UNITED STATES LAW.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 82

UNITED STATES LAW.

The British Medical Journal states that in Colorado, U.S.A., a law has recently been passed providing that a medical practitioner may give a prescription for liquor, only in the regular practice of his profession. To give a prescription without making an examination, and without a fee, to a man who simply wants drink, is a violation of the law, and renders the offender liable to a fine of from £20 to £60. A stringent law hae also been passed by the State of Minnesota, enacting that no person shall sell or give away any cocaine hydrochlorate or any salts, or compound of cocaine, or preparation containing cocaine, except on the written prescription of -a medical practitioner or dentist licensed under tho laws of the State. No prescription containing cocaine shall be dispensed more than once, and each shall have written plainly on it the name and address of the patient, to bo filed by the druggist, who shall not give a copy to the patient. This section is not to apply to wholesale sales in original packages by any dealer or manufacturer or wholesale, dealer to a retail druggist, or licensed medical practitioner or dentist, provided that a label in English is attached to the package describing the proportion of cocaine contained. The punishment for the violation of this law is a fine from £10 to £20, and imprisonment in tho county gaol for not less than 30 nor more than 90 days. Further, the offender's license will be revoked. The attorney for the county shall prosecute on any complaints of this character, and be authorised to examine the books for purpose of tracing the sales of any of the articles mentioned.— Light, March 10, 1906.