Joseph McKenna

“ United States, it was decided that the power of Congress, exerted through the act of 1914, though the act might be denominated a revenue measure, could, as a complement to it, make criminally unlawful the sale, barter or exchange of narcotic drugs, except under certain prescribed conditions designed to make effective as a revenue measure. The principle of the decision applies to the act of 1919 upon which count 2 is based. If the law can put conditions upon sellers, it can put conditions with a like purpose upon purchasers which is done here. ”

“ Wong Sing, upon being arraigned, pleaded not guilty, but subsequently withdrew the plea and demurred to the indictment 'for failure to state an offense, and being insufficient.' The demurrer was sustained, and he was discharged from all liability thereon. ”

“ The first makes it 'unlawful for any person to purchase' the drugs; the second enumerates other persons who have a larger connection with the drugs, and requires them to register the fact and pay the tax prescribed. There could be no object in requiring a purchaser of the drugs to register, but it fulfilled the purpose of the law to forbid a purchase 'except in the original stamped package or from the original stamped package.' The requirement fortifies the other injunctions of the statute.
In Doremus v. United States and Webb et al. ”