146 REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. [CH. VIII.
would then come to about 72,000, or .2 per cent. of the population. At-
tention has already been drawn to the apparent prevalence of the use of
sweetmeats and other refined preparations concocted with ganja. The occa-
sional use of these forms of the drug must extend to a very large share of the
population over and above the number of regular consumers. There are also
a certain number of drinkers of the liquid preparations.
Increase and decrease of use of
ganja.
386. The preponderance of evidence is decidedly in favour of the view that
the use of the hemp drugs is increasing. The causes
assigned for increase are generally the same as
those mentioned in other provinces, the high price
of liquor taking a prominent place among them. The Collectors, however, are
generally of opinion that the use is stationary or decreasing. When decrease
is alleged, it is in most cases attributed to the restrictions brought about by the
excise arrangements, the raising of the price of the drug, and the limitation of the
number of places where it can be bought. The statements of witnesses Nos.
131 and 155 may be consulted on this point. It has also been pointed out that
stray cultivation is being discouraged, though it has not been formally pro-
hibited. Thus there are causes operating to modify the extent of use in both
directions, and the Commission do not think that the evidence enables them to
say which are the more potent, or to judge in any way what the actual con-
sumption is.
Madras States.
387. The Travancore import has been estimated at 100 maunds, which would
be sufficient for 4,000 consumers. The use appears
to be more prevalent in the hilly and malarious tracts.
Some alleged increase is attributed to the relaxation of religious sentiment in
regard to the use of intoxicants and communication with foreigners. The infor-
mation regarding the other States furnishes no facts of special interest.
Bombay.
388. Ganja is used in all parts of the Bombay Presidency, a large share of the
consumption of it being in the form of sweetmeats
and drink. Bhang is used in the Bombay City and
the Northern Division. Charas is smoked in the City of Bombay only, and that in
very small quantity.
Use in different parts of the
Presidency of ganja.
389. The figures of retail sale of ganja are wanting in some districts
and irregular in others, so that it may be doubted
if they can lay claim to accuracy even in the
districts where they appear to be complete. Such as they are, they make
the various districts take approximately the following order as regards their con-
sumption of ganja: Dharwar, Bombay, Kanara, Bijapur, Nasik, Satara, Poona,
Ahmedabad, Surat, Ahmednagar, Belgaum, Broach, Sholapur, Khandesh,
Panch Mahals, Kaira, and Ratnagiri.
Total consumption of ganja.
390. There are no figures for Thana and Kolaba. The total of the
district figures of retail sale taken out as far as
practicable by five years' averages, with an allow-
ance made for Thana and Kolaba, comes to about 3,800 maunds. The total
consumption has been estimated in a previous chapter at maunds 3,000, and it
was thought that this was a liberal calculation. Before expressing any opinion
from these figures as to the incidence of consumption on the population, it will
be as well to examine the evidence as to individual consumption.