502
seems to be simply ridiculous in view of the
opinions of medical experts, of the amount of
crimes committed under its influence, and in view
of the fact which experience tells us that ganja
has a "special effect on some of the various
animal passions, such as courage, anger, revenge
and lust, and in renewing those lost or exciting
those exhausted or depressed." Statement VII,
of the reports of the lunatic asylums in Bengal
for the years 1889, 1890, 1891, and 1892, shew
that of the total admissions, 26.72 per cent. in
1889, 25.38 per cent. in 1890, 24.88 per cent.
in 1891, and 23.49 per cent. in 1892, are attri-
buted to Indian hemp. So in the opinion of
Surgeon-Colonel J. G. Pilcher, F.R.C.S., Offi-
ciating Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals in
Bengal "the use of ganja or other preparation
of Indian hemp is by far the most fruitful cause
of admissions throughout India. The next potent
cause is spirit drinking, .... while the use of
opium seems to give rise to comparatively little
insanity in the community . . . ." (paragraph
19, Lunatic Asylums' Report, 1889),—vide also
paragraph 14, paragraph 15, paragraph 12 of the
Lunatic Asylums' Report for 1890, 1891, 1892,
respectively. Mr. C. J. O'Donnell, Superinten-
dent of Census Operations in Bengal, 1891, thus
observes in respect of the use of ganja in his census
report, Volume III, page 240: "Although it is
possible that there may be a racial strain towards
insanity in Northern and Eastern Bengal, it is
very probable that the greater preference evinced
by the people for toxic drugs, such as ganja or
Indian hemp, must be taken into account. The
intoxicants in use in Behar and Chota Nagpore,
a dilute form of spirit obtained from the flower of
the mohua tree, the fermented juice of the Palmyra
palm and rice beer are all comparatively weak
liquors and never known to induce mental disorder.
Ganja, on the other hand, is unquestionably very
deleterious, being recognized throughout Bengal
as a brain excitant of a very dangerous kind."
Benjamin Ward Richardson, M.A., F.R.S., thus
observes: "We have, however, sufficient evidence
of bad effect to be certain that the peculiar intoxi-
cation induced by the narcotic (hemp drug) is
certainly destructive to sound mental life
"
(Abkari, January 1892, page 10). Brigade-Sur-
geon R. Pringle, M.D., in his note on ganja
says: "the action of ganja on the system, when
taken alone and without any controlling power, is
very remarkable, and but little known on account
of its rare occurrence, and appears to resemble that
of no other drug in the absence of all narcotism,
but yet combined with strange temporary loss of
will power and that of memory, with inability to
concentrate thought."
Statement VII of the Lunatic Asylums' Report
shows also the amount of crimes committed under
ganja influence. A full and complete return on
that head is not available. In Rajshahi (specially
in Puthia and Nator) and Hughli districts most
of the pilferings are imputed to the ganja and
opium smokers. At the Faridpur Sessions during
the current year two cases* of brutal murder (one
of murdering a wife and child and the other of
murdering a lame boy) have been tried, and the
criminals declared to be insane, the cause of.
insanity being attributed to ganja smoking.
All
these and the criminal propensities of the ganja.
smokers lead to the irresistible conclusion that
ganja is a real evil, not to speak of an annual drain
of about 22 lakhs of rupees on the poverty-
stricken and half-famished people of Bengal..
Then it is said that the abolition of Government
monopoly will increase ganja consumption.
If
free cultivation is allowed, it will no doubt have
that effect, but that is not what is wanted. The
thing that is wanted is a prohibition of ganja
cultivation altogether, except on a small scale for
medical purposes, if necessary, and even that
under the direct control and supervision of Gov-
ernment. The abolition of out-stills has caused
a decrease in the consumption of country liquors;
so entire prohibition of ganja cultivation will put
a stop to ganja smoking. The greater the diffi-
culty of attainment, the lesser the consumption.
Ganja is not a food, much less a food of a "highly
concentrated nature." So, if it is not available in
the market, very few will care to cultivate it,
specially when there would be apprehension of a
criminal prosecution in case of detection, which,
under the cautious vigilance of district authorities,
will never be a difficult task. That habitual and
hard ganja smokers can do without it admits of
no doubt, but they will not give up the habit
except under compulsion or sanction of the law.
Ganja-smoking prisoners are forced to give it up
as soon as they are incarcerated, and instances are
not rare that inveterate ganja smokers come out
corrected from jail, never indulging thereafter in
the pernicious habit.
It is very difficult to suggest a probable sub-
stitute for ganja. Liquor may be one, and a
peculiar preparation of strong tobacco may also
serve the purpose. But in all cases it will depend
on a man's individual evil propensities and craving
for intoxicants to take or not to take a substitute.
In conclusion, this Society begs leave to urge
upon the Commission to consider the justice and
propriety of a just, benign and Christian Govern-
ment to allow cultivation and sale of a drug which
has been excluded from some countries, and in
England doubly protected in the poison list.
Oral evidence.
The Band of Hope, Faridpur, is a Temperance
Society. It numbers 474 members, the majority
of whom belong to Faridpur. Quarterly and
special meetings are held at Faridpur. A meeting
was held in connection with the present subject,
at which my letter, which had been previously
drafted, was approved.
I had been appointed to
draw up the letter by the Executive Committee.
The letter was approved by a general meeting.
The Faridpur Band of Hope is affiliated with the
Anglo-Indian Temperance Association of London.
The authorities upon which the Association
relies in framing the opinion stated in my letter
are almost all quoted in the letter itself.
After
the Association approved my letter, there was no
further consultation on the subject. I am not
aware therefore of any other grounds, byond those
stated in the letter, for the opinion held by the
Association.
As regards the two cases quoted in paragraph
7, in which brutal murder is alleged to have been
attributed to ganja-smoking, which brought on
insanity in the criminals, there was evidence in
the records of the cases that ganja had caused the
insanity. In saying this I act upon information.
I have no personal knowledge. I told the Asso-
ciation about these cases. When I submitted my
draft I explained these cases. So far as I re-
collect, the Sessions clerk, who is a member of
the Band of Hope, was my informant. I had
heard rumours of these cases, and that led me to
enquire about them. I do not know whether the
Sessions clerk was aware, at the time I made en-
quiries of him, that his information was to be used
* See note appended to witness's evidence.