166 REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. [APP.
JEYPORE STATE MEMORANDUM.
(1) The hemp plant
is grown here only for use as bhang. Its cultivation is not in
any
way controlled by the Raj.
(2) Ganja and
charas are not manufactured here from the products of the hemp
(bhang)
plants. Both these drugs are imported from Hoshiarpur and the
Punjab. Bhang of a
quality superior to what is locally produced is also imported here
to some extent.
The sale of bhang,
charas, and ganja is not in any way controlled by the Raj.
Anybody
can, at any place, open shops for the sale of these
drugs.
(3) Customs duty only is levied by the Raj on bhang, charas, and ganja.
The customs duty on the
export and import of bhang as well as on its import into the
capital city from the districts is Re. 1 per maund.
The "mapa" or inland customs duty on bhang is 4 annas per maund.
The customs duty on the
import of charas is at Rs. 20 per maund and on that of ganja
is at the rate of Rs. 4 per maund.
(a) No particular
system is in existence here regarding the growth of the hemp
plant
or the sale of its products.
(b) Wild hemp is
not found in abundance anywhere in the Jeypore territory. The
hemp plant, whether wild or cultivated, is only used as bhang and
not made to
yield either charas or ganja.
About 10,000 maunds of
bhang is produced in the Jeypore territory. No attempt is
made here to control the possession or sale of this
drug.
(c) The hemp
plant is not at all cultivated here for the production of ganja or
charas,
but only for use as bhang.
The cultivation of bhang plants in this part of the
country is neither prohibited nor restricted to any particular
locality.
(d)
Charas is imported here by the Afghans and the Kabulis
and ganja and bhang
by native
traders.
All imports into and
exports from the British territory of bhang, charas, and ganja
are
covered under Government license, and when exported from other
Native States, under the
customs pass (rawana) of that State.
All goods allowed to pass
into the territory after being examined by the customs
chaukies,
which are located at places where traffic is generally carried
on.
Bhang is exported from
here to other neighbouring Native States, but before allowing
it
to pass in any quantity, the Customs Department requires the
intending exporter to give
security that the drug will not be smuggled into any other
place.
(e) The
wholesale and retail vendors of bhang, charas, and ganja are not
under any
control, nor are they
required to obtain license from the Raj.
(f) Besides the
customs duty as mentioned in paragraph No. 3, no other tax is
levied
by the Raj on bhang, charas, or ganja.
(g) The number and
sites of the retail shops of any of these drugs are neither
fixed
here by the Raj nor put to
auction sale. The vendors are quite free to open
shops anywhere they like in the territory.
(h) The Raj does
not fix any rate at which the drug must be supplied by
wholesale
to retail vendors. The average retail price (to consumers) of bhang
is Rs. 13
per maund, of ganja Rs. 25 per maund, and of charas of the first
quality Rs. 160
per maund and of the second quality Rs. 100 per maund. These prices
of the
drugs do not differ much in different districts.
(i) Neither any
maximum amount is fixed for retail sales to, or possession by,
the
ordinary consumer, nor any minimum price is fixed for the
drugs.
(j) There is no
reason to believe that smuggling of bhang, charas or ganja
from
other provinces or other Native States prevails here to any extent;
and to pre-
vent smuggling of all articles on which customs duty is due to the
Raj, it is
provided in the rules of the Customs Department that the smuggler,
when
detected, forfeits the goods smuggled.