Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...
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Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ... Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

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—18available narcotic antagonists are prepared from opium derivatives. Theseare nalorphine (Nalline) and naloxone (Narcan), the other, levallorphan (Lorphan)is prepared synthetically. The properties and uses of nalophine and levallorphanare similar and the latter could substitute for the former. However,the actions of naloxone differ from those of the other two agents and is consideredthe drug of choice in treatment of overdosage of a narcotic. Even moresignificant are the studies showing that naloxone has promise in the treatmentof heroin addiction : thus, to ban the source of this drug would deprive themedical profession of a useful drug.Cliairman Pepper. Mr. Mann, have you a question ?Mr. Maxx. I am very much interested in tlie action of the Economicand Social Council of the United Nations in almost outlawino- syntheticnarcotics. You imply here that the economic factor was the mainfactor involved. What other motivating factors do you see in thatalmost-action?Dr. Seevers. Well, I don't really know. This got doAvn to a l^attlebetween the producing and manufacturing nations and those that weremost interested in the synthetics. I don't know of any other, excepttraditional. Many of these changes have been in this business for a longtime. Change would be resented in countries where producing has beengoing on for a long time. There is a manpower problem as well assubstitution—finding some crop that would substitute for opium.Mr. Mann. Do you think the medical community is prepared forthe legislative outlawing of morphine ?Dr. Sefa'ers. I don't believe so. Although morphine, itself, isn't usedso much, I think the biggest rebellion is codeine. The reason I say that,is because we have had a somewhat analogous situation with amphetamines.Amphetamines as a chass of drugs are, in my opinion, the mostdangerous drugs of all available for abuse. We know from a practicalpoint of view that the production of amphetamines greatly exceeds anylegitimate medical need. But if you pose this question to orgnnizedmedicine, which w^e have had occasion to do, even in our committeeI attended a meeting of the AMA committee in Chicago on Saturdayof last week—even among the committee there are questions as towhether we could get along without these. I personally think we could.But you will not find a consensus on these matters.Chairman Pepper. Excuse me. Will the gentleman yield right at thatpoint ?]Mr. Mann. Yes, sir.Chairman Pepper. Doctor, this committee last year offered an amendmentin the House, which was later adopted by the Senate, proposingthat there be a production quota system for amphetamines imposedby the Department of Justice on the recommendation of tlie Departnientof Health, Education, and Welfare. Do you think that was al^roDer nroposal ?Dr. Seevers. Well, it is in the right direction. I am not sure whetherit would accomplish the objective you seek.The only country that has really been successful in controlling amphetamines,as I mentioned earlier, is Japan. Sweden has also adopteda complete ban in the sense that even a medical use is restricted to afew speci-^lists. Three of the Australian states have done this recently.These nations have all done it in response to a rising and hazardousabtise problem with amphetamines.

