Drug Abuse

2. Evidence of MR. E. V. WESTMACOTT, Commissioner, Presidency Division; late Commissioner of Excise, Bengal.

1. Thirty years' experience as a Revenue Officer, including four years as Commissioner of Excise.

2. Not all the male plants are destroyed, but as many as possible. There are seeded plants in every sample.

The definitions are correct. Bhang is known as siddhi or bhang. I do not remember meeting with the names of subji or patti, but they are applicable.

3. I think it grows in most Bengal districts. I frequently meet with it. In Nadia I have recently specially noticed it ; also in Murshidabad.

4. Generally ganja or bhang. So far as I know there is only one plant.

5. I cannot say. Lower Bengal seems to suit it well.

6. I should say dense. I sometimes see a single plant, but have more often seen it growing in a fairly dense patch, covering up to several hundred square feet.

7. The only admitted cultivation is ganja in the Naogaon sub-division. I believe, however, that so-called wild bhang is really often cultivated.

8. This can be obtained from figures in the office of the Board of Revenue.

9. See Watt's Dictionary. I can add nothing to it. Frain may have got more information.

10. Same classes, I think. Ask Collector of Rajshahi.

11. I believe not. Ask at Naogaon.

12. I think not. The plant in the Gurjat mahals is not much better than bhang, but is used for smoking. I doubt whether much care is taken about extirpating the male.

13. (a) Naogaon sub-division and neighbouring tracts. I do not know why selected.
(b) I do not know. I should think all Bengal would be suitable.
(c) Not that I know of.

14. This is answered in the annual report by the Commissioner of Excise.

15. For the preparation of ganja see Watt's Dictionary. It is smoked with tobacco. Half a tola will last a smoker three or four days. For the preparation of bhang, the information noted by Mr. Fraser at Naihati is correct, so far as I know.

16. (a) I am not sure about this.
(b) Yes.
(c) No.

17. No particular class that I know of.

18. All of them deteriorate. Ganja and bliang lose their effect in time. I am not sure about charas. By the time the new crop comes into the ware-houses, last year's ganja is not worth much. Damp, I should say, causes deterioration. It gets mouldy. Air-tight cases, of course, delay deterioration. I never tried oven-drying. I should think it would destroy the flavour.

19. I believe only for smoking.

20. I can only say that I do not think ganja is much smoked by the educated classes, except in isolated instances. Charas seems most used where there is a Shiya Muhammadan population (Al urshidabad ), but there are also a number of Jains there.
I don't know who the consumers are. I should say ganja is most used by the laborious classes on the mud soil.

21. I don't think there is any preference. I have inquired about it, and think consumers seem content to take whatever it best pays the trader to import.

22. See annual excise report.

23. Very little, I fancy. Generally used as a drink.

24. All Hindus drink bhang at the Durga Puja. It is also taken (1) medicinally, (2) as a mild, slightly intoxicating, stimulant by all classes in Bengal, but more on the mud than on drier formations.

25. I doubt there being either increase or decrease. High prices affect consumption; but official figures are affected by the success of detective operations, and if smuggling were completely stopped, figures of consumption would undoubtedly go up.

26. This is a difficult question. I should say 75 per cent. or more came under class (a) , perhaps as much as 95 per cent. The number under (b), (c), (d), I should say, was very small indeed.

27. Consumers of class (a), I should say, belonged mainly to the laborious classes, agricultural and aquatic, on the mud soils.
Classes (c) and (d) I should look for among professional harlots and town bad mashes. As to (b), I am doubtful. I should think an occasional isolated case might occur in any class, even the highest.

28. (a) For the answer to (a), see Mr. Fraser's notes taken at Naihati.
(b) I cannot say ; such cases are rare.

29. The Naihati notes give all I know.

30. (a) I should say the habit was just that of native tobacco-smokers.
(b) Males over forty.
(c) Most unusual. 1 stance extraordinary.

31. (a) I believe so. It meets a natural craving for some kind of stimulant on the mud soil.
(b) I should suppose so. (c) I do not think so. A man may very well be a moderate consumer all his life.

32. (a) Drinking bhang by Hindus at Durga Puja. See Naihati notes.
(b) Yes.
(c) Temperate.
(d) Not in the least.

There is further use of it in worshipping Mahadeo (Hor-Gouri, Siva), but I cannot give details.

33. (a) , (b) Among the agricultural and boating classes it is an ordinary thing, and unobjectionable for a man to take to ganja at middle age ; but among the more effeminate classes, the Babus, a man, and especially a young man, who takes to ganja would be looked on as going to the devil, thoueli'not so much as if he smoked madak. I should look on such a young man, if a ward of mine, as on a most depraved course. It is not worse than any other wanton intoxication.
(c) I do not know.

