THE DRUG HABIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 173, 13 July 1908, Page 2

THE DRUG HABIT.

HIOPOSI2D SALE KESTIUCTIONS} By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night.

A deputation of Wellington chem'its waited upon Dr. .Mason, Chief Health Officer for New Zealand, and liiul a long conversation with liini this morning regarding chlorodyne and the evils which result from the indiscriminate sale of tliis medicine, it was intimated to Dr. Mason that the deputation, which represented practically the whole of the chemists of Wellington, was moved by the utterances of Messrs. Wilford and Field, M.'sl'., concerning the unrestricted and indiscriminate sale of chlorodyne, and also by their own personal knowledge of the consequent dangers, to make a suggestion which would, lt( "iven elfcc-t to, control to a certain extent tile sale of "this dangerous and highly poisonous preparation." The deputation made the point that Uie present Poisons Act in no way restricted the sale of chlorodyne, since anyone, by u simple application, could obtain a license which would allow them to sell chlorodyne. This the deputation regarded as inimical to the true public interest, and it requested Dr. Mason to use his inllucncc with tlie Minister for Public Health to induce him to make further regulations restricting the sale of chlorodyne and other preparations containing excessive doses of morp'liia ami other narcotics. As an alternative, and oil the presumption that it was not intended to place a Poisons Bill before Parliament this session, the deputation urged that regulations be made under the present Act whereby the following articles would be placed in part 1 of the Sale of Poisons Act, 1871, and thereby be restricted in regard to public sales:—(l) Chlorodyne; (2) preparations knoiyn to contain one-quarter per cent, of morphia or any salt of morphia; CI) tablets of morp'liia, cocaine or atropine or any salt of those labloids; (1) liquid extract of opium. Dr. Mason gave a sympathetic hearing to the deputation, and undertook to place their representations before the Minister.