THE DRUG HABIT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10621, 29 April 1912, Page 4

THE DRUG HABIT.

Apparently the drug habit is not such a serious evil in Melbourne as in Sydney (says the Melbourne Age), where,

in giving evidence before the Pure Food Comini&sion, Mr W. Scott, representing the iHia.rir.doeutica.l Society of New South Wales, gaid there ought to he a restriction on the use of hypodermic svringos 'and tablets, the use of winch had grown to absolutely shocking .proportions. iHo advised that drug. l ; should not be supplied, except on a doctor's certificate, and then only upon the original prescription. In Mei,!vnirno dnwiwds the end of last year a complaint was made to the Chief Secretary of Victor fa that the ufto of drugs was increasing in the , State, ana Mr Murray was urged to [pass restrictive .legislation. Ho referred the .question to the PharmaceuSociety of .Victoria, and the secretary, Mir W. H. Shillinglaw, replied that he had been unable to find any justification for tho statement : "tluit the morphia habit was. growing }h\ Victoria. The sale of morphia was wiifeguarded by the Poisons Act of 1890, n'nd 'as ft ca.me under part 1 of tihe schedule sale; had to be entered in the register of poisons and witnessed tooth by the seller and purchaser. In t'lio case t.f prescriptions given by medical men, the prescription was the warrant upon which the morphia wa« supplied. No morphia I was man.uiiictu.red in Victoria, and the [ importations for -medical purposes | showed a decrease on former years. I The suggested amendment of the Poisons Act, further restricting the sale of morphia;, did not appear to the Pharmacy Board to be necessary, as the existing law imposed heavy penalties and enabled every sale to he ;traced.