Despatches from Sir A. Hosie forwarding reports respecting the opium question in China.
- Alexander Hosie
- Date:
- [1911]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Despatches from Sir A. Hosie forwarding reports respecting the opium question in China. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![sincerity of the Government of China in their efforts to eradicate the production and consumption of opium throughout the Empire; the increasing body of public opinion among their own subjects by which these efforts are being supported; and the real, though unequal, progress already made in a task which is one of the greatest magnitude. “ 2. That in view of the action taken by the Government of China in suppressing the practice of opium smoking and by other Governments to the same end, the Inter¬ national Opium Cor>*nission recommends that each delegation concerned move its own Government to take measures for the gradual suppression of the practice of opium smoking in its own territories-and possessions, with due regard to the varying circumstances of each country concerned. «/ “ 3. That the International Opium Commission finds that the use of opium in any form otherwise than for medica] purposes is held by almost every participating country to be a matter for prohibition or for careful regulation ; and that each country in the administration of its system of regulation purports to be aiming, as oppor¬ tunity offers, at progressively increasing stringency. In recording these conclusions the International Opium Commission recognises the wide variations between the conditions prevailing in the different countries, but it would urge on the attention of the Governments concerned the desirability of a re-examination of their systems of regulation in the light of the experience of other countries dealing with the same problem. “ 4. That the International Opium Commission finds that each Government represented has strict laws which are aimed directly or indirectly to prevent the smuggling of opium, its alkaloids, derivatives, and preparations into their respective territories ; in the judgment of the International Opium Commission it is also the duty of all countries to adopt reasonable measures to prevent at ports of departure the shipment of opium, its alkaloids, derivatives, and preparations, to any country which prohibits the entry of any opium, its alkaloids, derivatives, and preparations. “ 5. That the International Opium Commission finds that the unrestricted manufacture, sale, and distribution of morphine already constitute a grave danger, and that the morphine habit shows signs of spreading; the International Opium Commission, therefore, desires to urge strongly on all Governments that it is highly important that drastic measures should be taken by each Government in its own territories and possessions to control the manufacture, sale, and distribution of this drug, and also of such other derivatives of opium as may appear on scientific inquiry to be liable to similar abuse and productive of like ill-effects. “ 6. That as the International Opium Commission is not constituted in such a manner as to permit the investigation from a scientific point of view of anti-opium remedies and of the properties and effects of opium and its products, but deems such investigation to be of the highest importance, the International Opium Commission desires that each delegation shall recommend this branch of the subject to its own Government for such action as that Government may think necessary. “ 7. That the International Opium Commission strongly urges all Governments possessing concessions or settlements in China which have not yet taken effective action toward the closing of opium divans in the said concessions and settlements to take steps to that end, as soon as they may deem it possible, on the lines already adopted by several Governments. “ 8. That the International Opium Commission recommends strongly that each delegation move its Government to enter into negotiations with the Chinese Govern¬ ment with a view to effective and prompt measures being taken in the various foreign concessions and settlements in China for the prohibition of the trade and manufacture of such anti-opium remedies as contain opium or its derivatives. “ 9. That the International Opium Commission recommends that each delegation move its Government to apply its pharmacy laws to its subjects in the consular districts, concessions, and settlements in China,” In his closing speech at the final sitting of the commission, Bishop Brent, the president, spoke as follows of the work accomplished :— “In our resolutions, based upon the evidence in hand, we have touched various phases of the subject, though we do not pretend to have exhausted them. A com¬ plimentary resolution expressing sympathy with China in her task has been adopted ; drastic measures for the suppression of the morphine habit and the gradual suppresion of opium smoking are advocated as a principle; three resolutions are aimed at correcting the abuse of opium and its derivatives in foreign concessions and settlements](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b3136553x_0006.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
