450
wakes up after a few hours' sound sleep with a
giant's appetite for food.
45. Confining to the moderate use of ganja and
bhang—
(b) No.
(c) No.
(e) I am not aware of.
I am not aware that the use of bhang has pro-
duced insanity, nor that of ganja, although it is a
widespread belief that the use of ganja produces
insanity. I have not come across with such a
case. The drug when moderately used generally
produces beneficial effects, but contrary is the
result when used in excess. The evidence of bene-
ficial effects lies in the general healthiness of the
moderate user and in his willingness and ability
to work; he is less susceptible of being affected by
cold and is protected against the ordinary ills to
which the non-users are subject. On the contrary,
those who indulge in the drug to excess, that is, in
various proportions, degrade themselves to a state
of vagabondism and often are afflicted with dysen-
tery and the infirmities consequent upon a state of
premature old age. They cannot work. They
are not active. They keep low company and are
ostracised by society. They do not live to an old
age.
47. Certainly not. I think there are no grounds
to come to a conclusion that it is a hereditary
habit.
49. The prostitutes use charas, and some young
men.
51. I don't think the use of these drugs can be
connected with crime as cause and effect. Habi-
tual consumers are known as open-hearted people.
53. Not known.
54. In a few cases reported.
55. Don't know.
56. Read answer 29.
57. Don't know.
62. The cultivation of the hemp should not be
controlled.
63 and 64. No.
69. The system of indiscriminate grant of licen-
ses, without considering or consulting the wishes
of the people of the localities to which licensed
stalls are assigned, is, I venture to think, faulty.
Except a mere formal enquiry, as is at present
done, the administrators of the law do not go
further to ascertain if there was a necessity for
such stalls in given places. If Government is not
prepared to grant local option, something might
be done to ascertain local opinion by means of
Gazette Notifications, as is done in other matters
relating to the administrative arrangements of
Government. I may be permitted to say that the
privilege of local option is a highly important
boon; but the difficulty of its introduction is not
to be overlooked. His Excellency the Governor
of Bombay in his reply to the address of the
Sholapur Association, dated the 23rd October
1892, pointed out the adverse arguments against
its introduction.
"Up
to the present time,
although the question has been argued a good deal
in England, it has not been given effect to, and
there still remain a certain number of people who
believe it is not desirable that those people who
have no intention of taking too much should be
prevented from taking even one glass of what
they want or what may be good for them, because
of a slight difference in voting power such as I
have indicated. I would ask you how you are
going to apply this principle of local option. Are
you going to call on each male in your district to
vote, or are you going to ask each one who has
a vote in your Municipality to vote? And how
are you going to apply it outside the municipal
area? Do you think that the people of Sholapur
are sufficiently acquainted with the rights and
powers of the franchise to exercise their votes
fully and fearlessly? All these points would have
to be considered before we could give effect to the
principle of local option as you desire. Another
important fact to be considered is this. Localities
at present are given every opportunity of record-
ing their opinion for or against the opening of a
shop, for a petition may be sent to the Collector,
who is, under the orders of Government, bound to
give attention to the views of the people of the
district and forward them to Government. If
there was a very strong feeling shown throughout
the Presidency that local option should be adopted,
that opinion would undoubtedly weigh strongly
with the Government." I would, however, beg
leave to suggest that a sort of local option may be
conceded, as in Burma, in places which are under
the jurisdiction of Municipalities or Local Boards,
and whenever it is proposed to open a new retail
shop for the sale of opium or spirituous liquors
within the limits of any municipality, the Munici-
pal Committee must be informed of the proposal
and of the exact locality and must be invited to
express their views regarding the proposal. I may
take the liberty of submitting that a tentative
measure like this may be adopted as an experi-
ment. I am fully aware of the fact that a grave
responsibility is thrown upon the shoulders of the
Municipal Committees and Local Boards, but the
principle may be tried in some selected places, the
final order being with the Collector or the Com-
missioner of the Division. As a matter of fact,
these high functionaries are chiefly to depend upon
the Police for necessary information on the subject,
but I am of opinion that the committees, like those
I have suggested, are far more competent than the
Police to advise the administrators of the Excise
Departments in matters like these.
209. Evidence of BABU RAM DHARI LALL, Assistant Government Pleader, Dar-
bhanga.
20. To my knowledge there are no special classes,
but solitary instances of some fakirs using ganja
and bhang.
28. The amount must vary according to circum-
stances.
31. Yes. People given to moderate use, may
generally be tempted to make excessive use of
these drugs.
32. Some low caste people make nominal offer-
ing of ganja to an idol named Solais at the time
of worship.
45. All these drugs when used for some length
of time affect the brain; especially ganja, when
used in excess, tends to produce insanity. All
these drugs also produce intoxication.
Bhang
used in very small quantity is good for dyspepsia.