49, Evidence of BABIT BHAIRAB NA.TH PALIT, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Birbhum.

1. Having had charge of the Excise Department in more districts than one, I had opportunities to collect information regarding hemp drugs.
2. The different sorts of the drugs are known here by their names as explained in their respective definitions viz., the dry leaves of the hemp plant are called siddhi or bhane- • the resinous matter obtained from the hemp plant is charas, and the dried flowering tops of the same are known as ganja, transported from its producing districts, in three different forms, as flat, round and chur by which they are named here.
3 to 18. In this district there is no cultivation of the hemp plant, and I have no opportunities of staying in ganja-producing districts or subdivisions so as to acquaint myself with the method of its cultivation and growth.
19. Ganja and charas are wholly and solely used for smoking.
20. Generally five per cent. of lower and agricultural classes smoke ganja in almost every part of this district. The consumption of charas is very little, and needs no remarks.
21. Round ganja is preferred by its consumers in the localities extending over tracts of the Sadar Sub-Division consisting of Thanes Sun, Dubrajpur, Bolpur, Labpur, Sakulipur ; while flat and chur are consumed in the Rampur Hat Sub-division, consisting of Thanes Rampur Hat, Monreswar and Nalhati.
22. Charas imported from Amritsar in Punjab is only used here.
23. Bhang is not used for smoking.
24. Bhang is chiefly used by up-country trading classes residing at Rampur Hat, Murarai, Nalhati, Sainthia, and Bolpur and Sun. The proportion of consumers does not come up to more than 1 per cent.
25. The use of ganja is increased in this district on account of high prices of country spirit. There is also a slight increase in consumption of charas and bhang, which does not call for remarks.
26. Among ganja-smokers there are :— (a)    of the consumers.
(6)
(e) Tig "
(d) r21 11    If
Day-labourers and agriculturists are driven to its use in order to mitigate their daily labours, and religious mendicants betake to it to concentrate their minds towards devotion.
27. The consumers of ganja are chiefly day-labourers and agriculturists and religious mendicants, the latter being also drinkers of bhang.
28. Two pice worth of ganja per diem, on average, is consumed by—
(a) habitual moderate consumers.
religious medicants, as much as they receive from their followers and other believers in their persuasion. There is
no fixed ratio amongst them.
29. Tobacco leaves generally called " dokta " are ordinarily mixed in the preparation of ganja. In the decoction of bhang, small quantities of pepper, aniseed, cucumber seed and sugar or molasses are used to enhance its stimulating effects. Dhatura is never heard to have been so mixed with these drugs.
80. Thirty per cent, of the consumers of ganja smoke in solitude, and the rest in company. Charas and bhang are in most cases used in company. The use of these drugs is mainly confined to male sex generally, from youth. In very rare cases they are used by children.
31. The habit of ganja-smoking is formed by frequenting or mixing in the company of the habitual consumers, and it is difficult to break off such habit, when once formed, when the consumer has been maturely formed. In few cases the moderate habit turns into excessive.
32. It is a custom throughout the district to use bhang on the Bijoya Dasami night in every household, such practice being considered religions, inasmuch as it is essential. It is always temperate, but does not lead to the formation of habit, or prove injurious.
33. Generally these drugs are regarded as intoxicating element ; in some eases social, and in other religious.
34. The consumers of those drugs cannot forego the use of the same without some serious privation to their health, i.e., loss of appetite and of active habits of their life.
35. I do not consider that the prohibition of these drugs, except charas, would be in any way feasible, since it would certainly lead to illicit consumption, and would create serious discontent amongst the consuming population, and such discontent may threaten afterwards breaches of the peace in the country. No alcoholic stimulants or other intoxicating drugs will, in my opinion, be adopted as substitute for these drugs by some classes of bigotted Hindus and Muhammadans.
36. I do not think alcohol is being taken recourse to in substitution of these drugs.
37. Genie is more stimulant and much stronger in effect of intoxication than what can be obtained from charas, which is of moderate strength, and is used by youths of upper and middle classes of Hindus and Muhammadans.
38. There is no appreciable difference in effect of the three species of ganja, though people of some places prefer flat to round, and those of others round to flat, according to their climate.
39. Ganja is only used here for smoking, and is no way taken for the purpose of drinking or eating. Smoking of ganja or hemp plant is proportionately less injurious than the drinking of siddhi with preparation.
40. Siddhi is used in preparation of some native Ayurvedic medicines, viz., kames war madak, madanda rag, etc., in cases of impotence, sexual debility and the like. It is also said to be used in the treatment of cattle diseases. Ganja seeds are also used for like purposes.
41. (a) The moderate use of ganja or bhang gives much benefit to the digestive function of their respective consumers.
(6) It affords staying-power under severe exertion, or exposure, and alleviates fatigue.
(e) It proves a prevention of disease in malarious and unhealthy tracts.