34. (a) It would be a wicked thing to deprive hardworking men, much exposed to weather, on the mud soil, of their stimulant. Whether opium or liquor could be substituted for it I can't say ; but there is a natural healthy craving for a stimulant, and ganja seems to suit them best. On the drier soils they drink fermented or distilled liquors in preference. Price, however, affects this. Among the Babus, ganja smoking is a vice, and it would not hurt them to give it up,
(c) I cannot.

35. Prohibition quite feasible ; but. it would require an army of detectives to enforce it. The drug would undoubtedly be consumed illicitly. Prohibition could not be enforced without such a staff as we could not possibly pay for. We should want a man in every village, and then could not trust him. The discontent among consumers would be enormous, as I think the illicit article cultivated and prepared secretly would be most inferior, while producing quite as strong effects if used in sufficient quantities, as its cheapness would make possible and easy. Whether such discontent would amount to a political danger would depend on the strength of the administration. It would do so in a district under a native magistrate, but nat in a district properly officered, where the magistrate had his police in hand. Even in the latter case, I could not say that it would not be dangerous that there should be such discontent among the masses as there would be in an eastern (mainly Muhammadan) district.

The prohibition would undoubtedly be followed by recourse to other stimulants ; but I should expect to find a general attempt to improve the cultivation of the so-called wild bhang and to make ganja of it. This could be done in every backyard in the country.

36. Not at present. We have increased the taxation on alcohol to such an absurd extent in the mud districts that people have taken to ganja more than they otherwise would.

37. I do not know.

38. I believe no difference whatever.

39. Smoking is more intoxicating than drinking bhang ; but, where used in moderation, I should not say that consumers get intoxicated at all-only exhilarated and stimulated. A man can smoke ganja, and go about his work and have a healthy appetite.

40. (a) Decoction of bliang is often given, I believe, as a mild stimulant. It warms the circulation and brightens the eyes.
(b) I don't know.

41. (a) I should think so.
(b) I am certain of it. I have seen it again and again.
(c) I certainly think so.
(d) I don't know.

I speak of moderate habitual smoking of R-anja by laborious men past middle age living a life of exposure on a mud soil.

42. I think it beneficial under such conditions. With a lot of effeminate Babus who never exert themselves or use their muscles, it is neither beneficial nor harmless.

43. Quite.

44. (b) Yes.
(c) No.
(d) Yes.
(e) No.
(f) As long as the effect on a moderate European of a glass of beer and a pipe.
(g) No.
(h) Yes, I should say there is a craving when the usual time for a smoke comes round.

45. I speak of the habitual moderate use only. (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) I should say not in the least.
(f) No.
( g ) I leave this to doctors ; but I do not believe in insanity produced by moderate habitual smoking.

46. This is quite different. A badmash ganja smoker is equal to .any devilry, and I daresay insanity is often caused in such cases. Such a man is probably a debauchee in other ways. His vice does not originate in ganja smoking, but may be stimulated by it.

47. No.

48. I cannot give instances ; I should expect to find the habit hereditary, and the children injuriously affected.

49. I do not know. A man who smokes ganja with a woman is just as likely to drink a bottle of spirits-I can't say whether as an aphrodisiac or only as part of his spree.

50. He would probably have a head next morning, and would be more likely to smoke excessively than in moderation.

51. I should say that moderate consumption has no connection with crime whatever; but I cannot give statistics as to ganja smoking among criminals.

52. I should expect to find excessive ganja smokers among regular town badmashes, but I cannot give facts.

53 and 54. I do not at this moment remember a case but I have an impression that there are such cases.

55. Never, I think. They would probably use dhatura.

56 and 57. I don't know.

58. I think it works well. I have thought of substituting a system of buying up ganja by Government on the principle of the Opium Department; but I do not think it would be a success.

59. I think it works fairly well.

60. I think we do fairly well ; but I should like to know what Dr. Praiu suggests. No improvement in the system has occurred to me.

61. Not produced.

62. Certainly. I am not sure if it would be feasible. I have done a little towards extirpation of the wild plant, but am very doubtful of success. It grows everywhere, and we have no preventive agency to speak of. Police and Excise Officers are told to destroy the plant when they see it and warn the cultivator, and if a man so warned were found with the plant on his land again, I should presume an intention of cultivating and not an accident.

63. I think we do fairly well.

64. No, we do pretty well. All I want is more men, and those honest !

65. The taxation is high enough, but that on alcohol is excessive. Ganja is now the cheaper of the two, but I would not raise the taxation. I would rather lower the absurd taxation on alcohol.

