OPIUM FOR SMOKING. PREPARED FROM TINCTURE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 118, 21 May 1910, Page 6

OPIUM FOR SMOKING. PREPARED FROM TINCTURE.

PROTEST BY ANTI-OPIUM LEAGUE. A deputation representing the AntiOpium League, and introduced by Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., interviewed the Minister for Customs (the Hon. G. Fowlds) to-day to enter a protest against the sale of tincture of opium by chemists to Chinese, who by a simple process made it into smoking opium. The Rev. J. J. North said that tho position was that it was possible for Chinese to secure in a very simple fashion the drug they wanted. There seemed to be something wrong with the sale of narcotic drugs in ■chemists' shops. Chinese could go easily into such a shop and procure tincture of opium. There was an instance in the case of a Chinese, who purchased tincture of opium and converted it by a simple process into smoking opium. This was found on him and he was fined £30. It was well known that a great deal of tincture of opium or laudanum was sold m tho cities, at Otaki, and on the West Coast to Chinese. Mr. Fowlds: The chepiist- is perfectly justified in selling tincture of opium. The Chinese is at fault in breaking the law by manufacturing it into smoking opium. Mr. North said that their medical adviser stated that there was absolutely no reason —no sensible reason why Chinese should buy tincture of opium in large quantities. The opium habit was like the whisky habit. If whisky were sold in tablet form it might defeat any law against its sale in liquid form. (Laughter.) They would suggest that something should be done to relieve what was a very "crooked" po&ition. Some alteration should be made in the law to enable chemists to be muzzled in this respect. Drugs of the kind mentioned should be procured only by medical prescription. Mr. Aitken suggested that difficulties might be interposed to make the sale of tincture of opium far more restricted. Some other witness should be necessary, such a-s a Justice of the Peace. At pre&erat there was really no restriction an the sale of tincture of opium. Mr. Paradi&e said about 20 per cent, of the Chiiie.«e in the Dominion were apparently using this tincture. The Minister said they would raise something of an ' international q-ues-t-km if they were to differentiate between the European and the Chinese in this matter. He was in sympathy with any attempt to minimise the evil of Chinese smoking opium, but the difficulties were very great. The department Had known of the practice of making a smoking opium from the extract. It was a difficult matter to introduce legislation. He did not think that the Chinese were hardly dealt with in being punished for producing opium for smoking. They wanted effective, but not harassing, legislation. To make any strict regulation, as suggested, would, mean that chemists, through inadvertence, perhaps, in this matter would be severely harassed and punished. Probably the innocent would suffer more than the guilty. Suppose the department were checking tlve amount of opium going into a chemist's shop. Large quantities were being used in making certain cough mixtures and other medicines. Could the department follow this procedure and object to tlwt ? The diflicult-ies in the meantime seemed so great that very little could be done without harassing the life of the honest chemist so as to make buKinew; plmost impossible. As to quantities^ —in 1901, before the importation was prohibited, the amount brought in was 3309 lb. Since tlien a calculation had been made, and the whole of the tincture, if evaporated, would only come to about 10001b of solkl opium. Fully half of that must go in legitimate use. Mr. Aitken : Is there any evidence that the ccaisumption of tincture has increased since 1901'! The Minister said he had no figures to show that there had been an increase. Probably there had been, but that might go in the increase of normal and legitimate use. It was necessary to have an amendment of tlve Act for several rea-jjon-3. A recent decision of tho Supreme Court had laid the onus upon the Customs to prove thnt opium found had not been imported into New Zealand before the passing of t|ie Act. He would do whatever he could to meet 3te wishes of the deputation, so long as it was reasonable without being undnty harassing. The deputation then withdrew.