INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION.
EVIDENCE OF BOMBAY WITNESSES.
1. Evidence of the HON'BLE MR. T. D. MACKENZIE, Commissioner of Customs,
Salt, Abkari and Opium, Bombay.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I have little special experience
about the hemp drugs The subject attracted
little attention until this Commission was appoint-
ed. On 1st August I completed twenty-eight
years' service. I have served in every capacity in
the executive administration, except Divisional
Commissioner in actual charge. For two periods
I have been Commissioner of Excise, making to-
gether about eighteen months,
Question 59. —The use of the hemp drugs may
be said to be general; but I am not able to speak
with any personal knowledge as to the proportion
of the population which uses them. The only know-
ledge I have of increase and decrease is based on the
figures given in my reports. My impression is
that cultivation is on the decrease in consequence
of the restrictions imposed by the regulations for
sale of the produce. There is only one wholesale
vendor besides the cultivators, and he is in the
Kolaba district. He imports from other districts,
and supplies the Bombay market. The local supply
of the drugs is, of course, supplemented by im-
ports. These imports seem to show an increase in
the Northern Division, and the drugs come for
the most part, as well as I can ascertain, from
Ahmednagar and Satara. But the increase in
recent years is not very important. In the Cen-
tral Division there is a tendency in the imports to
decrease; but I do not think there has been any
material reduction in consumption in the Division.
There is a material increase of imports in the
Southern Division, notably in the Dharwar district.
This indicates an increase of consumption, and the
tendency is still to increase. On the point whe-
ther the consumption of the whole presidency is
growing or falling off, I should refer to the figures
of retail sales supplied by the licensed vendors.
These are as trustworthy as we can get; but they
cannot be regarded as better than approximate.
If there is any tendency to general increase of
consumption it is very slight indeed.
Regarding the substitution of drugs for alcohol
or the reverse, I cannot speak with great con-
fidence. I do not think there is cause to believe
that drug consumers are taking to liquor. There
is no temptation to do so. 1 certainly think liquor
consumers are not taking to the drugs. The
classes of the consumers of the two intoxicants are
quite distinct. Theoretically, the cheapness of the
drugs would be a temptation to people to consume
them; but practically the habits of the people
prevent the change taking place.
I have had a good many years' experience as
Magistrate and Collector in Ahmedabad, Belgaum,
Thana, Broach, Khandesh, and I cannot recall
any cases in which crime was traceable to the use
of ganja or bhang. I cannot speak as to the effect
on people's health, for the consumption is so
trivial. I have certainly not noticed any deteriora-
tion in the health of the people from this cause.
I should, therefore, he opposed to the prohibition
of the drug or any severe restriction. The effect
of such restriction would, in all probability, drive
the people to more deleterious drugs, such as
dhatura, which is ready to hand in every village.
I have not known dhatura to be used as a substi-
tute for the hemp drugs, or as an admixture for
strengthening the effect of the hemp drugs.
Though I have not this experience, still I think it
quite possible that the ascetic class would take to
it. No other alternative drug suggests itself to
me at the moment. The ascetic class would not
take to alcohol, because they could not afford it.
If the price of the hemp drugs were much raised,
the ascetics would probably stint themselves of food
in order to get the drugs and so do themselves
great injury. I do not think the labouring classes,
who use the drugs, would take to dhatura. They
would rather take to alcohol. I think this would
probably do less harm, the liquor being toddy or
spirit of good quality, such as is supplied from
central distilleries, than the hemp drugs do. I
refer in these answers to the moderate use of either
intoxicant. I do not think hemp consumers would
take to opium, because it is an intoxicant of a
different character. Those who indulge in a strong
stimulant would not be likely to take to a sedative
drug. In this respect I should wish to modify the
concluding portion of paragraph 17 of my memo-
randum. As regards the objects which Govern-
ment should keep in view in reference to excise
of these drugs, I think there is a demand for the
hemp drugs, and that the demand will be satis-
fied legitimately or illegitimately. Government
should, therefore, exercise a certain amount of con-
trol over the drugs, its measures should not be so
restrictive as to induce smuggling and other crimes,
and Government should at the same time be entitled
to derive such revenue as it legitimately can from
this source. The policy should be one of restric-
tion so far as restriction is possible, and I base
this opinion on the reputed effects of the drugs.
If absolute restriction were possible, I think it
would be a good thing. But the territories of the
Bombay presidency interlace so extensively with
foreign territory, where the cultivation of the
drug cannot be controlled, that this would not be
possible. I think also that the feeling, which
would be aroused among the consumers and those
who sympathise with, and are influenced by, them,
makes such restriction undesirable. When I say
reputed effects of the drug, I mean the effects of
the drugs on the people generally, whether taken
in excess or moderation. This view of mine does
not extend to alcohol or opium. I am not able to
vol. vii.