182
In the preceding year Mr. Grant had delivered
himself as follows on the subject:—
"I am afraid that this (increase in the consump¬
tion of ganja and decrease in that of opium) is
something very like an unmixed evil. It means
that
people are substituting ganja,— a cheaper
and infinitely more mischievous and deleterious
drug. Instead of consuming maunds 3—11 of
comparatively harmless opium the people consumed
maunds 3—27—11½ of ganja, which is, beyond
all comparison, the drug which has least to be
said in its favour and most to be against it. I
strongly advocate a return to the old rate for
opium, not because the new rate has so materially
decreased the revenue, but because it is fast driv¬
ing the people of Balasore to that resort to ganja
which we know to be the root of the evils in the
Uriya character."
Extreme views on a subject of this kind should
no doubt be accepted with caution. But when we
find that there has, for a long series of years,
always been a consensus of opinion amongst per¬
sons who had the best opportunities to study the
question, I think that opinion cannot be thrown
aside easily. Elsewhere I have quoted from several
published reports of Government how Government,
the Board, and the subordinate officials have
always spoken against ganja, and how they consi¬
dered that it would be a blessing for the people if
they were to substitute alcohol for ganja. Here
I shall content myself with two or three more
quotations in support of my views,
Let us see what His Honour the Lieutenant-
Governor says so long ago as 1874. Reviewing
the excise administration of 1873-74, His Honour
says as follows (vide page 3 of the resolution
appended to the report):—
"The Member in charge does not think that the
time has yet arrived for any further increase of
the duty. It appears, however, to the Lieutenant-
Governor that, of all excisable articles, the impo
sition of an almost prohibitive duty on ganja
admits of the best justification upon both moral
and economical grounds. It is generally agreed
that even the moderate consumption of ganja is
deleterious, and that its use leads to crime, to insa¬
nity, and other dreadful consequences. The condi¬
tions of its production are such that surreptitious
cultivation appears scarcely to be possible. The
cultivation of the ganja plant is not, like that of
the poppy, spread over an extensive area. The whole
of Bengal is supplied with ganja from a tract not
exceeding 800 acres in Rajshahi. Supervision is
consequently easy, and the imposition of a higher
duty, if it resulted in a loss of revenue, would do
so only by diminishing consumption. For the
sake of the people, the Lieutenant-Governor
earnestly commends this subject to the consideration
of the Board."
Let us now see what the Bengal Excise Commis¬
sion says on this subject—
"It is to be regretted, however, that this is due
to some extent to the use of the pernicious drug
ganja in these tracts."
Let us again see what the Government of India
says—
"Ganja is a drug which is far more injurious in
its effects than spirit or any other drug commonly
consumed."—(Despatch to the Secretary of State,
No. 29 of 1890, dated Calcutta, the 4th February
1890.)
43. Ganja-smokers, whether indulging in the
drug in moderation or in excess, are anything but
agreeable neighbours. Always irritable and
quarrelsome, neither age nor sex nor respectabili-
ty would count for anything with them. They
are incapable of bearing the mildest opposition or
contradiction, though others would be expected by
them to submit to their views as a matter of
course. They would not shrink from insulting
the most respectable and inoffensive persons on
the slightest provocation or on some imaginary
cause of provocation. To preserve self-respect
and honour, every respectable person would do his
best to avoid coming in contact with a ganja-
smoker.
The evil is further intensified by the fact that
these ganja-smokers are always to be found in
company. There is always to be found a circle of
ganja-smokers in a village. They form the
desperate, the badmash section of the people, and
the fact that few would be willing to contradict
them makes them the more arrogant and oppressive.
Helps in one of his essays says that it is never¬
theless a fact, though we do not generally recognise
it, that the constant presence of a few bad charac¬
ters in a neighbourhood brings to its more peaceful
members infinitely more trouble and unhappiness
than any temporary epidemic or pestilence.
I think the remark is very appropriate with
reference to the presence of these ganja-smokers
in our villages.
44. Ganja-smokers say that the immediate
effect of smoking ganja is something more to be
felt than described. So far as outward manifesta¬
tion is concerned, ganja-smoking produces an
atmosphere of intolerable odour and induces in the
smoker a fit of coughing. These effects are any¬
thing but agreeable. But there is no doubt that,
after the smoke is taken, the consumer feels
refreshed and a sort of inward pleasure. Intoxica¬
tion, i.e., becoming incapable of controlling one's
self, is scarcely produced. But generally the man
becomes talkative, prone to laughter, and eager to
assume an air of self-importance. I do not think
it has a tendency to allay hunger, though in the
excitement of the moment some sort of abnormal
energy may be called forth, and the man induced
to undergo exertions or troubles which, under
ordinary circumstances, he would not readily under¬
take.
In the case of habitual consumers, the use of
ganja and bhang does not create any new appetite,
though persons who have become addicted to any
of these drugs will have no taste for food if they
cannot take their usual smoke.
Occasional consumers of bhang become capable
of eating a larger quantity of food by taking
bhang than their usual diet; but the after affects
of over-filling the belly are produced in such cases
as much as in any other case.
The immediate effect of ganja-smoking lasts for
a very short time—at most an hour; that of bhang
drinking lasts for a considerable time like alcohol.
The after effects are reaction of the temporary
excitement. Depression follows as a necessary
consequence.
A person addicted to any of these drugs will
feel great uneasiness if he be unable to take his
usual smoke. He will have no taste for food.
45. The use of these drugs is, in my opinion,
productive of noxious effects, physical, mental,
and moral. Physically, it impairs the constitu¬
tion and produces chronic bronchitis and asthma.
Almost all ganja-smokers suffer from chronic
bronchitis or asthma. Ganja-smokers generally
die of consumption or acute dysentery.