11
VI.—QUESTION OF PROHIBITION.
33. It is true that in the Resolution of the Government of India, Finance De-
partment, No. 3773, dated the 17th December 1873, it was said of hemp
– – " T h e r e c a n b e n o d o u b t t h a t i t s h a b i t u a l u s e d o e s t e n d t o p r o d u c e i n s a n i t y . T h e
total number of cases of insanity is small even in proportion to the number of
ganja-smokers; but of the cases of insanity produced by the excessive use of
drugs or spirits, by far the largest number must be attributed to the abuse of
hemp." The enquiries of the present Commission cast grave doubts upon this
conclusion, but it is accepted as the result of the inquiry that hemp drugs do cause
insanity, and it is shown in paragraph 524 of the Report that the percentage of
known cases of insanity which are due to hemp drugs, including mixed cases,
is for 1892 7°3 per cent. of the total admissions to lunatic asylums, w hilst the
percentage due to alcohol is 4°4 per cent., so that hemp is a more potent
cause of insanity than alcohol in India. The total number of cases of insanity
due to hemp is, however, so small with reference to the whole population—the
actual admissions to asylums are only about 1 for every 2 ¼
m i l l i o n s o f p o p u l a t i o n
—that the Governor General in Council is not of opinion that the prohibition
of the use of hemp is necessary because of its tendency to produce insanity.
34. In considering the question of prohibiting the use of hemp for reasons
Ouestion of prohibiting the use of the several other than its tendency to cause insanity,
preparations of hemp considered separately:
the several preparations of hemp will be
considered separately.
( a ) B h a n g .
With regard to bhang, the Commis-
sioners say
—
564. "The effects of the hemp drugs have been treated in Chapters X to XIII of
Prohibition of bhang.
Report; and as the first result of these conclu-
sions, the Commission are prepared to state
that the suppression of the use of bhang would be totally unjustifiable. It is established
to their satisfaction that this use is very ancient, and that it has some religious sanction
among a large body of Hindus; that it enters into their social customs; that it is almost
without exception harmless in moderation, and perhaps in some cases beneficial; that
the abuse of it is not so harmful as the abuse of alcohol; that its suppression, involving
the extirpation of the wild hemp plant, would in some tracts be a matter of great diffi-
culty; that such a measure would be extremely unpopular, and would give rise to wide--
spread discontent; and, finally, that, if successfully accomplished, it would lead to the use
of more hurtful stimulants. The Commission deem it unnecessary to traverse the
evidence further than has been done in the preceding chapters of this Report in support
of these propositions. It is almost unanimous in regard to them. The utmost that is
necessary in regard to this product is that it should be brought under more effective
control, and this matter will be dealt with further on. But absolute prohibition is, in the
opinion of the Commission, entirely out of the question."
The Governor General in Council is entirely in agreement, and is not pre-
pared to prohibit the use of bhang.
35. The question of prohibiting the use of ganja and charas may be consi-
der ed t oget her , as t hei r ef f ect s ar e si mi l ar ,
(b) Ganjaand charas.
though charas is the more potent drug.
First, as regards the mere question of practicability. Charas is an imported
drug, and its import could be easily prohibited, but to prohibit it would paralyse
the trade with Yarkand, the importation of charas being the means by which
Yarkand makes payment for its consumption of Indian products. Ganja is
culti-vated in Bengal, the Central Provinces, Madras, Bombay, and Berar. In Bengal
and the Central Provinces the cultivation is under complete control, and the con-
trol of the cultivation is possible everywhere. It does not, however, the Commis-
sioners think, follow that it would be possible to prevent cultivation altogether.
It would be necessary to induce the Native States to prohibit cultivation, which
would be difficult, and, even if this were done, it would be necessary to suppress
illicit cultivation. This would, though not impossible, be a matter of difficulty,
for ganja of an inferior kind can be manufactured from the spontaneous or
casual growth, which is found near human habitations in many parts of
India, and its suppression would require the entertainment of a large pre-
ventive force and considerable interference with individuals. Moreover, there
would be a great risk of oppression on the part of preventive officers.