Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...
Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ... Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...
—G70Other researches which may discover more fundamental psychologic and physiologicaspects of the addiction process deserve support but currently do nothave immediate applicability.Chairman Pepper. We hnve now concluded wliat I consider to bo oneof the most exhpaistive examinations of the multiple aPDects of thedrug problem ever undertaken by a con2,Tessional body. The infoi-mationwe have collected in this series of hearings, which began in April,Avill trive tlie members of this committee an opportunity to revievr andconsider the testimony, ideas,and recommendations of some of themost thoughtful men in America on this suljject. I can assure you thatwe will use tins wealth of information in preparing a series of recomm.endationsto the Congress that will outline a realistic approach toa missive and effective drug research, treatment, and rehabilitationprogram.It has taken this Xation far, far too long to accept the severity ofthe addiction crisis confronting us. It is my firm conviction that wecannot pennit ourselves the same leisure in devising solutions to theproblem. P.ut we must guard against accepting any pat or simplesolutions that claim universal applicability. Drue addiction is anuilticausal phenomenon, and the solutions to it will be equally complex.It is an all too human fault to fasten upon an easy solution, sov\-e must redouble our guard against such oversimplification. Just at atime when many people believe that methadone is the answer to heroiiiaddiction, three eminent doctors told this connnittee alx>ut an entirelynew type of drug—the antagonists, nonaddictive drugs whichcurb an addict's craving for heroin. But even these drugs when perfectedwill not be the final solution to the problem. So we nmstcontinue to search, to question, to experiment. And we must do soaware that we will not always succeed, aware that we are engagedin a leniithy struggle. But with the necessary commitment, we canresolve the drug addiction crisis in America: and we can—and mustdo it before we lose an entire generation of young Americans.If there is nothing further. I declare this hearing concluded.(The following material was received for the record:)[Exhibit No. 28]Statement on Behalf of S. B. Penick & Co.. Merck & Co., Inc.. andMallixckrodt Chemical WorksTh^ statement is siibmitted on behiilf of S. B. Ponick & Co., a di\'ision of CPCTnternational, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., and Maliinckrodt Chemical Works. Thesethree companies are the only licensed companies in the United States wliichimjiort opium into tliis country for the production of certain opium derivativesin bulk chemical foruL These products are sold by the three manufacturer.* toauthorized pharmaceutical manufacturers, hospitals and pharmacies for medicinaluses.We understand that this committee, as a ]>art of its current invesiisration ofthe heroin problem and means of combating it. is considering a recommendaifionfor an immediate ban on the importation of medicinal opium into the I'nitcdStates. This is apparently viewed as the first step in an effort to eradicate oiuumcultivation in all parts of the world.It is our belief that this proposed ban. however Avell-intentioned. would haveno po.sitive effect on heroin supplies in the T'nited States or elsewhere, now orat any foreseeable time in the future. Furthermore, such a ban would adver.'^elyaffect the health and welfare of many people who require treatment with drugsderived from opium.
