CO129-510-8 Policy on sale of Opium 12-1-1928 - 24-7-1928 — Page 60

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8.

9.

the contraband trade would go on as before, but all steps

hitherto taken to suppress it have proved quite in vain. In fact some steps taken with a view to decreasing the

consumption have only resulted in encouraging the contraband trade, i.e., the suppression of licensed Opium divans, in which Monopoly Opium only was smoked has led to the creation

of innumerable unlawful divans in which only illicit

Opium is smoked. The great increase in the amount of Opium sold since cheap brands of inferior quality were placed on sale has proved that the amount of Opium saleable

at 14.50 is very small, and that in proportion to the actual demand the contraband trade was capable of looking

after more than three-quarters of that demand.

The only effect of abolition would be that the

contraband trade would flourish a little more, but

such trade need not become prominent, for if the system

of paying large rewards was abolished practically no

evidence of its existence would ever come to light. The

vice of opium addiction does not obtrude itself like that

of drink. The Government would then be in a far stronger

position at Geneva, and, if necessary, to protest about

the Opium position in China.

> All the efforts expended since 1909 have not

decreased the real consumption at all and now that'

(1) a statement has been published that reasons

of finance will not stand in the way

(2) arguments based on humanity are of doubtful

validity,

(3) that supplies from India are gradually decreasing;

there appears to me every reason for arrangements to be

made to close the Lonopoly down once and for all at the end of 1933. To maintain the sale of opium any longer would only be for the benefit of the rich, the labouring classes have long reased to be able to purchase Government

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