483
an increase of duty on alcohol, which is un-
doubtedly greater of the two evils. The change
may act beneficially in the interests of morality.
66. In my opinion it is necessary that there
should be different rates of taxation for different
kinds of ganja. Chur or broken ganja should
fetch highest duty as it contains no twigs.
67 and 68. No.
69. The police is asked to report before a shop is
opened in any locality. I think local opinion
should be considered on the subject.
70. Answer is "no" to the first and last
questions. Duty is, I believe, really paid in respect
to ganja used in this district.
226. Evidence of BABU AMRITALAL RAHA, Kayasth, Pleader, Judge's Court and
Talukdar, Khulna.
1. I have taken some interest in this matter,
and hence by observation and by collecting in-
formation, I have come to know the matters in
regard to which my answers have been framed.
2. Most of these definitions may be accepted
for my province.
3. My information is that bhang grows spon-
taneously in all the districts of Lower Bengal. I
am told that in some districts ganja grows spon-
taneously.
4. Bhang and siddhi are known to be the same
thing. They refer exactly to the same thing, the
difference being that bhang, when dried up, is
generally called sidhhi, but bhang in its undried
state is never called sidhhi in this part of the pro-
vince.
5. Wild hemp generally grows on low lands.
6. The growth of wild hemp is generally dense
and sometimes scattered.
7. As far as I know, there is no cultivation of
hemp plant in this part of the province.
10. No, they do not. They are of the same
classes as other agricultural cultivators.
13. (a) No. The cultivation is not common to
all districts.
(b) I do not think so.
(c) I do not think so, as I have seen wild
ganja plants grow in some places in my dis-
trict.
16. (a) Yes.
(b) Yes.
(c) Yes.
17. By low class people.
18. Yes, it does. No; it does not quite lose its
effects. With ordinary care, it keeps good for six
months and sometimes for one year. Damp is
certainly one of the causes, but I do not know of
any other cause. One ganja-smoker has told me
that exposure to air deteriorates the narcotic effect
of ganja. I think that if it be kept air-tight de-
terioration may be prevented.
19. Ganja is generally used for smoking pur-
poses, but it is sometimes used for medicinal pur-
poses.
20. Low class people smoke ganja. It is rarely
used by high class people. The proportion is in
my estimation two per cent. Charas is smoked by
people of both the classes. The proportion, ac-
cording to my information, is very small, say one
to a thousand. There is no particular locality,
but, on careful observation, I have found that the
low class people of the up-country are more addicted
to ganja-smoking than that of the lower pro-
vince of Bengal.
21. Both.
23. Bhang is sometimes used for smoking by
ganja-smokers, when they have not ganja at their
disposal. I am told that in rare cases people out
of curiosity use bhang for smoking. This is done
by people of low class generally.
24. Some females of up-country eat bhang.
Both high and low class people drink bhang. It
is not confined to any particular locality. The
proportion may be two per cent.
25. To the best of my information the use of
ganja and bhang is on the increase. The only
reason for this that I have been able to ascertain,
is the abolition of the out-still system. This sys-
tem created a good number of drunkards almost
in all the villages, as the country liquor was sold
at a very low price. Now that the liquor is no
longer available at low price, these people have
mostly resorted to the use of ganja and bhang.
27. Labouring classes are habitual moderate
consumers of ganja. Vagabonds and low-lived
people are habitual excessive consumers. People of
high class are occasional excessive consumers.
28. (a) One anna per diem (ganja-smokers).
(b) Four annas per diem
(
do.
).
31. (a) Yes.
(b) No.
(c) Yes.
32. In some part of this province bhang is taken
or rather drunk by people of all classes in small
doses on the Dasera day, i.e., the day on which
the Durga Puja ceremony comes to a close. This
use of bhang is not essential. It is generally
taken in such small dose that it can never lead to
the formation of the habit. It is not otherwise
injurious.
33. Bhang drinking is scarcely taken notice of,
but the consumption of ganja and charas is
generally regarded with hatred.
The public
opinion (social) is everywhere strong against it.
The sentiment may be attributed to the fact that
the ganja and charas smokers are always low-lived,
have scarcely any sense of honour or of duty, are
victims of many filthy diseases and generally
meet with early death. I am not aware of any
custom of worshipping the hemp plant on certain
occasions by certain sects of the people.
34. To those who drink bhang for medicina
purposes, I think it would be a serious privation
to forego the consumption of the drug. To gan-
ja and charas smokers it would be a privation, no
doubt, for some time. The bhang-drinkers are
likely to suffer in health and spirits if they are to
forego its consumption. The ganja and charas
smokers will feel some difficulty for a number of
days, but afterwards they would be gainers in
health, so the foregoing of its use will be of no
privation to them.
35. I do not think it feasible to prohibit the
use of bhang, as it is sometimes used or drunk for
3 S 2