CONTROL OF DRUGS

Evening Star, Issue 20483, 14 May 1930, Page 2

CONTROL OF DRUGS

MUST BE UNIVERSAL LEAGUE OF NATIONS PLAN For ten years the League of Nations Advisory Committee on traffic in opium and other dangerous drugs has been investigating illicit traffic in narcotics, seeking the best means of suppressing it (says the ‘ Christian Science Monitor ’). The committee insists that if the Governments who signed the agreement of limitation which was presented at The Hague Conference of 1912, the problem would be solved. In 1925 a new covenant was adopted bj a system of export and import certificates, ratified by thirty-five States. But although the committee did good work calling public attention to the scandal of illicit traffic, an enormous quantity of dangerous drugs continued to be diverted for illicit purposes. It became increasingly obvious that the supply of _ drugs must be checked at the source if the traffic was to stop. The Assembly of the League of Nations reflected an enlightened public opinion when it instructed the Advisory Committee to prepare a scheme of limitation. Although a plan w discussed and rejected at the opium conference of 1924, and another rejected by the Advisory Committee in 1929, the committee has now drawn up still another draft, the chief feature of which is limiting the world production of drugs; each country being required to state in advance its requirements for the ensuing year, the total of these estimates constituting 'the amount to be manufactured. If such a scheme is to succeed it must be universally applied. There must be no loophole in the agreement by which each country is to be rationed. Consequently countries like Tiftkey, Mexico, and Russia must be approached, that their assistance be obtained to prevent traffickers from establishing headquarters. The distribution of the drugs will be regulated by a central office, which will be kept informed of all orders received and supplies made. If amounts requested seem excessive the attention of the Council of the League of Nations will be called.