THE DRUG HABIT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 281, 23 August 1919, Page 7

THE DRUG HABIT

Pome astonishing statistics as regards the use of narcotic drugs in America have just been published by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. They are so surprising, states the New York "Outlook, that one feels that possibly they should ' be accompanied with a little more complete explanation llian that given. Among the statements made are that opium and other narcotic, drugs are used by probably about a million people; that the "underground" traffic in narcotic drugs is about' equal to tho legitimate traffic; that the so-called "dope peddlers' appear to havo a, national organisation for their nefarious trade, obtaining the drugs by smuggling over our borders or j at the coast ports, and that threo-fou.rl.hs of the cocaino consumed in this country is for illicit purposes. Twenty cities, the aggregate population of which is 10,000,000. people, report an increase. New York City and San Francisco aro' among, the number. The causes brought out, in tlio investigation for addiction to drugs, stated in tho order of. their frequency, itre—Use of physicians' prescriptions. association with other addicts, prohibition, uso of drugs-for chronic diseases, curiosity to learn the effect of the drug, use of patent: or proprietory medicines, use of drugs as a, stimulant, idleness, uud uso by dentists. A. singular icsiiilt of tho investigation was the discovery that of 1800 peddlers of drugs, tho occupations of the peddlers were said by tho police lo be. in tlio order of the numbers in each classGamblers, taxi-cab drivers, domistics, solicitors, messengers, vagrants, limciil'oom helpers, pool-room einployeos, porters, laundrymen. One of tho incidental questions discussed bv this report is the effect of prohibition lows cn tho uso of habit-forming drugs. The majority of replies to the inquiries sent out. seem to express the belief that the immediate effect of pro-' hibit.ion would be to increase the use of narcotic drugs. • ; •