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practice by a “ring of Patna merchants. When the East India Company assumed responsibility for the collection of the Bengal and Bilar revenues in 1765, its servants appropriated the monopoly for their own private benefit, and the prevailing corruption continued. Disturbances ensued, and when Warren Hastings was appointed Governor-General in 1773 and given power to organise a proper system of government, he found himself compelled, in pursuance of his policy of depriving the Company's servants of the right of private trade, to assume control of the opium monopoly.
At first the right to manufacture opium was farmed out on contract, but this led to oppression of the cultivators, and the system broke down, with the result that in 1797 Government assumed the monopoly of manufacture. This measure, which included restriction and prohibition of cultivation except under licence, and extended to nearly all Northern India as it came into British possession, resulted in smuggling and clandestine pro- duction for local use, and attention was thus directed for the first time to the demand for opium in ludia itself, which it was found impossible to suppress. Accordingly there was passed in 1813 the first Bengal Itegulation regarding consumption in India, the Government enunciating their policy of restricting the habit of opium eating by obtaining the maximum revenue from the minimum consumption, and declaring that they were desirous of countenancing only to the narrowest extent possible a habit which they found themselves unable to eradicate. This policy has never been lost sight of
As a result of the activities of the Society for the Sup- pression of the Opium Trade, a Royal Commission was appointed in 1893 to enquire into all the circumstances con- nected with the production and sale of Indian opium, and the Society itself recorded the opinion that the appointment consti- tuted "the greatest and most solid forward step that the movement for the suppression of the opium trade has yet made," and considered that the Commission was as fair- "minded and impartial a tribunal as the Society could have
desired to hear its case.'"
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The results of the Commission's labours were published in 1895 in seven volumes, which can be procured by anyone who desires to acquaint himself with the real facts regarding opium in India. Since 1895 consumption has declined, but the findings of the Commission still stand as a complete justification of the Government's policy.
The Commission examined with very great care the question of the consumption of opium in India, and found that in all provinces a limit was placed on the amount of opium, or preparations of opium, which might be sold to any individual, or of which a person might be legally in possession, at any one time, and that the average annual consumption for the whole of British India amounted to 27 grains per head.
As a
As regards the use of opium and its effects, the Commis- sion stated that opium was universally believed in as a common domestic medicine, special value being attached to its use in cases of fever and as a protection against malaria, stimulant, it was held in esteem as a specific against old age, many men of failing health taking the drug for periods varying from 15 to 50 years, and apparently obtaining benefit from the habit. It was also habitually used in many parts of India during the extremes of the winter months, and for the purpose of resisting fatigue in the case of journeys and hard physical labour. In Rajputana the use of opium in connection with social and ceremonial functions had acquired a quasi- religious sanction.
With reference to the consumption of opium in the Indian army, the Commission concluded that the number of soldiers accustomed to take opium to a harmful extent was insignificant, that its use in the army was often beneficial, and that any attempt to limit consumption would be highly unpopular.
As regards the general physical and moral effects of the use of opium, the Commission found that hard work, energy and thrift existed side by side with the opium habit; that it was unheard of for workmen to be dismissed on account of opium excess, though alcoholic excess was a constant source of trouble; and that the largest Indian insurance company had not found it necessary to impose any extra premium ou the lives of moderate opium consumers. They were of opinion that the opium habit did not lead to insanity, crime, or suicide, and they finally concluded that the use of opium among the people in British Provinces was, as a rule, a moderate use, and was not
attended by injurious consequences. Excess was exceptional, and condenined by public opinion.
The Commission were emphatic when they came to deal with the suggestion that the use of opium in India could be limited to strictly medical needs. They remarked that it was generally admitted that the limitation of cultivation and the monopoly of manufacture and wholesale supply, constituted the most restrictive position, short of prohibition, which the Govern- ment could adopt towards internal consumption. No distinct line was drawn in popular opinion between the medical uses of the drug and those which cannot be strictly so-called, and it would be impracticable to issue opium only on the prescription of medical practitioners. Further, the Commission were con- rinced that the great mass of Indian opinion was opposed to the proposal as an unnecessary restriction on individual liberty and an interference with established customs and habits. Apart from the religious question, Indians generally considered the use of alcohol to be more open to objection in itself, more injurious, and more disgraceful,
The Report of the Commission remains unchallenged ou points of fact, and evidence that the situation in India has not
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