145
only to fix the tax and also the retail price. By
properly tracing these the consumption can be
checked within the described limits, the license
fees being fixed with reference to the probable
consumption of each shop.
62. Bhang.—It will not be practicable to
control the production of bhang in this district
where it grows wild. The recent attempt at
extirpation of wild bhang for inducing cultivators
to take license has proved a failure. Sufficient
evidence has been taken as to the fact that bhang
is only moderately used, and is not, as such, at all
injurious. There is hardly any taxed consump¬
tion of bhang in this district. Much is collected
for the purpose of exportation, and it is only
necessary to frame stringent rules regulating
collection and exportation; added to this the
existing rules regarding the limits of licit posses¬
sion will, I think, have the desired effect.
63. Vide reply to questions 58 and 59 for ganja.
For bhang there is hardly any sale in the market,
people getting their bhang from fields. I have
recommended for the abolition of wholesale vend
altogether in the case of ganja. In bhang, how¬
ever, this cannot be effected, as any attempt to
store wild plants in Government golas after
manufacture will not prove successful. I don't
think any cultivator will take out license for
bhang, as the drug has hardly any price, and any
rise in the price (i.e., duty) will not make it more
valuable, as it is less cared for, and the chance of
smuggling from fields cannot be altogether got
rid of.
64. Vide reply to questions 56 and 59. The
export of ganja from Rajshahi is the only thing
with which this district is concerned. The
present rules are strict, but, as I have suggested,
more safety can be attained by direct transit from
the storing Government gola to that of the gola of
the importing district.
65 and 66. Bhang.—I think the taxation is
sufficient.
Ganja.—The taxation can be increased. Mak¬
ing 6 annas the retail price per tola of chur ganja,
i.e., Rs. 30 per seer, the taxation can be fixed
thus:—
One seer.
R
Retail price
30
Cost price paid to cultivators by
Government
1
Cost of transit, cost of establish-
ment
Cost of transit, cost of establish-
ment
2
Profit to licensed dealers
4
License fees incident on each seer
4
TOTAL
11
The tax may be raised to Rs. 16 per seer, leav¬
ing Rs. 4 to fluctuation in consumption, the
gain to Government by this system being Rs. 25
per seer.
Since there is no marked difference of intensity
in the intoxication which the different sorts of
ganja produce, the proportion of twigs and stems
only come in for consideration. The ratio be¬
tween the different rates now prevalent is to my
estimate fair. The same ratio may be retained
on the event of a rise in duty.
67. Ganja.—The consumption being 210
maunds annually (in this district), the price paid
by consumers at Rs. 20 per seer (average of three
kinds) = 210 x 40 x 20 = Rs. 1,68,000.
Number of consumers 8,535 (average number
of habitual consumers, vide question 20); the
incidence of cost on each consumer is therefore
1,68,000/8,535 = Rs. 19-7-0 annually, i.e., about Rs. 20 =
Rs. 1-10-8 monthly = Rs. 0-0-10 daily.
Bhang.—The greater portion passes into con¬
sumption untaxed, hence no figures can be given.
Ganja.—The revenue being a little over
Rs. 90,000, it will be seen that about 50 per cent.
of the cost paid by consumers goes to the whole¬
sale and retail dealer, whose interests are for the
most part one and the same. With the increase of
competition amongst retail (or wholesale) dealers the
drug is sold cheaper in the market, and increase of
consumption follows. The incidence on the con¬
sumer is proportionately diminished. The question
is to effectively tax the drug, so that the fluctua¬
tion of consumption may not be left at the mercy
of the dealers. This may be done only by fixing
the retail prices and adjusting the tax and license
fees, which will restrict the consumption within
the limits desired. This will also be beneficial for
the revenue (vide note to questions 58, 59, and
65).
68. Ganja and bhang are not consumed on the
premises of licensed shops.
69. The ganja or bhang shops are not a nui¬
sance in any way, hence the wishes of the public
are not consulted. The sites, however, are pub¬
lished before being set up to auction, and any
objection voluntarily preferred is duly considered.
This I think is sufficient.
70. There is no bordering Native State or
foreign territory from which ganja is smuggled
into this district. There are sometimes stray cases
where pilgrims take with them very small quan¬
tities of Gurjati or Nepal ganja, but such cases are
rare here.
61. Evidence of BABU A. K. RAY, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Bangaon, Jessore
District.
1. Have had knowledge of ganja-smokers from
infancy; worked in Rajshahi in 1880; was Excise
Deputy Collector in Tippera in 1891; have ex¬
amined all classes of ganja-consumers and siddhi-
eaters as Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Bangaon;
have specially examined the Assistant Surgeon of
Bangaon, the local gentry and the police officers in
connection with this enquiry. Have personal
knowledge of the habits of sanyasis and bairagies,
who form a large class of ganja-smokers in Bengal.
2. Yes; charas is called charas; ganja, ganja; and
siddhi is called siddhi locally. The word "bhang"
is occasionally used for "siddhi." A few men
also call siddhi "katcha pati."
3. Rajshahi, Hill Tippera, and Orissa Tributary
States. Abundant in these three districts. To a
limited extent in 24-Parganas, Nadia, and Jessore.
4. "Siddhir gach" and "ganjar gach." The
wild siddhi plant belongs to a different variety of
the same species to which ganja belongs.
6. Ordinarily dense.
7. (a) and (c). Yes; in Rajshahi, Hill Tippera
and the Tributary States of Orissa.
Y