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APPENDIX XXVII.
Opium Smokers Amongst Railway COIlltruction Coolies.
OBSERVATIONS BY RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION OFFICERS.
DIVISIONAL ENGINEER, KLANG:-
My own experience with the Chinese labour in this country leads me
to believe that there is only a small percentage of habitual smokers, but
that probably 50 per cent of the coolies working are occasional user·s.
Among the coolies working on earth work contracts, the number of
users always appeared to me to be proportionately higher than among
Departmental coolies. This work is very heavy, but I am unable to say if
that be the cause of the heavier smoking. Possibly it is due to the bigger
wages that contract coolies make.
An old kapala of ours informs me that his experience is that H okkiens
are the heaviest smokers.
He estimates that about 20 per cent of our coolies are habitual smokers,
another 40 per cent occasional smokers and about 40 per cent non-smokers.
Habitual smokers, he informs me, are very good workers while they are
able to get the drug, but suffer without it.
He also states that opium tlsers do not usually indulge in alcohol.
The average daily consumption appears to be 3 hoons per day, but is
limited only by the cost of the drug.
SECI'ION ENGINEER, SALAK SOUTH:-
From observation I consider smoking of opium by Chinese Construction
coolies' is prompted by their having always to work in the jungle in very
exposed positions where the combination of heat overhead and dampness
underfoot renders them particularly liable to fatigue and exhaustion, leading
to further discomfort of fevers and colds.
Departmental coolies work in less exposed situations and they do not
seem to require' opium as often or in such large quantities as earthwork
coolies. The proportions of smokers amongst Departmental coolies who
are usually Khehs are approximately;-
Habitual smokers I packet per day
Casual smokers 6 packets per month
Non-smokers indulging 10 alcohol
Non-smokers
5%
25%
10%