 |
Sign the
Resolution |
General Histories | Ancient History | 1800-1850 | 1860
| 1870 | 1880
| 1890 |
|
The New York Times December 25, 1923
Only by legislation forbidding the manufacture of heroin and by an international agreement preventing both importation and exportation can addiction to that drug be checked, says the weekly bulletin of the Health Department issued yesterday. The bulletin says:
"Should the manufacture of heroin be interdicted? The recent Narcotic Clinic in
New York City treated 7,464 drug addicts. Over 90 per cent. of these were addicted to the
use of heroin. In 69 per cent. the habit had been acquired through evil associates. The
vast proportion were under 30 years of age.
"The American Medical Association expressed the opinion of physicians throughout the
United States as follows:
"That heroin be eliminated from all medical preparations.
"That the importation, manufacturing and sale of heroin should be prohibited in the
United States.
"That the importation and sale of heroin be prohibited in the United States
"This resolution is now three years old and there has not been a single protesting
resolution from any associated doctor or medical organization. It, therefore, must be the
conclusion of the profession.
"In the United States Army, the use of heroin has been interdicted by order of the
Surgeon General. In the United States Public Health Service, the use of heroin has been
interdicted by order of the Surgeon General. In a large number of public hospitals the use
of heroin has been interdicted by order of medical boards and superintendents.
"The Health commissioners of Chicago and New York City, simultaneously , expressed
themselves. 'Stop the use of heroin in all hospitals. It serves no purpose that other
agents cannot accomplish as effectively, and without the attendant possibility of
disaster.'
"Professor E. G. Janeway, Bellevue Hospital, 1892, advised his house staff against
the use of heroin, particularly stating that heroin used in pneumonia was invariably
followed by a fatal result. Professor Alexander Lambert, a wide authority on drug and
alcohol habits, is opposed to the use of heroin.
"The appalling feature of drug addiction is that heroin makes addicts quickly, that
its victims are mere children, that through insufflation, ingestion or injection
subcutaneously, its effect is well night [sic] instantaneous.
"There can be, or should be, but one answer to the heroin question--- its total and
absolute abolition.
"It will always be necessary to fight the use of opium and its derivatives in drug
addiction, but this war will be made much easier by the annihilation of this useless drug.
"Heroin is the drug used by addicts of over 95 per cent. of New York's underworld,
this information being furnished by police and prison statistics. And less than 1 per
cent. of these unfortunates acquired the habit through sickness. Heroin is not a necessity
in either medicine or art. All of its useful qualities can be safely replaced by other
alkaloids of opium. It is earnestly hoped that every effort will be exerted to awaken the
public to the necessity of preventing the making of heroin.
"The only way to fight successfully this peril is through legislation--- forbidding
its manufacture and by international agreement, with all nations participating, not only
to forbid manufacture, but to prevent importation from of exportation to any land.
"The heroin question is not a medical one, as heroin addicts spring from vice, evil
associates and bad environment. It is a social problem. Society in general must protect
itself from the influences of evil."