;19.I think a quota would be better than nothing, but I am not sure thiswould really solve the problem.Chairman Pepper. Mr. Mami, I interrupted you.Mr. IVLvNN. No further question.Chairman Pepper. Mr. Wiggins ?Mr. Wiggins. Doctor, if Congress should ban the importation ofmorphine, should that law have an immediate effective date or shouldit have a delayed application ?Dr. Seevters. Well, off the top of my head, I would say that time isnot very important. It might be delayed long enough to work out somealternative, but I don't see that much would be gained by delay, exceptpossibly the codeine problem.]\Ir. WiGGixs. Yes. You indicated that substitutes for morphine areavailable. Are they available in sufficient commercial quantities tomeet the necessary commercial need or should the industry be permitteda period of time to get into that kind of production?Dr. Seevers. I think that would probably be wise, but we haveenough variety of these compounds of synthetic origin at the presenttime that I don't think we would have any significant shortage, ifthere was a reasonable time.Mr. Wiggins. Are those synthetic substitutes typically manufacturedin the United States ?Dr. Seevers. They are. The principal one is sold under the commercialname of Demerol. I don't know what the current total consumptionor total use of this substance is in the United States, but at onetime about 50 percent of the strong analgesic was done with this drug.It is comparatively simple to produce. I don't think there would be aserious problem.Mr. Wiggins. If Congress should enact a statute prohibiting theimportation of morphine could you suggest any exce]:)tion we shouldmake to that statute ?Dr. Seevers. Not really.Mr. Wiggins. Oft'hand, it occurs to me that you would like to continueyour scientific studies and others doubtless would too.Dr. Seevers. I think this could be done and it would be necessary.Morphine is still used as a standard by which we compare all otherdrugs. I think a certain amount of research should be carried on. Butas far as general medical use is concerned, I can't think, offhand, ofexceptions for medical use.Mr. Wiggins. Is it your feeling that if we excepted necessary scientificresearch we could impose an absolute ban on the importationof morphine ?Dr. Seevers. It would be possible. I am not sure it will solve yourproblem.Mr. Wiggins. Are the medical consequences tolerable ?Dr. Seevers. From a medical point of view, I think the answer is'yes._Mr. Wiggins. That is all, Mr. Chairman.Chairman Pepper. Mr. Steiger ?Mr. Steiger. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.Doctor, did Japan treat a marihuana problem? I guess first, dothey have a marihuana problem, and if they did, did they treat it?

;19.I think a quota would be better than nothing, but I am not sure thiswould really solve the problem.Chairman Pepper. Mr. Mami, I interrupted you.Mr. IVLvNN. No further question.Chairman Pepper. Mr. Wiggins ?Mr. Wiggins. Doctor, if Congress should ban the importation ofmorphine, should that law have an immediate effective date or shouldit have a delayed application ?Dr. Seevters. Well, off the top of my head, I would say that time isnot very important. It might be delayed long enough to work out somealternative, but I don't see that much would be gained by delay, exceptpossibly the codeine problem.]\Ir. WiGGixs. Yes. You indicated that substitutes for morphine areavailable. Are they available in sufficient commercial quantities tomeet the necessary commercial need or should the industry be permitteda period of time to get into that kind of production?Dr. Seevers. I think that would probably be wise, but we haveenough variety of these compounds of synthetic origin at the presenttime that I don't think we would have any significant shortage, ifthere was a reasonable time.Mr. Wiggins. Are those synthetic substitutes typically manufacturedin the United States ?Dr. Seevers. They are. The principal one is sold under the commercialname of Demerol. I don't know what the current total consumptionor total use of this substance is in the United States, but at onetime about 50 percent of the strong analgesic was done with this drug.It is comparatively simple to produce. I don't think there would be aserious problem.Mr. Wiggins. If Congress should enact a statute prohibiting theimportation of morphine could you suggest any exce]:)tion we shouldmake to that statute ?Dr. Seevers. Not really.Mr. Wiggins. Oft'h<strong>and</strong>, it occurs to me that you would like to continueyour scientific studies <strong>and</strong> others doubtless would too.Dr. Seevers. I think this could be done <strong>and</strong> it would be necessary.Morphine is still used as a st<strong>and</strong>ard by which we compare all otherdrugs. I think a certain amount of <strong>research</strong> should be carried on. Butas far as general medical use is concerned, I can't think, offh<strong>and</strong>, ofexceptions for medical use.Mr. Wiggins. Is it your feeling that if we excepted necessary scientific<strong>research</strong> we could impose an absolute ban on the importationof morphine ?Dr. Seevers. It would be possible. I am not sure it will solve yourproblem.Mr. Wiggins. Are the medical consequences tolerable ?Dr. Seevers. From a medical point of view, I think the answer is'yes._Mr. Wiggins. That is all, Mr. Chairman.Chairman Pepper. Mr. Steiger ?Mr. Steiger. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.Doctor, did Japan treat a marihuana problem? I guess first, dothey have a marihuana problem, <strong>and</strong> if they did, did they treat it?

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