G71There is a simplistic appeal to the theory that elimination of the legitimateimportation of opium would contribute to the elimination of all opium growingand hence to the elimination of heroin. The theory necessarily is based uponthese premises : first, that medicinal preparations containing opium derivativesare unnecessary to medical practice (so that we would not be disadvantaged by aban on opium imports) ; second, that Other countries Avill be inspired by theU.S. action and will follow this lead and ban all use of opium derivatives; third,that in the absence of a legitimate market all opium cultivation will then beillegal ; and fourth, that illegal opium poppies can then be readily detectedand eradicated.The remainder of this statement will demonstrate the fallacy of this thesis.^Initially, however, it may be useful to describe bi-iefly the existing legal channelsfor the importation and processing of opium in this country.I. Xone of the heroin used in the United States is attributable to the legitimateimportation and processing of opium.Annually, in November, each of the three opium manufacturers provides theBureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs with estimates of its opium requirementsfor the next year. Each company then receives an important quota fromBNDD and begins negotiations for purchases with the governments of India andTurkey, the only countries which supply the legitimate industry in the UnitedStates. All shipments are made through the port of New York and are accompaniedby armed guards. Upon arrival, they are cleared through Customs, loadedat the pier into a sealed trailer and moved under guard to the production plantuf one of the three manufacturers. The shipments are unloaded under the guard'ssupervision into an electronically-protected vault and sealed by a Customs official.Subsequenty, sampes are removed for testing by the Government to determinemorphine content. These tests permit BNDD to ascertain the exact quantity ofderivatives which will be obtained and which must be accounted for by eachof the companies. Access to the plants is limited to security-cleared i^ersonnel.The companies produce no heroin for sale : the importation, manufacture orsale of heroin in the United States has long been prohibited. Those bulk opiumderivatives which the companies are permitted to make may be .sold only toauthorized purchasers who present an order form supplied by BNDD. Completedorder forms are submitted to the Bureau to enable the Government to follow allopium derivatives through all stages of distribution in an unbroken chain ofaccountability. Each firm must maintain continuous inventories and file detailedquarterly reports with the Bureau showing the exact amount of raw opium onhand, the amount used during the quarter, quantities in process and finishedmaterials on hand.Any diversion from this tightly regulated system, which is based upon lawsinitially enacted in 1909, would be immediately apparent to both the Governmentand private industry. In fact, there have been no reported instances of legallyimported opium being converted into heroin for illicit used. Thus, the legitimatesupply of opium which enters this country subject to these controls is in no mannerrelated to the ever-increasing supply of illicit heroin within the UnitedStates. The heroin that enters this country enters illegally, smuggled over theborders and through Customs.II. There are presently no adequate substitutes for codeine, the principalopium derivative.The principal substance derived from opium is codeine. Codeine alone accountsfor about 90 percent of the total production of the plants of the three U.S. opiumprocessors. Additional derivatives, such as morphine, papaverine, narcotine,thelsaine, and nalorphine, are also obtained, but in relatively small quantities.Most of these products are used in the formulation of numerous medicationshaving analgesic fpainkilling) or antitussive (cough-suppressive) properties.This committee in its second report ("Heroin and Heroin Paraphernalia," H.Kept. No. 91-1808) released in January of this year, states (p. 59) :Since the weight of informed scientific opinion is on the side of those whoargue that there is no longer need for the opium poppy because we now have'^The just-released (May 27) Report of the Special Study Mission on the World HeroinProblem, headed by Congressmen Murphy and Steele, contain 19 recommendations, noneof which contemplates a ban on legitimate United States importation and processing ofopium. To the contrary. Recommendation No. 11 (p. 3S) is that "the Congress considerlegislation which would ban the manufacture, distribution, sale or possession with intentto use drug materials for illegal purposes" and Recommendation No. 4 (p. H7) is that "theU.S. Government underwrite an accelerated research program to find a nonaddictive substitutefor opium, which continues to have important medicinal applications."
- Page 640 and 641: 620((')) Finally, I believe that al
- Page 642 and 643: 622Governor Carter. I certainly rec
- Page 644 and 645: 624programs that are now available,
- Page 646 and 647: 626all of the top officials in the
- Page 648 and 649: 628perhaps greater than some of the
- Page 650 and 651: )630tion and many others attempting
- Page 652 and 653: 632(3) Long term residential self-h
- Page 654 and 655: 634for the support of drug service
- Page 656 and 657: :636D. NARCO, Inc.Narcotics Addicti
- Page 658 and 659: 638crimes to obtain the necessary m
- Page 660 and 661: 640million to $25 milliou per year.
