Pubdate: Sat, 07 Feb 2015
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2015 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: 
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Chris Zdeb
Page: A2

This Day in Journal History

Feb. 7, 1911: OPIUM USE ON THE DECLINE IN EDMONTON

Edmonton had opium "fiends" in the early 1900s, but city police said 
that by 1911 they found comparatively little of the drug in use.

They hadn't made any raids on opium dens for a long time, "but don't 
run away with the idea that this town is free from the disease," one 
authority told the Journal. "I think disease is a good word. A man 
addicted to dope is certainly a sore affliction.

"On many occasions prisoners appear before us who 'blow the snow.' 
Most opium, if there is any, will be found in Chinese laundries. But 
it seems that those fond of drugs take more to morphia than opium. It 
is pretty hard work to smuggle opium in this country at present, the 
laws being so stringent at Vancouver."

The policeman then told the story of a criminal charged with highway 
robbery who overcame his addiction by being jailed.

The charge against the man would have normally netted him a few 
months in jail, but the magistrate thought the only remedy for his 
addiction was prison so sentenced him to two years.

"The penitentiary made a man of him," said the officer. "He is a 
clever, bright fellow today holding down a good position and has 
fully overcome the habit of taking dope. So it seems that the cure 
was a good one. It ought to be prescribed often."

A story the next day described the war in Montreal against the 
selling of cocaine. The drug was prohibited from being sold in all 
drug stores in Canada, but cases had been discovered where druggists 
had sold "dope" to applicants in Montreal.

A prominent Edmonton druggist told the Journal he'd been frequently 
asked for cocaine a year or two earlier. "The law prohibits us from 
selling it and consequently fiends don't bother us now. I suppose 
they resort to other drugs."

As for opium, the law governing its sale was similar to that 
governing the sale of any poison, the druggist said. "An applicant is 
forced to sign a book on purchasing any quantity, and he is to be 
responsible. Also the druggist should know where the drug is going 
and what purpose it is to serve."

A well-known city doctor said he had treated four habitual dope users 
in the past year. One woman had first taken the drug to deaden pain 
and then got hooked. That's why there was always secrecy about what 
medications a patient was given, so they couldn't get more after they 
got well and become addicted, he explained.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom