CHEMISTS CONCERNED

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 33, 2 November 1933, Page 12

CHEMISTS CONCERNED

Anxious for Passing of Amended Poisons Bill MATTER THOUGHT URGENT Dominion Special Service. Auckland, November 1. The danger arising out of the sale of hypnotic drugs, such as veronal and veronal compounds, by unqualified persons has recently been causing grave concern to the chemists of New Zealand. The matter also has been commented on at times by coroners and police officials, and the Pharmacy Board of New Zealand is now making strenuous efforts to have the amended Poisons Act passed by Parliament this session. According to a statement made by Mr. E. Smith, president of the Pharmacy Board, the existing Poisons Act is completely out of date. Since the war, he said, attempts had been made from time to time to have it amended, blit these attempts had invariably met with opposition from representatives of the farming community, who apparently feared that they would be subject to restrictions in the purchase of poisons used for the destruction of agricultural and horticultural pests. “With the sale of horticultural and agricultural poisons we are not concerned in the slightest,” Mr. Smith said. “Any restrictions there are purely a matter for the Department of Agriculture. However, we are concerned with hypnotic drugs, and we want to inform the public that-it is a matter requiring urgent attention from Parliament. “For some years now the Government has regarded the question apathetically. They have told us they do not consider it an urgent matter. Our reply, is that it is a matter which may reasonably be regarded as touching the safety of the public, and we intend to do everything in our power to see that the new Poisons Bill as framed by the Health Department becomes law this session.