EFFORTS TO BREAK DRUG HABIT

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 13

EFFORTS TO BREAK DRUG HABIT

Young Couple In Auckland

SUPPLIES OBTAINED

ILLEGALLY

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Auckland, July 3.

A story telling of the courageous efforts being made by a young married couple to break themselves of the habit of taking a drug was unfolded in the Magistrates’ Court to-day, when each appeared on a summons charged with obtaining from two chemists a tube containing certain tablets valued at 4/6 by falselv representing that prescriptions purporting to be signed by doctors were good and valid prescriptions for the tablets. Each pleaded guilty. Sub-Inspector Flanagan, who prosecuted, said the man was an engineer who arrived in New Zealand about six years ago from the Malay States. He was at present living with his wife in Auckland. _ “Some rears ago while in the Malay States he started taking the drug,” added Sub-Insi>ector Flanagan “and in New Zealand his wife gradually got into the habit of taking the same drug. While on the West Coast a doctor was prescribing the drug for him. but since he left the coast and came to Auckland, about six months ago, he had difficulty in getting further prescriptions, so be made out some himself, forged the names of doctors to them and obtained supplies of the drug from chemists. They are charged only in relation to two of the offences. Both are respectable. They admit they could not do with the amount of the drug prescribed by the Health Department. Dr. Usher has now taken them in hand and he is gradually weaning them of the drug.” Dr. Usher told the magistrate he had been authorised by the Health Department to treat the couple.

"When they arrived at Auckland they were taking three and a half grams a day each,” he said. “The Health Department advised me to try three grains each day, and. by their confidence nnd courage, this amount has been still further reduced. Little by little we have reduced the quantity and I have now .got it down to one grain and a half a day. These two people are doing their best. In fact, it is the best effort I have heard of of their type. The husband is a highlyskilled man and works hard."

Dr. Usher suggested to the magistrate that, it would give defendants a chance to improve still further if an order was made that their names should not be published. Mr. Orr-Walker: They have not injured anyone except themselves by obtaining the drug in this manner?— “That is so, sir.” Each was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within .six months on t.he special condition that they complied with the directions of the medical officer appointed by the Health Department. The magistrate made an order for the suppression of defendants’ names.