141
under-proof strength will cost at least one anna, and
this quantity of liquor is not considered enough for
a moderate drinker, So that if the tax on ganja and
bhang is doubled, and the selling price is made
twice as high as it is now, these drugs will still
be cheaper than country liquor, and there will be
no danger of driving the consumer to the use of
country liquor.
64. Nil.
65. Half a pice worth of bhang is sufficient for
a moderate consumer of bhang, while one pice is
necessary as regards ganja and four pice as regards
liquor. So that it is possible to raise the tax on
bhang and ganja to twice as much as shown in
reply No. 63.
66. Formerly one rate was in force, but in
1864-65, in order to equalise the incidence of the
tax on the exciseable portion of the drug, the
present system of charging different rates of duty
was introduced. This is necessary, or else flat
ganja would not sell. From one seer of flat ganja
the vendor can sell only 9 to 11 chhattaks, and from
one seer of round ganja 14 to 15 chhattaks. The
saleable ganja varies according to the produce of
the year and the quantity of twigs in the ganja.
67. None.
68. No. There is nothing, however, to prevent
people smoking ganja or consuming bhang in the
shops where they are sold. As the public do not
object, I have nothing to suggest.
69. When an application for a new shop is
made, local enquiry is made by the excise subor¬
dinates and by the Excise Deputy Collector, if
necessary. It is not necessary to consult public
opinion as regards the localities of these shops, as
they are considered perfectly harmless.
70. I had two cases in Champaran where
Sadhus had brought with them small quantities
of ganja from Nepal, where the drug is very cheap.
But these were rare cases, and I do not think any
extraordinary measure is necessary to prevent this
sort of smuggling. A little more vigilance on
the part of the Frontier Police and our excise de¬
tectives will put a stop to them. Very little of
any untaxed ganja is used in this province, but
such is not the case with bhang, which grows wild
and can be had without any difficulty.
59. Evidence of BABU PRAKASH CHANDRA SINGHA, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy
Collector, Chandpur, Tippera.
19. In this district, as far as I know, ganja is
used only for smoking.
20. Lower-class Hindus, such as Charals and
Kaibartas, in Tippera smoke ganja.
27. In North Tippera, some years ago, some
ganja smokers introduced a kind of worship called
"Trinath's puja." Smoking some ganja was an
essential part of the worship. This became a
favourite amusement of the low-class Hindus, and
I knew many lads learn ganja smoking in this
institution. The institution is now becoming un¬
popular.
30. Smoking ganja is mainly confined to the
male sex. It is not usual for children to consume
ganja.
31. When the habit has once been formed it is
difficult to break it off. I had some tenants who
took to smoking and got into the habit. They
tried to break it off, but were unsuccessful.
32. Answer given in connection with question
27. In the worship of Trinath, smoking ganja
is essential.
33. With the higher classes all forms of
narcotic, except tobacco, are in disrepute.
34. As smoking ganja does not do anybody any
good, I do not think there would be any serious
privation to any class of consumers to forego the
consumption.
35. I do not think the prohibition would lead
to any political danger. It is only the worthless
among the community that use the drugs.
45. Yes, it does. I know two lives which I
studied. They were both moderate smokers of
ganja. One was a strong man and the other of a
weakly constitution. As the strong man went on
smoking he gradually became idiotic and idle, and
lastly he died vomiting blood. The weaker of the
two preserved his intellect till he died, but he too
died vomiting blood, probably due to disorder of
lungs caused by ganja smoking.
46. Moderate use produced the effect noted in
answer to question 45. It took some time to pro¬
duce the effects noted, and excessive use is likely
to produce them in a much shorter time.
47. Not hereditary in either of the two in¬
stances noted (45).
48. Excessive use can produce in a shorter time
the evils noted in answer to question 45.
51 and 52. As far as I know, there is no connec¬
tion between the two. There are more criminals
amongst Muhammadans than among Hindus; but
I think there are more ganja smokers among Hin¬
dus than amongst Muhammadans.
53 and 54. None has come to my knowledge.
69. In these matters local public opinion should
invariably be obtained. I knew of places where
opening such shops was considered objectionable by
the higher classes of people.
60. Evidence of BABU SURENDRANATH MOZOOMDAR, Brahmin, Special Excise
Deputy Collector, Monghyr.
1. Experience gained from personal observa¬
tion, personal knowledge and inquiries instituted
through subordinate agency in the Excise Depart¬
ment.
2. Dr. Prain's definition may be accepted for
bhang. I have no personal experience of the
manufacture of charas and ganja, but, as far as I
know, the definitions are correct, Bhang grows
wild in the district of Monghyr, and both male
and female plants are collected under that name.
Bhang is locally termed here for siddhi, subji,
patti, etc.
3. (Answer refers to bhang only.)
I have seen bhang grow wild in the following
districts (1) Muzaffarpur, (2) Bhagalpur, (3)
Monghyr. It is abundantly grown in the last-
mentioned districts.
4. Bhang.
5. Districts of Monghyr and Bhagalpur. The
climate is temperate, soil alluvial with basaltic
rocky formation in the southern portion of the
districts. The growth is scanty in the latter