CH. XIV.] REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. 267
The past history of the case how
far to be relied upon.
556. Again, there are a certain number of persons whose evidence before the
Commission points to the assumption that the case
for prohibition of the hemp drugs has already been
established in the records of the Government, and that further enquiry implies
a wilful blindness to what has been abundantly proved by such records. A
reference to Chapter XII of this Report will show how untrustworthy these records
are in regard to the production of insanity by the use of the drugs—an aspect of
the question which is of the utmost importance, and has formed the basis
of nearly all the official opinion heretofore recorded against such use. And,
after availing themselves fully of every opportunity of consulting the official
literature on the subject, the Commission have arrived at the conclusion that it
shows little originality, and that a very limited amount of personal observation
has been made to do duty as the basis of large conclusions. The want of reli-
able data has been compensated by annual reiteration until the stamp of anti-
quity has secured for the opinions so expressed a large amount of acquiescence
among officials who had neither the time nor the opportunity to examine the
matter for themselves. So far, therefore, as the effects of the hemp drugs are
concerned, the Commission have had to approach the subject as almost a tabula
rasa, and, while availing themselves of the imperfect data previously collected, have
endeavoured to avoid accepting any conclusions without a substantial foundation
of well ascertained facts. The attitude, however, of the Government in regard to
the question may be briefly described. So far back as 1798 an inquiry was made
in Bengal regarding the quality of ten intoxicating articles—"opium, madak, ganja,
subzi, bhang, majum, banker, charas, tobacco, and toddy—" with a view to determin-
ing whether it might not be advisable to prohibit altogether the sale of any of them.
The conclusion arrived at, which was stated in a letter of the Board to the Governor-
General in Council, No. 22, dated 29th May 1798, was to the following effect: "It
appears that the original productions are as follows: Tobacco, opium, ganja, subzi
or bhang, banker, and toddy, and that the three remaining articles are for the
most part compositions of those here recited, as above mentioned. With
respect to the drugs specified in the foregoing schedule, they are not for the
most part represented as producing any very violent or dangerous effects of
intoxication except when taken to excess; and, although the operation of them
may be more powerful in their compound state, we apprehend it would be difficult
to sanction the sale of the original productions, and to prohibit with effect the use
of compositions of which they are susceptible; to which may be added that most of
these articles, both as original productions and as artificial combinations, appear
to be useful either in medicine or otherwise; for these reasons we do not deem
it necessary to recommend that the sale of any of them be altogether prohibited,
but shall proceed to state what appear to us the best means of restraining the
use of them, and improving the revenue by the imposition of such taxes as are
best adapted to the nature of the case."
A complete inquiry was made in 1871 from all provinces as to the effects of
the several preparations of hemp; and if the result should call for any action in
the direction of restricting them by enhancement of the duty or of limiting, or even
prohibiting, the cultivation of the plant, the advice of the Local Governments was
invited as to the expediency and practicability of such measures. The result is
contained in the Resolution of the Government of India, Finance Department, No.
3773, dated 17th December 1873. The following passage shows the conclusion