BARODA STATE MEMORANDUM.
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175. Government farmer alone now imports the drug on payment of customs duty besides
the amount shown above.
176. He sells the drug at the fixed number of shops by his agency, approved of by the
Subha, and makes preparation from the drug at licensed places.
177. The imported drug is stored at depôts appointed by the Subha, and the drug in
transit by the farmer through His Highness's territory has to be covered by a permit signed by
officer authorized in that behalf.
178. Neither shops nor depôts can be increased without the permission of the Subha.
Such permission is not granted until indispensable necessity is made out for opening a new
shop or depôt.
179. The number of retail shops is fixed by the Huzur. The guiding principle in fixing
the number is the requirements of these drugs at places rather than area or population.
Though there is no local option ascertained before opening shops, yet they are not forced
upon the people.
180. The terms of the above notification will clearly show that there is a constant super-
vision over the importation and sale, whether licit or illicit, by all the departments of the
State, and there is a cordon of Nakas on the frontier which minimize the evils of illicit ingress
or egress of these drugs.
181. With all these excellent arrangements of control, the object in view of checking the
excessive use of these drugs is nullified by the clause in the said notification, rendering posses-
sion of one seer of ganja or preparations thereof, or four seers of bhang or preparations there-
of, lawful. The object was a laudable one, inasmuch as it was studiously inserted to soften the
severity of the measure, having had bitter experience of hardship entailed by the Opium
Rules. But the object was frustrated by the cheap sales of the drug in the surrounding Native
States, flooding His Highness's territory with their narcotic articles and allowing opportunities
for excessive indulgence.
182. The first modification that is necessary is to make the possession of ganja over ten
tolas or preparation thereof, or half a seer of bhang or preparation thereof, unlawful. This
modification will not much go to prevent illicit importation of the drug as long as surrounding
Native States will continue to sell cheap ganja and bhang.
183. With all these hindrances in the way placed by the cheap sale of the drug in the
surrounding Native States, the new measure has been productive of anxiously looked for
results. The consumption of the drug has begun to fall off (side statement B*), giving figures
of importation with the amount of revenue realized therefrom. The rise in the price has in-
duced people to reduce their allowance, and though the number of consumers is, as it is said,
not reduced, yet the quantity consumed is very much decreased.
184. The present measure is too young to give any decided opinion or suggest any modifi-
cations. The object of all such modifications are more or less defeated by the want of co-
operation of the surrounding Native States.
185. The system of taxation on these drugs can be summed up in a few words, viz.,
customs duty plus the amount realized from the sale of sole right to vend.
186. This taxation has in certain places increased the price four-fold and in others six-
fold than what was sold before the introduction of the new measure, and the consumption has
fallen off wonderfully. All this may not be due to the new measure, and although excessive
indulgence in the drug be still a constant factor, yet the past result gives a promise of a
future happy angury.
187. It is said that a sudden rise in the price of liquor has driven people to consume ganja
in certain places. How much truth there is in this allegation, cannot be determined, but grant-
ing it to be true, the Government has no reason to deplore as the havocs committed by alcohol
are more fearful than those of narcotics. I, therefore, suggest no modification in the mode of
taxation or its incidence on any of the intoxicants.
188. There is only one shop in Baroda where bhang in liquid form is drunk on the pre-
mises. There are no such shops anywhere else. I see no objection to the opening of such
shops as exposure to public view, and the heavy price of the drug particularly charged at such
places check excessive consumption much better than when done in solitude.
189. In conclusion, I beg most respectfully to state that I have done what I could do
during the short time that was allotted to me. The magnitude of the task of collecting in-
formation from those who are particularly sensitive when questioned about their mode of life
and their habits, and the hot haste with which the work was to be gone through, will, I am
sure, induce you to look with a great indulgence on any defects that may have crept in. The
humble effort made by me in this connection, if only meet with your approval, will be the
ample reward for the pains that I have taken during the last month and a half.
*Not printed,
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