Jacob Bell
New Member
To prevent the abuse of narcotic drugs in the state of
Washington, the legislature has enacted a law covering the
production, manufacture and distribution of habit-forming
drugs and providing for the control of the addict. In general,
the law follows the lines of the Harrison Narcotic Law. It
goes further, however, in that it covers alpha and beta
eucain, cannabis americana and cannabis indica. No one but
a physician regularly licensed to practice medicine and sur¬
gery may prescribe any narcotic drug. The patient's ailment
must be stated on the prescription, and the person procuring
the drug to be prescribed must place his signature and
address on the back of the prescription. The dispenser must
make a copy of the prescription and preserve it, except that
the copy may be removed by any prosecuting attorney or
peace officer, any representative of the department of licenses,
or any deputy or inspector of the state department of agri¬
culture, all of whom may inspect such records. A person
violating the provisions of the law relating to the production,
manufacture and distribution of narcotic drugs is guilty of a
felony, and on conviction is to be punished by imprisonment
in the state penitentiary for not less than one year nor more
than ten years. If the person convicted is a pharmacist,
dentist, physician or veterinarian, his certificate of registra¬
tion is to be revoked, and he is ineligible for reregistration
for a period of ten years from and after the date of the
revocation.
Every person who habitually uses any narcotic drug is
guilty of a gross misdemeanor. Any state, county and munic¬
ipal health officer, or his authorized deputy who is a licensed
physician, may, whenever in his judgment it is necessary
to protect the public safety, health and morals, examine any
person reasonably suspected of habitually using narcotic
drugs, and require such persons as he reasonably suspects
to be drug addicts to report for treatment to an approved
physician and to continue treatment at their own expense,
or to submit to treatment at public expense until cured. The
state board of health is empowered to determine by general
regulation that the quarantine or isolation of persons habit¬
ually using narcotic drugs is necessary; and if it so deter¬
mines, the officers named above may then isolate or quarantine
such persons. Any person so isolated or quarantined may
within ten days thereafter appeal to the superior court of the
county; but, pending appeal, he is to be held in quarantine,
and the judgment of the superior court is final. Persons who
have been cured may be paroled or discharged by the health
officer. Any person believing himself cured may appeal to
the health officer for discharge, and on adverse decision may
appeal to the circuit court for release; but such appeal shall
not lie until after the addict has been in quarantine for a
period of at least six months. Licensed physicians treating
narcotic addicts are required, on the beginning of treatment,
to report the case to the health officer. The state board of
health may establish quarantine stations and clinics for the
detention and treatment of addicts, which may be in connec-tion with any county or city jail, or any hospital or other
public or private institution having, or which may be pro¬
vided with, necessary detention, segregation, isolation clinical
and hospital facilities as may be required and prescribed by
the board.
Source: Narcotic Control in the State of Washington
Washington, the legislature has enacted a law covering the
production, manufacture and distribution of habit-forming
drugs and providing for the control of the addict. In general,
the law follows the lines of the Harrison Narcotic Law. It
goes further, however, in that it covers alpha and beta
eucain, cannabis americana and cannabis indica. No one but
a physician regularly licensed to practice medicine and sur¬
gery may prescribe any narcotic drug. The patient's ailment
must be stated on the prescription, and the person procuring
the drug to be prescribed must place his signature and
address on the back of the prescription. The dispenser must
make a copy of the prescription and preserve it, except that
the copy may be removed by any prosecuting attorney or
peace officer, any representative of the department of licenses,
or any deputy or inspector of the state department of agri¬
culture, all of whom may inspect such records. A person
violating the provisions of the law relating to the production,
manufacture and distribution of narcotic drugs is guilty of a
felony, and on conviction is to be punished by imprisonment
in the state penitentiary for not less than one year nor more
than ten years. If the person convicted is a pharmacist,
dentist, physician or veterinarian, his certificate of registra¬
tion is to be revoked, and he is ineligible for reregistration
for a period of ten years from and after the date of the
revocation.
Every person who habitually uses any narcotic drug is
guilty of a gross misdemeanor. Any state, county and munic¬
ipal health officer, or his authorized deputy who is a licensed
physician, may, whenever in his judgment it is necessary
to protect the public safety, health and morals, examine any
person reasonably suspected of habitually using narcotic
drugs, and require such persons as he reasonably suspects
to be drug addicts to report for treatment to an approved
physician and to continue treatment at their own expense,
or to submit to treatment at public expense until cured. The
state board of health is empowered to determine by general
regulation that the quarantine or isolation of persons habit¬
ually using narcotic drugs is necessary; and if it so deter¬
mines, the officers named above may then isolate or quarantine
such persons. Any person so isolated or quarantined may
within ten days thereafter appeal to the superior court of the
county; but, pending appeal, he is to be held in quarantine,
and the judgment of the superior court is final. Persons who
have been cured may be paroled or discharged by the health
officer. Any person believing himself cured may appeal to
the health officer for discharge, and on adverse decision may
appeal to the circuit court for release; but such appeal shall
not lie until after the addict has been in quarantine for a
period of at least six months. Licensed physicians treating
narcotic addicts are required, on the beginning of treatment,
to report the case to the health officer. The state board of
health may establish quarantine stations and clinics for the
detention and treatment of addicts, which may be in connec-tion with any county or city jail, or any hospital or other
public or private institution having, or which may be pro¬
vided with, necessary detention, segregation, isolation clinical
and hospital facilities as may be required and prescribed by
the board.
Source: Narcotic Control in the State of Washington
