Thoughts from the void: Memorandum on Hemp Drugs in Kishengarh State 1894

KISHENGARH STATE MEMORANDUM, Vol 3, Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1894-1895, https://digital.nls.uk/74464868

(1) The hemp plant is cultivated in irrigated lands along with green vegetables by cultivators of the mali or gardener class exclusively. These cultivators are professional greengrocers and, as such, live in larger villages or towns only, where there can possibly be room for a market for green vegetable; and consequently the cultivation of the hemp plant is generally met with in towns and larger villages. The hemp plant is never cultivated as a principal crop, and is, as a rule, locally sold and consumed. There is practically no control of the growth of this plant. (2) The plant is cut and dried in the sun or shade and then beaten with sticks, and the leaves are then collected and sold as bhang. The flowering-tops of female plants are plucked and pressed under slabs of stones and taken out in a compressed state, which is called ganja. This is used for smoking. Bhang is imported from Shekhawati in Jeypur. Ganja is imported from Malwa. Charas is not made in Kishengarh. It is brought from Afghanistan by the Vilayatis (Kabulis) and by them sold to the local vendors. (3) The duties imposed on these drugs are as follows:Bhang, four annas per maund. Ganja, one rupee and eight annas per maund. Charas, do. do. do. (a) A uniform rate of duty is charged all over the State, and anybody can sell any of these drugs. The administration of the system is carried on by the "Mapa" (Customs) Department. (b) Wild hemp is not found to any considerable extent in this State. It is regarded as an inferior kind of drug compared to cultivated hemp, and is consumed as bhang. Wild hemp is found in such small quantities that it has not been considered worth the while of the "Mapa" Department to control the possession and sale of such drug. (c) The cultivation of the hemp plant for the production of ganja or other drugs is not prohibited. The cultivation is found scattered all over the State in small patches or mixed with vegetable crops in the lands of larger villages and towns. (d) The baniyas and specially the Tambolis (betel-leaf sellers) are the importers of bhang and ganja. They are not licensed. No special arrangements are in force for their supervision and for controlling the storing and transport of these drugs. In larger towns, the duty is collected by the "Mapa" officers on the drugs entering the gateways. In the mofussil towns and in villages the "Mapa" officers go round in their circles every two months or so, and make collections of the duty on the imports of these drugs that may have been made during the interval. (e) There has been no system of licensing vendors in force for the last twelve years, or thereabouts. Formerly the sale of the hemp drugs used to be annually farmed out to the highest bidders for the larger towns only. (f) The only tax at present levied is the customs import duty mentioned above in (3) and the "Mapa" officers take precautions against evasion; there is, however, no special precaution considered necessary. (g) There is no restriction as to the number and site of shops for the vend of these drugs. (h) No rate is fixed at which the drug must be supplied by wholesale to retail vendors. The average retail price is as follows:— AT THE CAPITAL. IN THE MOFUSSIL. Bhang Rs. 6 per maund. Rs. 4-8-0 per maund. Ganja Two seers per rupee. Two seers per rupee. Charas Not available. Not available. (i) None. (j) Hardly any smuggling from other provinces or States; No special preventive measures are taken or are considered necessary. (k) It is under contemplation to institute a system of excise for decreasing the consumption and controlling the sale of the hemp drugs, by restricting the privilege of the selling of the drugs to licensed vendors alone, without any limit being placed on the number of licenses for some time, and by increasing the duty chargeable on these drugs. It is not contemplated to fix any maximum or minimum retail prices, as in the absence of any limit to the number of licenses, the competition between the various licensed vendors and the increased duty would conduce to bring about a fair regulation of the prices.

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Memorandum on Hemp Drugs in Kishengarh State 1894

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