66. There is only one locality. I am inclined to think that all ganja might pay the maximum tax. I do not see why flat ganja should go into
the market with a quantity of wood, and even that in gol ganja is unnecessarily large.

67. No, I think it works well.

68. I do not remember any consumption on licensed premises, and do not think any such accommodation is required.

69. I think it is rubbish consulting local public opinion. It generally means only consulting a number of Babus, who are out of all sympathy with other classes, and utterly ignorant and careless of their requirements.

70. The smuggling of Gurjat ganja into Orissa and elsewhere is very great. You should look up the papers in the Excise Office : otherwise I think most of the ganja consumed really does pay duty. If it were easy to evade the tax, the astute traders would not pay it to the extent they do now.

Oral evidence.
Question   I have been in the service since January 1863. For four years I was Commissioner of Excise. I have served in all parts of the Province, except Behar and Orissa.

Questions 3 and 7.—I think the plants come up from self-sown seed. I have never seen it away from habitations, and that points to its being propagated by human agency. I have spent a great deal of time in the jungles, and have been in the habit of observing plants, but I have never noticed the hemp plant in jungles. The self-sown plant differs very materially in appearance from the cultivated plant, and I believe that the plant grows with different appearance in different parts of India and Europe, though all are botanically the same. The Gurjat plant differs both from the cultivated and self-sown plant of Bengal. I do not think the flowering parts of the self-sown plant contain so much of resinous quality as the cultivated plant does. I do not think much pleasure could be derived from smoking the produce of the self-sown plant, though it may have been to some extent taken care of.

Questions 20 and 33.—Recent inquiries make me dcubt whether the cultivating classes use ganja much.

Question 34.—Recent inquiries lead me to think that the preference of people in the mud tracts for ganja is almost entirely due to its cheapness.

Question 36.—By the phrase "absurd extent" I mean that the price has been raised to such a figure that the poorer people cannot afford to buy it. I should have expected an increase of ganja in consequence of the rise of the price of liquor. There is undoubtedly some smuggling, and the statistics do not, therefore, show the full consumption of ganja.

At Chuadanga I found that the charges which the retail dealer had to pay on one seer of ganja were—

The price of a seer of a ganja was Rs. 30, leaving a profit of Rs. 8-8, out of which rent and other expenses had to be met. I do not consider this profit unreasonable. It shows, however, that a margin is left for further taxation, especially as in this case the license fee was excessive. In this view I would modify my answer to question 65 though I still hold that alcohol is taxed too highly.

Comparing opium, liquor and ganja, the last gives the largest profit at present. I found at Chuadanga that the contractor was making no apparent profit on his opium.

The figures given above regarding the charges on ganja are confirmed by inquiry made at other places. Rs. 30 per seer is the average retail price in Nadia and Jessore. The retail license vendor in bidding for his license is at a disadvantage in not knowing the price he will have to pay to the wholesale dealer, which varies immensely, and I drew attention to this matter in para. 8 of my letter No. 6601, dated 23rd March 1891.

Question 46.—The badmash ganja smoker corresponds to the habitual drunkard in England. He is not merely an excessive consumer of ganja like a bairagi, but is addicted to other vices, and ganja-smoking is only one of the conditions of his life. I have never seen a moderate smoker in the act of smoking as far as I remember, at least I never ascertained that it was ganja which was being smoked. I must have seen my boatmen smoking, but cannot say it was ganja. I have not seen excessive smokers smoking. I do not know how a moderate smoker is to be distinguished from an excessive smoker.

Question 55.—My general experience of police cases formed the basis of my answers. I have never received a report of drugging by ganja.

Question 58.—My views on this question are contained in a letter from myself as Commissioner of Excise, No. 6601, dated 23rd March 1891, and I adhere to those views. With reference to these representations and my answer to question 66, I desire to say that Dr. Prain's experiments in preparing caked ganja seem to have to a great extent met the difficulty of obtaining uniformity in the quality of ganja. I certainly think it would be a good thing to get rid of the wood portion of ganja. I can see no difficulty in it, and do not know why this defect has been tolerated. I remember dismissing an excise clerk who allowed the dealers to remove the wood of flat ganja and pay duty for flat ganja, thereby defrauding the revenue.

