94
ed by him in this behalf, regard being had to the
duty paid by the farmer and the cost of the drugs.
64 to 66. This has been explained in the answer
to the questions 58 and 59, There seems no objec--
tion to a same rate of taxation being imposed on
bhang and ganja.
67. The imposition of a high duty as suggested
in the answer to question 59 would relieve poorer
classes from this vice, as their means generally
would not enable them to purchase the drug at
the proposed rate. It is, however, true that persons
who can afford that rate would buy, but the
number of such persons is very small ; but, all
things considered, the number of consumers would
decrease.
68. The number of persons openly drinking on
the premises of licensed shops is very small ; there
is a suggestion on the part of respectable classes
that the consumption on the premises should not
be allowed as tending to multiply the number ad-
-dicted to this vice, and causing annoyance to the
general public ; but as the use of ganja, and bhang
is prejudicial to the health of the consumers, it
seems to me desirable that special measures should
be adopted to check the spread of the vice and
gradually reduce the number of consumers. As
observed in the answer to question 67 the imposi-
-tion of a duty would lessen the number of the
poorer classes of consumers and confine its pur-
chase to persons of means. My opinion therefore
on this part of the subject is that a rule should be
made providing that persons wishing to purchase
bhang or prepare ghota should consume the stuff
on the premises of the shops. This measure will
deter persons whose means permit them to indulge
in this drug from resorting to the shops for con-
- s u m i n g t h e d r u g t h e r e o n t h e p r e m i s e s , a s t o d o s o
will be felt by them as a very disgraceful act.
Thus the number of persons resorting to the shops
will be considerably reduced. I therefore consider
that the rule requiring consumption on the premis-
- e s s h o u l d b e p a s s e d .
69. Whenever a shop is desired in any village
for the sale of this drug, the farmer first makes an
application. The wishes of the villagers are then
consulted ; and on consideration of the extent of
consumption of bhang and ganja in that village,
the shop is allowed if the villagers wished it, and
there is no objection on other grounds. I see no
necessity for a change in this system.
70. Instances of smuggling of such drugs from
Native States are not detected. There is, however,
a considerable cultivation of ganja in Native States,
and it is sold there at cheaper rates, There is there--
fore reason to believe that persons addicted to this
drug and residing in British villages on the fron--
tier are in the habit of illicitly importing ganja
into British territory.
42. Evidence of RAO SAHEB VITHAL RAGHUNATH DANJI Mamlatdar and
Magistrate, 2nd class, Vengurla, Batnagiri.
51. Generally speaking, only a few bad charac-
ters are to be found amongst those who consume
these drugs (excepting charas, which is not known
in this district) on a moderate scale. It is to be
observed that these consumers on a moderate scale
have connection with gambling and ordinarily not
with any other crime.
52. There are but very few such kind of consu-
mers here, and of them a larger proportion (than
that of moderate consumers) are bad characters,
and take to gambling, petty thieving, petty violence
and immoral acts.
53. Excessive indulgence in any of these drugs
is generally believed to incite to such crime, though
such a case has not crossed my experience. There
was not a case of this kind in my own court or in
any office I served. But I hove read High Court
decisions (Indian Law Report, Vol. XIV, page
564) in which the accused was addicted to smoking
for two years and thereby two murders, one of his
wife and the other of his child, were committed by
him. Therefore, I think that the using of hemp
drugs spoils the head and induces the frenzy allud-
- e d t o .
54. There was not a case in my court in which
a criminal had fortified himself by the use of these
drugs to commit a crime. But I have known in-
stances in which people wishing to be rough or
violent in religious assemblies or processions forti-
- f i e d t h e m s e l v e s i n t h e m a n n e r i n d i c a t e d b y t h e
question.
55. A case of the kind meant by the question
has not come within my personal experience as a
Karkun or as a Magistrate. Excessive use of
ganja or bhang alone is known to induce complete
stupefaction for a stated period ; but with admix-
-ture of dhatura or such other drugs, the stupefying
intoxication is more easily reached in practice.
As mentioned above, the use of charas is not
known in this district.
43. Evidence of RAO SAHIB L. M. DESHPANDE, Brahmin, Mamlatdar and
Magistrate, 1st Class, Poona City.
7. Cultivation.—In this district hemp plant is
cultivated for ganja and bhang. Wild plant is
not known. The extent of cultivation at present
is about 10 acres only, and the figures for the last
ten years have varied every year and ranged between
30 and 10 acres. The outturn has been on an
average only 180 maunds, which is very trifling.
14. Manufacture.—Ganja alone is manufactured
from the plant, neither c h aras nor bhang in the
sense in which it is understood in Upper India.
The dried flowering tops are called ganja, and the
bits of leaves and the fragments detached from the
flowering tops while being trodden under foot are
called bhang. Charas is seldom used in this
district. Majum, yakuti, and gulkand and shri
-kand are the confections prepared from the ganja.
19. Uses.— The drugs are used sometimes medi-
cinally, but more frequently for smoking and
eating. Ganja is smoked, and bhang is used for
making a cooling and refreshing beverage called
ghota. The other sweetmeats are eaten by habi--
tual consumers.
Consumers.—The consumption is not con-
fined to any particular class. Almost all classes
use the drug, but chiefly the gosavis, sadhus, fakirs,
hakims, and all men of mendicant class going on a