"DOPE FIENDS."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 239, 5 January 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

"DOPE FIENDS."

PLENTY IN SYDNEI

A NEW LAND WANTED

Although a few years ago the habit of taking cocaine was practically unknown in Australia, it has now, it is stated by a number of chemists and others, reached dimensions in Sydeny which are alarming. It is believed that the vice was first introduced there from the United States, probably from San Franscisco, which "is the * universally recognised headquarters of the world's drug traffic. Previously the only instances of drug-taking were in the cases of doctors, the vice finding what few victims i- possessed almost exclusively among the professional classes. Now, it is stated, it numbers its slaves by hundreds in all grades of society. At the present time in New South Wales the only restriction on cocaine hydrochloride, the form in which it is odmiutetered. is purely nominal. The Poisons Act requires that a dealer in drugs shail sell it only to a person who is known to him or who is introduced tr him by somebody whom he knows. There are, of course, many ways of evading this, and if a person desires to obtain supplies of the drug it is not hard for him to do so./' In the Tnited States, under the provisions of a Federa' Law passed in the early part of last year, and known as tine Harrison Law, for a per-on not a qualified doctor or chemist to have cocaine in their possession is an offence punishable by a si vi re term of imprisonment. It is considered by some chemists that a measure no less stringent should be '.ntroduccd in Australia before the vice ratiehos proportions which will make the stamping out of it an exceedingly difficult ta-k.

Although the existence of the habit n Sydney is unknown to the greate<" part'of the public, there are portions of the city winch have already become known a- icgular "' beats" of the "dope fiends." One of these is on the western side of a much frequented city stree*. Tii' inaji rity of ii,o~e to be seen theiv a ■ p .'•:•(> iv'i > liar. 1 eonie from ove - - -e.i. thrii; pil'id, death-white faces and staring eves |V::iuly denoting the habit Thi re ;re. how.-ve.r, a fair number i I ili it.s aniens them.

i*ii!e-; something is done now, while the habit is -till in its infancy, it will probably be found in th« course of a year or two that it lias obtained such a bold as to make it practically impo>t'Mo to -tamp il out en'.ireJy.