CH. XIV.] REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. 269
plant is the dhatura (Stramonium), the seeds of which are already used to inten-
sify the narcotic effects of bhang, a liquid preparation of hemp leaves; and we
apprehend that if the use of ganja were suppressed altogether, dhatura might be
largely resorted to by the poorer classes as a means of satisfying their craving for
stimulants. Apart, however, from the objections just mentioned, we believe that
it would be impossible to enforce in India a prohibition of the use of ganja. That
drug is produced in Native States, and the difficulties in the way of preventing its
import from them, if the supply in British India were cut off, would be immense.
It would not, moreover, be possible to suppress the supply in British India. The
hemp plant grows readily in India, in many places wild without cultivation of any
kind, and it would be easy for any one addicted to the use of ganja to grow a
plant or two in the enclosure of his own house and in nooks and corners which
would be safe from observation and from the risk of detection. The question
in the House of Commons suggests that as the possession and sale of ganja
has been prohibited for many years in Burma, it is desirable that the same pro-
hibition should be extended to other provinces of British India. The analogy of
Burma does not, however, apply to India. When the prohibition was enforced
in Burma, the drug was very little used by the Native Burmese, its consumption
being almost entirely confined to coolies and other immigrants from India; and
the cultivation of the plant in Burma, which had never been extensive, had vir-
tually ceased, the consumers being dependent on importations for their supplies.
In India, on the other hand, the practice of ganja smoking has existed
from time immemorial, and among certain sects of Hindus, ascetics, and religi-
ous mendicants hemp intoxication is habitually indulged in; and, as explained
in the preceding paragraph, it would be impossible to suppress the growth of the
plant. But, although we consider it impracticable to enforce the absolute prohi-
bition of the use of ganja, we fully recognise it as our duty to restrict its con-
sumption as far as practicable, and we have distinctly laid down the policy to be
pursued in respect of this drug in our Resolution of the 17th December 1873
already quoted. The annual reports of Excise Administration show that the sub-
ject has since been continually before Local Governments, who are making every
possible endeavour to minimise the evils and discourage the use of the drug
wherever it is a source of danger to consumers."
Thus "restraining the use and improving the revenue by the imposi-
tion of suitable taxation," "discouraging the consumption by placing restric-
tions on the cultivation, preparation, and retail, and imposing on their use as
high a rate of duty as can be levied without inducing illicit practices," "limit-
ing the production and sale by a high rate of duty without placing the drug en-
tirely beyond the reach of those who will insist upon having it," "restricting
consumption as far as practicable, minimising the evils, and discouraging the
use of the drug wherever it is a source of danger to consumers" have from time
to time been the watch-words of the Government in the matter of the hemp
drugs, a policy only once definitely abandoned, viz., in the case of Burma, where
total prohibition was introduced in 1873.
Prohibition in other countries.
557. Allusion must be made to precedents for the prohibition of the hemp drugs
in other countries in order to complete these general
observations. Excepting British Burma (reference to
which will be made further on), the Commission only know of four cases of pro-
68