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that purport to cure the opium habit, when those ac-called medicines contain opium or other derivatives.
Opium is prepared by the Government factory in Bangkok for smoking purposes; there are two grades of opium, the first grade is made from Indian opium, whereas the inferior quality is more diluted and composed of Indian and Chinese opium.
The illicit use of morphine and other derivatives
is confined to medicinal purposes.
The illicit use of morphine in the form of hypo- dermis infection is rarely wet with and the habit is not spreading.,
As stated above, Stam does not produce opium because
it does not cultivate the poppy.
The Laws, aDecrees and Regulations on the importa- tion, sale and use of opium and its derivatives are found trans- lated in the Appendix: it is deemed not necessary to reproduce certain regulations, which have been abrogated or which present little interest. (Annexes Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.)
In nelusion, the attitude of the Royal Siamese Government regarding the opium, question as it affects Siam 19 dearly defined in His Majesty's speech of the 21st September 1900 (Annexe No. 8). From its perusal it will be seen that it is the aim of the Government te ultimately suppress the use of opium, but to attain the desired end the line of policy to be folloed must be carefully considere and very thorough investigation ade into the matter, before venturing on experiments that might prove disastrous to the rovemic of the State without a king any progress towards the suppression of the viec,
For as shown elsewhere, the opium consumed in Siam 18 wholly imported and controlled by the Govern nt whereby its salc can be kept within reasonable limite. If, horcver, any sudden and spasmodic attempt at suppression of the traffic wore to be ade, it would only result in a vast increase of smuggling. Conscquently His Majesty's Govern at has decided to suppress the trade by gradual stops: it has begun already by making the monopoly as completo and offectiye as possible in taking over the Farms under the old syston (January, 1907), It has also placed in some districts salaried officials to supervise the sale of opium and it is hoped that in the near future this syston will be generalized. It is worth while "entioning that the number of opium shops in Bangkok sinec 1907 has boon reduced frơi 900 to 700, and it is the intention of the
Government to 18suo a Decrca liiting the maxim! numb. r of opium shops to that existing on the 16th November, 1908. "non the new sveton is in force, it is cxpucted that the number ⚫f opium shops in Bangkok vill ha reduccd to 200.
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