- Page 662 and 663: 642Mr. Perito. Thank yoii. Mr. Chai
- Page 664 and 665: 644narcotic antagonist, and the oth
- Page 666 and 667: 646. Dr. Kramer. From what I have s
- Page 668 and 669: —(348your money on, but methadone
- Page 670 and 671: —650I know of no techinque in pri
- Page 672 and 673: 652Dr. Kramer. Yes, sir. As a matte
- Page 674 and 675: :'654prison and who liave no—wlio
- Page 676 and 677: 65GDr. KT?A:\rEij. 1 suspect tliat
- Page 678 and 679: 658support some of the inethadone p
- Page 680 and 681: '6660Dr. IvKAisrKK. 1 believe that
- Page 682 and 683: 662jrest that the Veterans' Adminis
- Page 684 and 685: 664opiates may be ingested in sever
- Page 686 and 687: 666(5) It suppresses the desire for
- Page 688 and 689: 668Many people have benefited from
- Page 692 and 693: 672synthetic painkillers, our commi
- Page 694 and 695: 074IV. A universal ban on legitimat
- Page 696 and 697: ..676iTlius we must look to educati
- Page 698 and 699: 678states, from Arnold Becker, publ
- Page 700 and 701: 680However, we must look at rehabil
- Page 702 and 703: :682(a) The natural history of narc
- Page 704 and 705: 684was a heavy user. The decrease i
- Page 706 and 707: 686(13) Wallace. R. K. : Physiologi
- Page 708 and 709: 688TABLE 9.-USE OF "HARD LIQUOR" BE
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—G70Other <strong>research</strong>es which may discover more fundamental psychologic <strong>and</strong> physiologicaspects of the addiction process deserve support but currently do nothave immediate applicability.Chairman Pepper. We hnve now concluded wliat I consider to bo oneof the most exhpaistive examinations of the multiple aPDects of thedrug problem ever undertaken by a con2,Tessional body. The infoi-mationwe have collected in this series of hearings, which began in April,Avill trive tlie members of this committee an opportunity to revievr <strong>and</strong>consider the testimony, ideas,<strong>and</strong> recommendations of some of themost thoughtful men in America on this suljject. I can assure you thatwe will use tins wealth of information in preparing a series of recomm.endationsto the Congress that will outline a realistic approach toa missive <strong>and</strong> effective drug <strong>research</strong>, <strong>treatment</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>rehabilitation</strong>program.It has taken this Xation far, far too long to accept the severity ofthe addiction crisis confronting us. It is my firm conviction that wecannot pennit ourselves the same leisure in devising solutions to theproblem. P.ut we must guard against accepting any pat or simplesolutions that claim universal applicability. Drue addiction is anuilticausal phenomenon, <strong>and</strong> the solutions to it will be equally complex.It is an all too human fault to fasten upon an easy solution, sov\-e must redouble our guard against such oversimplification. Just at atime when many people believe that methadone is the answer to heroiiiaddiction, three eminent doctors told this connnittee alx>ut an entirelynew type of drug—the antagonists, nonaddictive drugs whichcurb an addict's craving for heroin. But even these drugs when perfectedwill not be the final solution to the problem. So we nmstcontinue to search, to question, to experiment. And we must do soaware that we will not always succeed, aware that we are engagedin a leniithy struggle. But with the necessary commitment, we canresolve the drug addiction crisis in America: <strong>and</strong> we can—<strong>and</strong> mustdo it before we lose an entire generation of young Americans.If there is nothing further. I declare this hearing concluded.(The following material was received for the record:)[Exhibit No. 28]Statement on Behalf of S. B. Penick & Co.. Merck & Co., Inc.. <strong>and</strong>Mallixckrodt Chemical WorksTh^ statement is siibmitted on behiilf of S. B. Ponick & Co., a di\'ision of CPCTnternational, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., <strong>and</strong> Maliinckrodt Chemical Works. Thesethree companies are the only licensed companies in the United States wliichimjiort opium into tliis country for the production of certain opium derivativesin bulk chemical foruL These products are sold by the three manufacturer.* toauthorized pharmaceutical manufacturers, hospitals <strong>and</strong> pharmacies for medicinaluses.We underst<strong>and</strong> that this committee, as a ]>art of its current invesiisration ofthe heroin problem <strong>and</strong> means of combating it. is considering a recommendaifionfor an immediate ban on the importation of medicinal opium into the I'nitcdStates. This is apparently viewed as the first step in an effort to eradicate oiuumcultivation in all parts of the world.It is our belief that this proposed ban. however Avell-intentioned. would haveno po.sitive effect on heroin supplies in the T'nited States or elsewhere, now orat any foreseeable time in the future. Furthermore, such a ban would adver.'^elyaffect the health <strong>and</strong> welfare of many people who require <strong>treatment</strong> with drugsderived from opium.
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