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56. Patti.—The admixture of sugar hastens the
effect of patti, while the other ingredients (gene¬
rally known as bhang massalas) seem to improve
the taste and to moderate the ill-effects.
Ganja.—In cases of moderation any admixture,
except dry tobacco leaves, is seldom made. In
cases of excess, however, dhatura, kuchila, and other
drugs that are themselves as narcotic as ganja,
or more so, make the effects of ganja more dele-
terious and lasting. I personally know a case
where a man having a grudge against one of his
companions in society induced the latter to smoke
ganja in which dhatura was mixed. This man
had never smoked ganja before. He got a fit of
insanity which lasted about a fortnight. After-
wards he was placed under native medical treat¬
ment, and recovered completely to be able to
resume his own former duties.
57. In Puri, Gurjat ganja is drunk like patti,
with the addition of milk, sugar, and bhang
massalas. The Pandas of Jaggannath are espe¬
cially the consumers of ganja in this way. I have
not heard good reports regarding their moral
character. Physically they do not seem to be
worse off by the use of this beverage. They are,
however, well-to-do, take nourishing food, and live
comfortably.
58. The present system is working fairly.
Smuggling of Gurjat ganja should, in my opinion,
be checked as much as possible.
59. This can be done by reviving the Government
of Bengal's order, prohibiting the cultivation of
ganja in the Tributary States within three miles of
the frontier of British territory, and by appointing
a strong detective establishment to guard against
this smuggling (vide my reply to question 8).
Next the importation of Gurjat ganja has been
legalised, and the minimum quantity to be import¬
ed at a time has been fixed at 8 maunds. The
importers do not easily get sufficient ganja to
fulfil the requirements, and are thus unable to
import the Gurjat ganja into the Cuttack district.
If the minimum be reduced to 1 maund, the im¬
portation will be easier, and as this ganja may be
cheaper, the consumers along the frontier accus¬
tomed to this will have little incentive to the
practice of smuggling.
60. Ganja is not cultivated in Orissa under
Government control.
62. No.
63. Retail vend of any of the preparations of
hemp to persons under a certain age should, in my
opinion, be prohibited, as self-indulgence in any
intoxicant in whatsoever shape by youths is un¬
desirable. A condition may be inserted in the
license issued to the retail vendors to that effect,
and vendors may be punished for infringements of
the same, as provided in the excise law.
64. Rajshahi ganja is imported into the Cuttack
district. The importation of the drug should be
carried on under stricter rules. The bales are
often found to have been tampered with during
transit, and more or less quantities of ganja are
found to have been stolen. The gunny bags should
be thieker than they are now—vide reply to
question 18.
65. Yes.
(a) The taxation, with reference to ganja and
patti, is reasonable.
(b) To opium, reasonable.
The taxation, with reference to alcoholic liquors,
may be considered from two different points of
view, viz. (1) that of their relative intoxicating
properties; and (2) that of the strength of the
purse of the consumers. As regards the first, it
hardly needs mention that one anna worth of
ganja probably produces as much intoxication as
that produced by a bottle of alcoholic liquor worth
a rupee. As regards the second point, the con¬
sumers of ganja are generally poorer than those of
alcoholic liquor. On the whole therefore any
alteration in the amount of taxation is not desira¬
ble.
66. The different rates at present in force
should be adhered to. The principle is based upon
the quantity of narcotic resin present in each
variety of Rajshahi ganja. As regards the Gurjat
ganja, the above principle cannot be applied. As
the ganja is a wilder variety of cannabis, the
narcotic properties appear to be present along with
some other resins making this variety stronger,
though it does not possess the characteristic
flavour and other desirable qualities. The present
taxation appears to me fair.
67 and 68. No.
69. Yes; until the people of the locality where
a shop is intended to be opened apply for one,
and their requirements are enquired into to our
satisfaction by an excise officer, no shop is opened.
In the case of municipal towns the opinion of the
Commissioners should be taken. Local opinion
ought to be considered.
70. See my replies to questions 58, 59, and 64.
NOTE 1.—Gurjat ganja.
Cultivation.—The ganja plant is not, as a rule,
cultivated on a large scale in the Gurjats. Of
the Tributary States of Orissa that have come
under my observation, I noticed ganja cultivated
comparatively to a large extent only in the State
of Khandpara. In the Gurjats, ganja grows wild,
and is not usually cultivated with a view to obtain
a large profit out of it. The seeds are neither
selected to improve the quality nor preserved with
a care to insure the power of germination.
Almost every consumer has in his nook or corner
a few straggling plants grown either spontaneously
or from seeds almost sown broadcast on the land.
The soil is never specially prepared for the
purpose and is scarcely manured. The plant is
almost left to thrive as best as it can under the
varying conditions of soil, moisture, and atmos¬
pheric conditions,
Preparation.—Only two preparations are made
out of the plant. The leaves of both the male
and female plants are utilized for use as patti,
while the twigs and the flowering tops constitu¬
ting the inflorescences of the female plants are
carefully cut down for use as ganja. It must
be noted, however, that the two sexes of the plant
are allowed to grow indiscriminately and are
never separated, nor the male plants are ever up-
rooted to prevent impregnation. As a conse-
quence of the free growth of both the male and
female plants together, the ganja obtained usually
contains a large quantity of seeds.
Qualities.—Herein lies the especial difference
between the Rajshahi and the Gurjat ganja. As a
result of wild growth of the Gurjat plants, the
properties of ganja valued by the consumers are
wanting in this ganja, and the drug is therefore
less valued by them than the cultivated variety
of Rajshahi. There is absence of flavour peculiar
to the Rajshahi ganja. It irritates the throat,
and I am told even irritates and produces a burn¬
ing sensation in the stomach of the smokers who
are not habituated to it. It brings on dysentery
and often colic in the same persons. It is
z 2