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

;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?