, thereforo, thæ,duspite the groat advanoc in the revenue from the ocium monopoly during the last 10 or 11 years, there has been no increase in the con- sumption of the drug, but rather tht the carning power of the people has increased and thrt to their inproved circum- stencos ney ho attributed the much onhanced profits accru- ing to the Government.

45. There are,

however, dangers attending a too groat incresse in prico, one of which is to induco the poorer class of smokers to cat dross which is noro harmful the smoking, while grin it aey drive them to theft to obtain

In the letter onao, those money to satisfy their cravings. petty criminals bocono e burden on the rest of the community. The present aics of Tes. 15 par temlung is about the max- imum which can be charged at present since the smallest size of tube (1/60 of A taalung) retails for 25 satengs which represents 25% to 30% of an evorego labouring man's daily carmings. This pricc has been current d ncc B.E.2460 (1917-18); the increas of profit shown in E.E. 2461 (1918- 19) was duc to the elimination of the sub-F-rmor mentioned in para.20.