Question 59.—By management on the lines of the Opium Department, Government might acquire the profit which is now made by the wholesale dealers. I have not considered the bonded warehouse system, and am not prepared to say whether under that system the same profit could be secured to Government. Theoretically our present system is the bonded warehouse system. Mr. Price, the Commissioner of Rajshahi, will be able to explain why this system has not been provided in practice, and the cultivator has been allowed in every case to store his own ganja. The principal reason is that he is able to look after his produce under the present system. The cultivator has to take out a license to cultivate and a license to store, but there is no weighment before the produce goes into the store. A rough crop estimate only is made. My impression is that the ganja remains in the cultivator's possession from February to May, but there is nothing in the system to prevent its remaining as long as the cultivator pleases. I do not remember how the cultivator is called to account for the amount ' estimated to have been stored in his gola. Mr. Price can give this information. The system does afford facilities for smuggling, but I do not think smuggling can be very extensive, for, as I have stated in answer to question 70, the dealers would not in that ease submit to the heavy taxation. One dealer would inform against another. Smuggling or illicit use by the cultivators themselves would not be checked by this consideration.

Question 62.—I issued the Circular No. 6075, dated 26th January 1893 (attached) with the object of extirpating the self-sown plant, and to bring bhang under taxation. Ganja was not contemplated in the measure. I still think that order might be carried out without any greater amount of oppression than generally accompanies Govern. inent interference. I think it would be more common to find the self-sown plant growing on unoccupied lands than upon occupied lands. There are many cases in which the raiyats could not be held responsible for its growth, as when it grows on unoccupied spaces between houses and the river frontage, or on the sites of deserted habitations. The plant could undoubtedly be extirpated from occupied lands.

Question 68.-1 see no advantage in licensing consumption on the premises. I do not see why a man should not smoke his ganja where he likes. There might be objection to Government licensing places where people get intoxicated. I object to the prohibition of smoking chandu and madak on licensed premises, because the chandu and madak which is smoked in unlicensed premises pays no tax beyond the opium duty, and some does not pay that. We lose the tax on the license for selling. I should not think that it bad resulted in an increase of the practice.

Question 69.—By Babus I mean those known in Bengal as the bhadralok, comprising pleaders and school-masters in great part. My remarks do not apply to zarnindars, who would not come forward and give an opinion in the matter of local option, but I should undoubtedly go to them if anxious to find out what the local public opinion was. There would be no difficulty in getting public opinion in the villages, for it would be ascertained from the "pradhans" or principal raiyats; but in towns the division between classes is such that there is no homogeneous public opinion, if I may use the phrase.

As far as I have seen the effects of the use of the hemp drugs in Bengal, I certainly see no reason to advocate prohibition nor any restriction beyond that exercised at present. In imposing any enhancement of the present taxation I should have regard simply to the revenue. I should not, however, wish to see the cultivation increased, unless it were a means of counteracting any smuggling which is going on : but I do not think smuggling is carried on to such au extent as to justify such extension.

Since making a closer study of the matter, I have modified the opinions which led me to describe the hemp drugs as "this most pernicious article" in my excise report for the year ending 31st March 1891. I used it at the time as being in accordance with the popular opinion that this drug is the most harmful of intoxicants. Since then I have given more attention to the question, and have come to the conclusion that the habitual moderate use of the drug is not open to objection.

Appendix to MR. WESTMACOTT'S Evidence.

Circular No. 6075, dated Calcutta, the 26th January, 1893.

From—E. V. WESTMACOTT, Esq., Commissioner of Excise, Bengal,

To The Collector/Deputy Commissioner of

The variety of the hemp drug plant (Cannabis saliva), from which the drug variously known as subji, siddhi, or bhang, is prepared, grows wild in many districts in Bengal, and it is not always possible to prove the fact of a person cultivating it, or allowing it to grow on his land, for his own use or for sale. It is desired, therefore, to extirpate the plant as much as possible, so that persons desirous of cultivating it, may take out licenses for doing so. Where the plant is really growing wild on unoccupied land it may not be easy to eradicate it, but where it is found growing upon any part of a raiyat's holding, as is generally the case, any excise or police officer who sees the plant should cause it to be immediately destroyed, and should warn the raiyat of the penalty incurred under section 54, Act VII (B.C.) of 1878, for promoting the cultivation in any way. The fact of such warning should be regularly recorded, and if the plant is found again on the land of a man who has been warned, it may fairly be presumed that he has allowed it to grow, and he may be prosecuted.

I have the honour to request that you will instruct excise and police officers accordingly, and direct your Excise Deputy Collector to keep a register of all the persons on whose laud the plant has been found, and who have been warned of the penalty for growing it.

Circular No. 1566, dated Calcutta, the 14th June, 1893.

From—K. G. GUPTA, Esq., Commissioner of Excise, Bengal,

To The Collector/Deputy Commissioner of

I have the honour to say that the attempt to extirpate wild ganja or bhang seems to the Lieutenant-Governor to be impracticable, and likely to have no result except petty oppression. Sir Charles Elliott accordingly desires that it may be abandoned. I beg, therefore, to request that you will consider my predecessor's Circular No. 6075, dated the 26th January 1893, as cancelled.