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APPENDIX  F
REGULATIONS  PROHIBITING  OPIUM  SMOKING
(Specially  translated  for  the  Shanghai  Mercury)
The  following  is  a  rough  translation  from  the  regulations  p r0 '
hibiting  opium  smoking  compiled  by  the  Government  Council
or  Chengwuchu,  as  published  in  the  Universal  Gazette  this
morning.
Wang  Ta-hsi,  the  Chinese  Minister  to  London,  some  time
ago  presented  a  memorial  regarding  the  prohibition  of  opium
smoking,  and  an  Imperial  decree  has  since  been  issued  ordering
the  Government  Council  to  compile  regulations  effecting  the
prohibition  of  opium  smoking.  On  November  21,  1906,  the
Government  Council  sent  in  the  reply  to  the  Imperial  order,  with
the  draft  regulations  consisting  of  ten  articles.  The  regulations
have  been  duly  sanctioned  by  the  Throne.
Article  I.  To  limit  the  cultivation  of  the  poppy  is  the  way
to  eradicate  the  evil.  The  poppy  obstructs  agriculture,  and  its
effect  is  very  bad.  In  China,  in  the  provinces  of  Szechwan,
Shensi,  Kansu,  Yunnan,  Kweichow,  Shansi,  and  Kianghuai,
the  poppy  is  widely  cultivated,  and  even  in  other  provinces
there  are  places  where  poppy  cultivation  is  largely  pursued-Now
  it  is  decided  to  prohibit  and  root  out  the  habit  of  smoking
opium  within  ten  years.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  limit  the
cultivation  of  the  poppy  so  as  to  effect  the  prohibition.  Viceroys
and  Governors  of  provinces  have  to  instruct  the  Magistrates  m
departments  and  districts  to  report  upon,  after  registering,  the
actual  area  of  land  used  for  cultivation  of  poppy.  Unless  land
has  been  hitherto  used  in  the  cultivation  of  the  poppy  it  is  not
to  be  used  for  that  purpose  in  future.  For  the  land  already
being  cultivated  with  the  poppy  special  title-deeds  must  be
obtained.  Of  the  land  at  present  in  use  for  the  cultivation  m
the  poppy  one-ninth  must  be  annually  withdrawn  from  cult 1 '
vation,  and  if  such  land  is  suitable,  other  crops  are  to  be  cultivated
thereon.  Magistrates  of  departments  and  districts  are  to  pay
surprise  visits  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  there  is  any  violation
of  this  regulation.
By  this  means  the  cultivation  of  the  poppy  will  be  extei'
minated  in  nine  years.