Thoughts from the void: Memorandum on Hemp Drugs in Coorg 1894

Memorandum on hemp drugs in Coorg, by Mr. G. F. Meiklejohn, Commissioner of Coorg, Vol 3, Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1894-1895, https://digital.nls.uk/74464868

The answers refer to ganja, which is called indifferently in Coorg, ganja or bhang. Charas is unknown. Only one system in the small province of Coorg. The Commissioner of the province is head of the Excise. Two Inspectors of Excise and six other officials under the Commissioner. On Act No. XXII of 1881, an Act to amend the law relating to Excise Revenue in Northern India, British Burma, and Coorg. On the rules framed in conformity with sections 11, 12, 20, and 55 of that Act, sanctioned by the Chief Commissioner of Coorg as the chief revenue authority in the province, having effect from 19th May 1882. I am doubtful whether wild hemp is actually found, but hemp springs up in the coffee near cooly lines and near the huts of the wild tribes and no one owns to its cultivation. A cooly in weeding the coffee will try to avoid pulling up the plant unless his master happens to be looking. Impossible to say with any degree of accuracy, but as the contractor has not complained, and I have had no complaints from planters as to their coolies being stupefied by the drug, probably to a very limited extent indeed. No attempt has been made to control the possession of such drug. If its sale was attempted to any extent, it would come to the ears of the licensed vendor, and the seller would be prosecuted, but I have heard of no such cases. Cultivation not prohibited, but a license must be taken out first. As a matter of a fact, however, hemp is not cultivated in the province. To none, if a license is asked and given, but, as already stated, the plant is not cultivated in Coorg. No ryot or other person is allowed to cultivate hemp without a license from the Parpattegar; the Excise and village officers would report any such case. There have been a few prosecutions of people for growing a few plants of hemp near their huts in the last two or three years. This has checked the practice somewhat. Only one-the contractor. If a ryot did cultivate for export, he would have to obtain a special pass under rule 33, but no such case has occurred. The contractor, being the sole importer, makes his own arrangements for the import, storing, and transport of the drug. For the import a license is required. Licenses are granted by the farmer, who is the wholesale vendor and has to keep accounts: the retail vendors are selected by the farmer, but must be approved by the Commissioner, who countersigns the licenses. They are visited by the Excise officers, accounts inspected, and fortnightly returns of results reported. License holders can sell for ready money only and not more than 1/4 of a seer of ganja and 5 tolas of majum. There is no tax on ganja and other hemp drugs. The right to procure and sell ganja is leased out for 3 years to the farmer whose tender has been approved of. If the contractor fails to pay on the appointed dates the instalments due, the contract is liable to be cancelled. Besides the contract amount a fee of one rupee per mensem for each shop at Mercara and Virajendrapett, and of annas 8 in other places is paid. No special precautions against evasions are taken; the vendors who have licensed shops, even if any unlicensed shops escaped the notice of the officials, would at once bring the matter to the notice of the Excise Department. One shop has been allowed to each of the 6 taluks or sub-divisions of Coorg except to the Nanjarajpatana Taluk, in which there are two, one at head-quarters and one in the municipal town of Somvarpett. No local option is recognized. At the same time the Commissioner would never sanction the opening of a shop unless the inhabitants either petitioned for it or were willing to have it. No, the contractor makes his own arrangements. He sells at from 10 to 12 annas a seer to the retail vendors, and they sell at from 14 annas to one rupee to the public. Yes, a vendor must not sell to any individual in one day more than 1/4 seer ganja and 5 tolas of majum except to the holder of a pass from a Magistrate. No minimum price is fixed for the drug. No smuggling from other provinces or from the Native State of Mysore has been brought to notice. There have been 8 prosecutions in the last two years for illicit cultivation, but they have been only small cases of a few plants found in compounds by the Excise officers. No special measures have had to be taken to prevent it. None. Is practically nil. (Extent of cultivation). Confined to the Government farmer. 41 1/2 maunds in 1891-92. Amount of probable consumption. 56 maundsin 1892-93. Rupees 798 per annum-Revenue. The Excise officers send in to the Commissioner a diary fortnightly as regards the ganja shops. The vice of ganja-smoking to excess is comparatively rare in the province. Kurumbaars, the wild tribe most addicted to it, are a peculiarly inoffensive non-criminal tribe: the Yerwars and Kapilas, who also smoke ganja, are more troublesome, though not by any means habitual criminals

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Memorandum on Hemp Drugs in Coorg 1894

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