HEALTH

NEW HAVEN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Vol. XLIII, No. 5	May, 1916

This article excerpted from p. 3 of the issue.

The State and Federal Anti-Narcotic laws have been productive of great good by limiting the sale and use of drugs that are most damaging to the health and depraving to the morals of the users. These laws, well enforced, prevent the illegal sale of narcotics and prevent the development of a class of persons who are habitual users of them and who depend upon them for their daily existence, to the elimination of all sense of decency and moral responsibility.

We are in perfect accord with any movement that will tend to do away with the drug habit and will do all in our power to enforce the laws to this end. Those who have already formed the habit, especially those who have a true wish to be cured, have our sincere sympathy, and we wish to assist them in all ways that are feasible to overcome the cravings for any of the narcotic drugs.

The framers of the laws evidently did not have in mind the consequences of suddenly stopping the supplies of those addicted to the drug habit, or they would have made a provision for their treatment and attempted cure.

It is absurd to profess the belief that "dope fiends" can be successfully treated by physicians in their offices, as they will only present themselves to the physician as they feel the demand for the drugs that are not obtainable from any other sources. Most of these persons are continually financially embarrassed and it is not probable that they will pay a physician, except when it becomes imperative.

It is our belief that drug habitues should not be in the least temporized with, but that the treatment must be systematic, scientific, and accurate, which it never can be, if left to the volition of these irresponsible persons.

Only institutional care can be effective and we believe it the duty of the state to provide such.

The need of properly applied curative treatment is constantly becoming more pronounced and is being almost daily brought to our attention. That legislative action towards relieving these poor unfortunates will soon be taken, seems probable, and it is the earnest hope of the writer that the medical profession expedite such action as much as possible.

FRANK W. WRIGHT, Health Officer