Opium is being replaced by beer and cigarettes among the Chinese community in the Straits, according to the annual report of the Depart= ment of Excise, excerpts from which have just reached Shanghai. Samshu also is giving way to the {wo commonly used social agents, and the siderably and the decline apparently. was not offset by an increase in the quantity of illicit opium. The conclusion drawn in the Straits report that "the smoking of opium is no longer regarded as a means of social Intercourse, and the chief reason today for taking to opium is to obtain, relief from pain. Even this induce: ment is, however, losing its power, the Chinese turn more to the wide variety of medicinal articles readily obtainable at all chemists" shops." Siam a definite policy discouraging the use of opium was adopted in 1908 and "the Siamese" nation wa: represented at the conference held in Shanghai in 1909 to study methods of suppression and "the feasibility of Far Eastern ce-operation in" the matter. Siam has been represented at every subsequent opium confer fence and the Opium Commission of the League of Nations visited the country In 1920 to make a first-hand study of conditions. Tt was given {ho fun! ce-operation of the authori-"es.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.