THE DRUG EVIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16768, 29 June 1925, Page 10

THE DRUG EVIL.

INCREASE- IN CHRISTCHURCH

SAD. REVELATIONS,

(Special to. the Herald.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day

That drug addicts are by no means an. unknown quantity in Clu'isLclmrch, jand that no difficulty is experienced in purchasing either the drug itself or requisites for taking the injections, were statements mad«T by Mrs H. F. Herbert at the. annual meeting of the Social Welfare Guild. “ I have noticed with alarm,” said Mrs Herbert, ‘‘the increase of drug addicts in the Dominion. Recently I camo across a case in which a woman was getting £2 worth of morphia every, week. She was buying it from a chemist in> Christchurch, and had no difficulty whatever in getting it. That poor woman pamo to me and entreated mo to help her in liar fight against the drug. She was trying to tear herself away from it, but she had been taking it for some time, and the task that confronted her was a difficult one. She was taking ten grains of morphia a day. A doctor’s dose is one-sixth of a grain, so you can readily realise just how bad that woman was. Now the trouble is to know wlrnt is the correct tiling to do with these drug addicts. The hospitals don’t like to have anything to do with them, although they have had quite a number of them lately. They have no power to compel them to remain in these institutions, and as soon ns the poor unfortunates feci the craving for the drug getting hold of them again they' leave.” in the ease she had quoted the woman, apart from her addiction to tiie. drug, was a perfect citizen. She had tried hard to get rid of the habit, and had taken no morphia since February.

“I could give many more instances,” continued Mrs Herbert. “There was a man who was so badly addicted to drug taking that he did nothing but wander about the country, calling on. doctors in various towns and asking for the drug. Ho was, only twenty-two, but be was in a vary bad way. Another case tnar has cornu under my notice was that of a man, an inmate of a home. He used to pay visits to the city, and one day a syringe and everything noeeseary for the taking of the drug were found in his possession. He had apparently had no difficulty in getting supplies whenever ho wanted them. I think something should bo done to tighten up regulations, so that people can’t get drugs as they can at the present, time. Drug "addiction in Christchurch is certainly on the increase-”