CURSE OF DRUGS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 January 1930, Page 5

CURSE OF DRUGS

INTRODUCED INTO EGYPT. GENERAL RtSsSELL’S APPEAL. (Times Cable.) (Received this day at noon.) LONDON, January 28. The “Times” Geneva correspondent states how Egypt passed from the com paratively harmless stages of a hash eesh consumption of cocaine, which a Greek cliemisy^now : imprisoned, introduced alter the war and later heroin with at present half a million addicts, is related hv General Russell, formerly deputy director of Medical Services, before the Drug Committee of the League of Nations. Russell said it was a great mistake to imagine only the idle rich demi-mondaines and slum dwellers were addicted, The chief sufferers were peasants and land workers. Before the arrival of cocaine and heroin there was never a more cheerful hardworking community than Egyptian peasants. Now the smallest village held victims and the flower of the nations youth'was addicted. Was it fair to allow Europe to pour tons of poison into Egypt. If only the committee knew tlie object of misery of scores of thousands of addicts,' they }yould lose no time in acting. , ■ European delegates unanamiously applauded Russell’s efforts. The Swiss delegates especially thanked him for unearthing the Swiss factories. j Russell said the price of heroin had risen four years from £75 sterling for a kilogram to £3OOO.