HYPNOTIC DRUGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22100, 2 November 1933, Page 9

HYPNOTIC DRUGS

SALE BY UNQUALIFIED PERSONS

DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. (Per United Press Association AUCKLAND, November 1. The danger ‘ arising out of the sale ot 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 ha e also been commented on at times by coroners and police officials, and the Pharmacy Board of. New Zealand is now making strenuous efforts to have amended the 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 Mr E., Smith, president of the Pharmacy Board, the existing Poisons Act is completely out of date.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, but 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 ot 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 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. It has told us it does 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.”