CH. VIII.] REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. 151
Ajmere- Merwara.
403. The reports and evidence from Ajmere-Merwara furnish no statistics to
enable an estimate to be made of the extent of use of
the hemp drugs. There was an increase of revenue
in 1890-91 which was explained in the annual excise report to be due to com-
petition at the auction of monopoly. There is no evidence of any increase or de-
crease of use.
Coorg.
404. In Coorg the import of ganja amounts to 21 maunds and registered con-
sumption to 14. The population is 173,055. The
retail price is 14 annas to 1 rupee for a sér of 24 tolas,
or approximately 2/3 anna per tola. Taking the minimum individual allowance at 1/4
tola or 1/6 anna per diem, the annual individual consumption comes to 90 tolas,
and the cost to something less than Rs. 5. This is a reasonable allowance. The
consumers would number about 1,000, or between .5 and .6 per cent. of the popu-
lation. It is probable that the consumption tends to increase with the influx of
coolies into coffee and cardamom estates.
Baluchistan.
405. There is no information of the quantity of hemp drugs consumed in any
part of Baluchistan. Bhang and ganja appear to come
from India, and charas and chur ganja from Afghan-
istan as well as India. The Deputy Commissioner of Thal Chotiali reports that
the Baluchis and Pathans of that district are not addicted to the drugs; but there
is information from other quarters that the Baluchis and Pathans generally do
smoke. The drinking of bhang would appear to be confined to Pathans and
Indians. It is said that the consumption of the drugs is decreasing as the Indian
population, which was larger when military operations were going on, is being
reduced. The average prices seem to be Re. 1 for bhang, Rs. 20 for charas, and
Rs. 78 for ganja per sér.
Burma.
406. It has been shown that the hemp drugs, or ganja at least, are smuggled
into Burma in considerable quantity. But it is
impossible to say to what extent the Indians manage
to supply their wants, or with any accuracy the price they have to pay for the drug.
There does not seem to be any use by the Burmans or people other than the
natives of India. The inquiries made by the Commission tend to show that the
quantity introduced into the country is increasing.
Hyderabad, Mysore, Rajputana,
Central India, and Baroda.
407. It is hardly worth while to examine in detail the statistics and evidence re-
lating to the extent to which the hemp drugs are used
in the great Native States and Agencies. These ter-
ritories are surrounded and intermingled with British
territories, regarding which the question has been fully discussed, with the result
that the statistics were found in most cases to be far from an accurate index of con-
sumption, and the evidence did not justify very precise conclusions. More definite
results, or equally definite, will certainly not be obtained from the information sup-
plied by Native States. The extent of use in each part of these territories may be
taken to resemble that in the neighbouring British provinces. The use of ganja
will be found to prevail over the States of the Central India Agency as it does
in the North-Western Provinces, Bengal, and the Central Provinces. The
use of bhang will be more common than that of the other drugs in Marwar and
the north-western parts of Rajputana, and it will extend southwards towards
the Bombay Presidency, and eastwards towards the States of Central India,