60
Question 46.—My written answer is based
partly on experience, such as seeing cases in the
lunatic asylum, and cases coming before me in
my capacity as Magistrate. But the cases of the
latter sort are so few that I should not be justi-
fied in generalizing upon them. Other sources of
my information are opinions furnished in answer
to my enquiries and hearsay. My impressions are
general. I have not made a study of the subject.
Question 59.—I certainly do not think that
there is any case for total prohibition of the hemp
drugs. The principles by which the restrictions
are at present regulated are sound. There may
be defects in detail, which, however, are capable
of correction without interfering with the system.
I should say that the taxation of ganja has nearly
reached the practical limit. The retail vendor
makes very little profit, and the consumer will not
be prepared to pay higher prices than he does now,
for he belongs to the poorest classes of the popu-
lation. This opinion is based on the facts I have
given in answer to question 58.
22. Evidence of MR. R. T. GREER, Deputy Commissioner of Darjeeling.
Ganja statement, Darjeeling District.
Year.
Consumption. Revenue.
Number of
cases.
M. s. ch.
R
1883-84
13 21 9
7,980
1884-85
12 27 9
7,518
1885-86
11 6 12
6,995
1886-87
13 8 7
6,805
2
1887-88
15 25 0
7,972
2
1888-89
22 0 6
9,049
1889-90
20 13 8
9,167
1890-91
17 32 6
8,883
1891-92
17 32 0
9,090
1892-93
21
9 13
9,136
6
Total
165 17
6 82,595
10
Average
16 21 12
8,259
1
It will be seen from this statement that only
to a nominal extent is Darjeeling a ganja-consum-
ing district. The average quantity per year
consumed during the last ten years has been 161/2
maunds, yielding an average yearly revenue of
R8,259. The population of the district being
2,23,314, the incidence of the tax per head of
population comes to (R0-0-7) seven pies and
consumption to quarter of a tola per annum.
The consumers are chiefly confined to the lower
classes of up-country residents (dhobies, mochies,
sweepers, sadhus, bhakats and fakirs), amongst
plainsmen and Nepalese, Rajbansis and Muham-
madans in the Terai, and a small fraction of the
Bengali population.
The bulk of the hill population, Bhutias and
Lepchas as a class, and Nepalese to a great extent,
are non-consumers. One shop at Darjeeling (fee
R60 a month) and one at Kurseong (fee R20
a month) are the only licensed places of sale in
the hills.
The ganja plant grows wild abundantly in this
district, mostly below the elevation of 4,000 feet
above sea level. The Nepalese know the use of
this plant, and the sadhus commonly prepare from
it a crude sort of ganja for smoking which they
call bhang. They never drink or eat the product
as bhang, but always smoke it like ganja.
Ordinary consumers use two pies worth of
ganja in two chillums a day, and hard smokers
more than two annas worth (or a half tola) per
day. Bhang is imported from the plains by up-
country men for their own consumption.
The consumption of ganja is regarded with
disfavor by the general population, certain classes
of religious mendicants only being freely allowed
the privilege, not for the purpose of intoxication,
but as a help for the concentration of their thoughts
in divine contemplation.
As regards this district the use of ganja is not
abused to any serious extent. The stoppage of
the sale of the drug would inevitably encourage
illicit cultivation, and drive the present consumers
to the use of other obnoxious intoxicants.
Ganga cases do not number one per annum on
an average during the past ten years. During the
last year several cases of no serious consequence
came to light.
23. Evidence of MR. H. F. T. MAGUIRE, Magistrate and Collector of Khulna.
1. I have been in the Civil Service for more
than fifteen years, and it has been part of my
business to observe ganja.
2. Dr. Prain's statements may generally be
accepted except that I think that siddhi and
bhang are always applied to the leaves of the male
hemp plant, and that bhang also means a decoc-
tion made somewhat like tea, but with cold water,
from the leaves of this plant. This last is an Uriya
expression; otherwise the same names are generally
used over the province. It is, however, necessary
to explain that generally siddhi means the dried
leaves of the male hemp plant, ganja the dried
leaves of the female hemp plant, and bhang the
hemp tea described above.
3. In Dinajpur and Bhagalpur, and in Cuttack
I think. The wild plant is abundant in Bhagal-
pur.
4. It is called siddhi in Bhagalpur. In the
other districts I was not stationed at the time of
year when the plant flourishes.
5. I cannot say.
6. Rather dense.
7. Yes; in Rajshahi, Dinajpur and perhaps a
little in neighbouring districts, but there is official
information about this which I have not got.
8 and 9. See official information.