181
20 of the previous year's report. It is most em¬
barrassing to find that the two sets of figures are
wholly discrepant, and there is nothing to indi¬
cate which of them are correct. Taking, however,
the later figures to be correct, it is possible to put
them side by side with the consumption of ganja
in these districts for the corresponding years, and
thus ascertain whether increased consumption of
the one has been accompanied by decreased con¬
sumption of the other.
In doing this, however, we must note, as I have
already pointed out, that a seer of flat and a seer
of round ganja contains about 12/16 and 15/16 parts res¬
pectively of real ganja, and the remaining parts of
useless wood. We must, therefore, take into ac¬
count this difference, and in expressing the con¬
sumption of ganja, flat and round ganja consump¬
tion must be reduced to the chur kind on the basis
of these proportions. Making these calculations,
we have the consumption of ganja and liquor for
Rajshahi Division with Malda and Purnea as fol¬
lows:—
1888-89.
1889-90.
1890-91.
1891-92.
Country spirits in gallons 4 P.
174,043
170,747
187,785
176,998
Ganja in Maunds.
840
812
829
737
From the above we see that increased consump¬
tion in liquor has been accompanied by increased
and not decreased consumption of ganja, and vice
versá; decreased consumption of liquor has been
accompanied by decreased consumption in ganja.
The figures, therefore, negative the inference that
ganja has been abandoned in favour of liquor.
They point out that the fluctuations are due to
causes which affect equally the consumers of both
these articles, such as general prosperity or adver¬
sity of the people.
37. I have not observed the effects of charas-
smoking. No charas shop exists in the district
of Malda.
38. I understand that flat ganja, when bereft
of the useless wood, produces on the consumer
effects which lost for a longer period than the
other varieties of ganja. It is, however, milder
than the round ganja, which is again milder than
the chur.
39. The normal way of consuming bhang is by
drinking, and of consuming ganja is by smoking.
The other modes are abnormal and, therefore, more
injurious.
40. Bhang and also ganja enter into the com¬
position of many medicines recognised by the
Ayurvedic system. Bhang in small doses is taken
as a household medicine in case of indigestion
brought on by over-eating or any similar cause.
I am unable to say whether any of these drugs
is used in the treatment of cattle-disease.
41. I think none of these virtues really exist in
any of these drugs. It is, however, a fact that a
man who had become a slave to any of these drugs
will not be able to (a) digest his food, or (b) to
bear exertion, exposure or fatigue, or (c) to with¬
stand the effects of an unhealthy climate, without
these drugs. But then the virtues in that case do
not exist in the drug, but are created for it by its
votary. A ganja-smoker will not be able to take
his food unless he takes before his usual chillum of
ganja. Boatmen, particularly those of East
Bengal, pretend that they cannot bear the exposure
and fatigue without taking ganja. But I know
boatmen who manage to do without ganja, and
yet do not fear to expose themselves, when neces¬
sary, to rain and sun. In East Bengal it is only
the Sudra boatmen who are pre-eminent in their
praise of ganja. But the Namasudra and Muham-
madan boatmen, who are, as a rule, more robust
than the Sudras, very rarely take ganja. The
Sudras take ganja because they have the vicious
propensity for it, and not because it has any
inherent virtues in it. In the same way the Raj
Bangsis and Koches of Dinajpur, Rajshahi, and
Malda extol ganja as a preventive of malarious
fever. But malaria is there all the same, and
hundreds of people are dying every month whether
they smoke ganja or not. In these tracts the
women, who do not smoke ganja, are healthier
than the men.
42. Far from considering it harmless, whether
taken in moderation or excess, I consider ganja to
be the most injurious form of intoxicant used by
any people on earth. Until quite recently, I
have never heard anybody saying a word in favour
of this drug. On the contrary, sweeping denun¬
ciation has always been made as to the effects of
ganja-smoking by persons most competent to give
an opinion on the subject. I think it worth while
to quote some of these opinions.
Mr. Grant, Collector of Balasore, observes (see
Bengal Excise Administration Report for 1883-
84):—
"I can only regard this rapid increase in the use
of ganja as altogether lamentable. It is the only
exciseable article in favour of which nothing can
be said. It seems to have absolutely no virtue,
and to do harm the very first time it is used. In
shorter time than any other intoxicant, it estab¬
lishes a craving habit, and is more irresistible
than that created by any other. I cannot believe
that the dearness of opium has done much to in¬
crease the consumption of ganja, and most unfor¬
tunately the price of ganja, which was very cheap
before, has fallen during the year."
" I said last year that I thought it regretable
that the price of opium has been raised. I can
only repeat my opinions; at all events as far as
Orissa is concerned, the measure is a bad one as
regards the morality of the districts and as regards
the revenue. For the past two years the local
consumption of opium (a dear drug yielding a
high revenue, a medical drug, hurtful only if
abused) has greatly decreased, and its place has
been supplied by a cheap drug that has nothing
but the most seriously bad result from any use of
it at all."
"Under ordinary circumstances, it is desirable
to discourage the use of ganja by making its
price as high as it can safely be made; but, under
the circumstances of Orissa, it seems to me to be
very unwise to do what amounts to forcing people
to the extended use of most pernicious and cheap
and accessible drug by putting what becomes a
prohibitive price on the use of a very dear,
comparatively harmless and often useful drug. If
the thing is possible, I would reduce the price of
opium in Orissa to what it was in 1879-80, and
I would also raise the duty on ganja from R4
to R5."
Though there would be few to agree with Mr.
Grant for lowering the price of opium, I think
everyone would endorse his views on the effects
of ganja-smoking. In fact, in the next line we
find.
"The Commissioner agrees with Mr. Grant in
his condemnation of ganja, and is in favour of the
duty being raised."