117
42. Moderate use of these drugs is both bene¬
ficial and harmless, as their use lessens fatigue and
thirst, and at the same time increases appetite and
improves digestion.
43. In my opinion moderate consumers are
inoffensive to their neighbours.
44. The habitual moderate consumers of all
these drugs take them to give them stimulus in
their day's work, and they feel their use refreshing
during and after their labour. They do not
produce any appreciable or harmful intoxication.
They serve to create appetite, and have no after¬
effects on their habitual moderate consumers.
45. No such case comes to my notice, in which
the habitual moderate use of ganja has produced
any noxious effects. From enquiries I come to
know that insanity is never produced by use of
ganja in any shape, save and except the cases of
eccentrics, who become insane when they use
ganja in excessive quantity.
46. I am acquainted with some cases in which
the habitual excessive and long-continued use of
ganja produced dysentery, but the consumers
who can afford to take milk are not affected with
the disease.
47. I do not think the use of any of these
drugs imparts any hereditary influence on the
children of the consumers.
48. I don't know any case in which children of
the excessive consumers of these drugs have been
subjected to any specific disease or have necessarily
inherited the habit of their fathers.
49. I have no doubt that moderate use of these
drugs serves as an aphrodisiac to both sexes, and
lower classes of prostitutes in rare cases use ganja
as ordinary narcotic, instead of spirituous liquor.
I do not think the use of ganja or siddhi tends to
produce impotence.
50. The excessive use of any of these drugs
has no such tendency to produce impotence.
51. The bad characters here are not, in general,
habitual consumers of ganja.
52. No one of them is heard to be an excessive
consumer.
53. No such case has come to notice in which by
excessive use of these drugs any unpremeditated
crime, violence, or homicide has been committed
by their consumers.
54. In some rare cases of dacoity I heard the
criminals used ganja before they set up for the
purpose.
55. The criminals do not induce their victims
to partake of these drugs to produce their stupor,
with intent to facilitate their criminal action.
Dhatura is generally used
by thugs and dacoits for
purposes of committing
crimes of sorts; it is chiefly
resorted to in North-West¬
ern Provinces and Punjab.
A. AHMAD,
Offg. Collector.
56. The smoking of ganja with tobacco leaves
in moderation causes a
mild intoxication, while
its excessive use induces
stupor and constipation.
The effects of siddhi are
almost similar. I have
no information to lay
down regarding the ad¬
mixture of dhatura.
57. Ganja and charas are not drunk.
58. The present system of excise administra¬
tion requires, in my opinion, some improvements
in its working.
59. I would suggest that the improvements
may be made—
(a)
by
increasing taxation.
I agree.
A. AHMAD,
Offg. Collector.
(b) by modifications in the act of transport of
these drugs from the producing districts.
(c) by having sufficient establishments to watch
and regulate its consumption.
(d) by reducing the quantity for possession of
these drugs, at present authorized by law.
This should be
controlled in the
same way as
opium, and cer-
tainly supervised
by the same De¬
partment.
60 to 62. I have no suggestion
to make regarding the improve-
ments by which cultivation or
production of these drugs should
be controlled.
63. I have no objection to the present system
of retail vend of these drugs, except with regard
to the quantity at present the retailers are autho¬
rized to sell. But I object to the present system
of wholesale vend of these drugs, since it not only
affords to the wholesale dealers all facilities to
import bad drugs at low prices, but also induces
them on many occasions to sell those drugs to
retailers even when they are unfit for use. More¬
over, it facilitates the wholesale dealers who hold
retail shops to sell these drugs at cheap rates.
The introduction of the proposed system will also
sufficiently control the exorbitant charges obtained
by wholesale dealers from retailers.
64. As I have stated above, I do not approve of
the present system of export and import and
transport of these drugs. I think in order to
have a better control over the consumption of
these drugs, the first thing will be to do away
with the present system of the wholesale vend.
65. In my opinion the present taxation of these
drugs is not sufficient in proportion to that of
spirituous liquors and opium. The amount of taxa¬
tion of these drugs should be raised to the follow¬
ing rates, viz.:-
Ganja, Rs. 4, exceeding the present rate on
average.
Charas, Rs. 8, exceeding the present rate on
average.
Siddhi, Re. 1, exceeding the present rate on
average.
66. The rates therefore should be for flat with
small twigs, and round
Rs. 11
Chur
"
12
(Flat with large twigs should be done away
with.)
67. If the above measures be adopted to enhance
the taxation of ganja, charas and bhang, I think
there will be no necessity to interfere with the
present system of taxing these drugs.
68. In this district there are no such licensed
houses or shops for the sale of these drugs where
they are consumed on the premises, and it is not
practicable to have any hold over the consumers
in respect of inducing them to consume these
drugs in the sale-rooms.
69. As a rule, the practice of consulting the
wishes of people before a shop is granted in any
locality is not now in vogue. When any such shop
is in requisition in any locality, reports regarding
the necessity, and the area, population, etc., are
called for from the local Excise Officers, and they
are considered by Excise Deputy Collector before
proposing the same for settlement.
70. There has occurred no case of illicit importa-
tion of these drugs from Native States.