§ 3.5 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, having regard to the fact that except for small quantities for scientific purposes they have decided not to permit the manufacture and export of heroin after 31st December, 1955. and with reference to the answer they gave in this House on 27th April, 1955, that "adequate supplies of a perfectly good substitute for heroin are now available", they will state what in their opinion constitutes an adequate and equally effective substitute for heroin in all the varied cases for which it is prescribed by the medical and surgical professions in the United Kingdom.]
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (LORD MANCROFT)My Lords, the Government are advised that there are a number of other drugs which are considered to afford benefits comparable to those derived from heroin. The drugs selected must, of course, depend on the circumstances of the particular case to be treated. The two principal uses of heroin are to relieve pain and suppress cough. As regards analgesia—that is, the relief of pain—there are available, in addition to the opium alkaloids including papaveretum, a number of new and powerful analgesics such as methadone, pethidine and levorphan. Cough linctuses containing, for example, opium, morphine, methadone, codeine, or hydrocodone in appropriate dosage are as efficient as linctuses containing heroin.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg to thank the noble Lord for his Answer. May I ask whether he is aware that there is an admitted cleavage of opinion in the medical profession on the subject of adequate substitutes for heroin? And may I further ask him whether he is aware that the Government, in banning heroin before conducting any clinical investigations into the possibilities of substitutes, are, in fact, ordering all members of the medical profession to use this or that drug, even if some of them think it is a totally inadequate and ineffective substitute for heroin in many cases of suffering and agonising pain?
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, I am, of course, fully aware that there is a cleavage of opinion in this matter. On the other hand, perhaps the noble Viscount, Lord Elibank, has seen in this morning's issue of The Times newspaper a statement by Professor Löifier, a distinguished Swiss doctor, who is director of the Medical Hospital of the University of Zurich. The Professor is reported as saying:
Heroin is absolutely unnecessary; its place can be taken by a great number of other opiates, which are less dangerous and do not lend themselves so easily to abuse. I have never used heroin and I never will.That merely confirms the noble Viscount's opinion that there is a distinct cleavage of medical opinion on this subject. With regard to his second supplementary question, I will only say that that is a highly controversial point upon which we all hold different opinions which will no doubt be aired more extensively in your Lordships' House in the course of the debate which we shall be having next Tuesday on the Motion to be moved by the noble and learned Earl, Lord Jowitt.
§ LORD HADEN-GUESTMy Lords, is it not the fact that a very large number of doctors have never used heroin at all, and normally do not use it in the ordinary way?
§ LORD MANCROFTI understand that to be so.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKIs it not the fact that a very large number of doctors constantly and continually use heroin, feeling that there is no substitute for it?
§ LORD MANCROFTCertain doctors undoubtedly do. As to their numbers, I have no precise knowledge and I do not believe that the noble Viscount has either.
§ VISCOUNT THURSOWould the noble Lord reflect that British people will probably prefer the opinions of British general practitioners who are in touch with people suffering from the agonising pain to which my noble friend has referred, to those of Swiss professors, however eminent, whom they do not know?
§ LORD HADEN-GUESTA large number of doctor; in general practice do not use heroin at all. I have never used it. I have talked about this to many medical colleagues and I find that there are large numbers who never use it.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, I have never used heroin nor am I an addict. The noble Lord, Lord Mancroft, naturally says that he has been advised on this matter—of course, he must be advised upon it. May I ask, having regard to the origin of the noble Viscount, Lord Elibank, whether steps have been taken to test the opinion of the Scottish doctors? Because there is in Scotland a very distinguished Royal College of Surgeons and a Royal College of Physicians, whose opinions in popular estimation I think have an equally high standing with those of our medical organisations in England. Have arty steps been specifically taken to find out their views and their wishes in this matter?
§ LORD MANCROFTIn answer to the supplementary question put by the noble Viscount, Lord Thurso, concerning Swiss doctors, I would, with respect, remind him that this heroin problem is a world problem. With regard to the question of the noble and learned Earl, Lord Jowitt, the advice given me, to which I referred, is not from one particular source. It represents a weight of opinion derived from evidence from various sources. Some of the most readily available of these sources are set out in an article in the Lancet, a copy of which is to be found in the Library of your Lordships' House. These opinions have been collated for the Government by the Chief Medical Officer. I am informed that Scottish opinion was canvassed, as well as English opinion.
§ EARL JOWITTThat is a very general reply. May I ask the noble Lord this specific question? Was the opinion of the Royal College of Surgeons in Scotland taken in any form? Was the opinion 1234 of the Royal College of Physicians in Scotland taken in any form? If not, who were the Scottish doctors who were consulted?
§ LORD MANCROFTI am afraid that I cannot answer rat question without notice. I can only inform the noble and learned Earl that ray information is that Scottish interests were consulted. I will find out what the specific interests were and let the noble and learned Earl know.
§ EARL JOWITTI shall be very much obliged if the noble Lord will do that and let me have the information before our debate on my Motion on Tuesday next.
§ VISCOUNT THURSOWould the noble Lord consider that, whilst addiction to heroin is a terrible addiction and as such is a world problem, proper use of the drug is primarily a problem for the individual sufferer and his medical adviser?
§ LORD MANCROFTYes, I am fully aware of that point of view.