DRUG FIENDS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1929, Page 7

DRUG FIENDS

OPERATING IN SYDNEY

SYDNEY, February 29

Recent events in Sydney have shown that there is a mistaken belief that cocaine, though a harmful drug, is difficult to procure, and that its power for harm is therefore limited. It !:a* been shown that those who “know the ropes” can liny the drug as easily a> they can buy tea and sugar, but not s. cheaply. The police say that Sydnev has many hundreds of drug addicts It would seem that the only time they have to go without their poison is when they have not got sufficien-. money to purchase it.

Cocaine, more commonly known in the underworld as “snow” or “angb‘‘ is expensive, but it is doubtful whether this restricts its use. Even at the fantastic price charged by the illegal trafficers, those addicted to its usi seem to be able to buy all that they require, and it is probable that thuv have to go without the luxuries ?mi even the necessities of fife in order u get it. Of course, there are big men in the business—tile master minds - but. they are dim and shadowy figures always in the background, and very few of these have been brought t<justice b.v the police. These men are not known to the customers of the drug, for the drug is sold by a small army of retailers who have no fixed places of business. Some of them me f -; their customers in the street ,and th? little packet changes hands so quickly that no stranger noticethe action. Certain areas of Sydney's famous flat headquarters, Darlinghurst, and in some of the dingy regions near thCentral Railway Station are recognised trading grounds. Some traders have their regular customers and call at the homes with the supplies. Being lawbreakers by habit, the drug-sellers arr not even honest with their own victims. Cocaine in powder form is easily adulterated, and the greater part oi the small quantity sold for 5 shillings is boraeic acid. But there is alwa.s enough of the real stuff to do a great deal of harm.

Constant consumption of “snow” either by swallowing or injection, de stroys the sense of moral responsibility as well as the health of the addict, and these are not the only evil results Even a single close begets a recklessdisregard of danger, and it is through this that the non-addict is likely to suffer for the vice of the" addict. The police say that a great number of women are drug addicts and.that many girls of 17 and 18 years can be plated in the same category. A large Dt-r centage of the gunmen and ra/.oi slashers, and the members of the var>ous criminal gangs are said to he drugaddicts. These are some of the tea sons for the decision of the police to double their efforts and hound uosvn those who are responsible for a con tinuance of this vicious trade.

Men’s Sports Coats, clearing price 10s 6d, 13s 6d to 15s 6d at W. H. Stopforth’s —Advt.