(6)
117
(a) by increasing taxation.
42. Moderate use of these drugs is both beneficial and harmless, as their use lessens fatigue and thirst, and at the same time increases appetite and improves digestion.
43. In my opinion moderate consumers are inoffensive to their neighbours.
44. The habitual moderate consumers of all these drugs take them to give them stimulus in their day's work, and they feel their use refreshing during and after their labour. They do not produce any appreciable or harmful intoxication. They serve to create appetite, and have no aftereffects on their habitual moderate consumers.
45. No such case comes to my notice, in which the habitual moderate use of ganja has produced any noxious effects. From enquiries I come to know that insanity is never produced by use of ganja in any shape, save and except the cases of eccentrics, who become insane when they use ganja in excessive quantity.
46. I am acquainted with some cases in which the habitual excessive and long-continued use of ganja produced dysentery, but the consumers who can afford to take milk are not affected with the disease.
47. I do not think the use of any of these drugs imparts any hereditary influence on the children of the consumers.
48. I don't know any case in which children of the excessive consumers of these drugs have been subjected to any specific disease or have necessarily inherited the habit of their fathers.
49. I have no doubt that moderate use of these drugs serves as an aphrodisiac to both sexes, and lower classes of prostitutes in rare eases use ganja as ordinary narcotic, instead of spirituous liquor.
I do not think the use of ganja or siddiai tends to produce impotence.
50. The excessive use of any of these drugs has no such tendency to produce impotence.
51. The bad characters here are not, in general, habitual consumers of ganja.
52. No one of them is heard to be an excessive consumer.
53. No such case has come to notice in which by excessive use of these drugs any unpremeditated crime, violence, or homicide has been committed by their consumers.
54. In some rare cases of dacoity I beard the criminals used ganja before they set up for the purpose.
55. The criminals do not induce their victims to partake of these drugs to produce their stupor, with intent to facilitate their crimjnal action.
ganja with tobacco leaves in moderation causes a mild intoxication, while its excessive use induces stupor and constipation. The effects of siddhi are almost similar. I have no information to lay down regarding the admixture of dhatura.
67. Ganja and charas are not drunk.
58. The present system of excise administration requires, in my opinion, some improvements in its working.
59. I would suggest that the improvements may be made-
I agree.
A. AHMAD, Offg. Collector.
(b) by modifications in the act of transport of these drugs from the producing districts.
(c) by having sufficient establishments to watch and regulate its consumption.
(d) by reducing the quantity for possession of these drugs, at present authorized by law.
60 to 62. 1 have no suggestion to make regarding the improvements by which cultivation or production of these drugs should be controlled.
63. I have no objection to the present system of retail vend of these drugs, except with regard to the quantity at present the retailers are authorized to sell. But I object to the present system of wholesale vend of these drugs, since it not only affords to the wholesale dealers all facilities to import bad drugs at low prices, but also induces them on many occasions to sell those drugs to retailers even when they are unfit for use. Moreover, it facilitates the wholesale dealers who hold retail shops to sell these drugs at cheap rates. The introduction of the proposed system will also sufficiently control the exorbitant charges obtained by wholesale dealers from retailers.
64. As I have stated above, I do not approve of the present system of export and import and transport of these drugs. I think in order to have a better control over the consumption of these drugs, the first thing will be to do away with the present system of the wholesale vend.
65. In my opinion the present taxation of these drugs is not sufficient in proportion to that of spirituous liquors and opium. The amount of taxation of these drugs should be raised to the following rates, viz.:—
Ganja, Rs. 4, exceeding the present rate on average.
Charas, Rs. 8, exceeding the present rate on average.
Siddhi, Re. 1, exceeding the present rate on average.
66. The rates therefore should be for flat with small twigs, and round .    .    .    . Re. 11
Chur    .    •    •    • „ 12
(Flat with large twigs should be done away with.)
67. If the above measures be adopted to enhance the taxation of ganja, charas and bhang, I think there will be no necessity to interfere with the present system of taxing these drugs.
68. In this district there are no such licensed houses or shops for the sale of these drugs where they are consumed on the premises, and it is not practicable to have any hold over the consumers in respect of inducing them to consume these drugs in the sale-rooms.
69. As a rule, the practice of consulting the wishes of people before a shop is granted in any locality is not now in vogue. When any such shop is in requisition in any locality, reports regarding the necessity, and the area, population, etc., are called for from the local Excise Officers, and they are considered by Excise Deputy Collector before proposing the same for settlement.
70. There has occurred no case of illicit importation of these drugs from Native States.
56. The smoking of
Dhatura is generally used by thugs and dacoits for purposes of committing crimes of sorts ; it is chiefly resorted to in North-Western Provinces and Punjab.
A. AHMAD, Org. Collector.
This should be controlled in the same way as opium, and cer. tainly supervised by the same Department.