PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
T] \ [ '| CO. 882
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
SIR,
8
Enclosure 2 in No. 4.
SUBJECT:-CONSUMPTION OF OPIUM AND BHANG.
Office of the Principal Civil Medical Officer and Inspector-General of Hospitals, Colombo,
October 23, 1893.
We have the honour to inform you, with reference to your letter of the 13th ultimo, that we have collected evidence on the subject of the consumption of opium and bhang in Ceylon.
2. It is not quite clear from the terms of your letter whether you wish us to restrict our report to the two points raised, namely—
(1.) To what extent are opium and bhang used in Ceylon?
(2.) Has their use increased in the past 10 years?
Or whether you wish us to deal with the facts and arguments adduced in the letters forwarded for our perusal.
3. Our report is based on the former assumption. In considering the question we propose to deal separately with the consumption of opium and bhang. Dealing first with opium, we may observe that the exact meaning of the expression "extent to which it is used" is not clear. The Customs Returns supply, we believe, a fairly accurate statement of the amount of this drug which is imported, and we see no reason to suppose that smuggling is extensively practised; but we must admit it to be quite possible that a con- siderable quantity of opium may obtain admission to this country in grain bags without much chance of detection.
4. The Customs Returns hereto annexed show that the average importation of this drug for each year in the decade '71 to '81 amounted to 9,622 lbs., while the average importation to each year of the decade '81 to '91 amounted to 9,957 lbs. This only shews an increase of 335 lb. on the annual importation, or only 3.5 per cent.
5. The increase of population between '71 and '91, as appears by the census figures, is, roughly speaking, 25 per cent. If, therefore, the term "increase" be taken to mean increase per head—and it cannot bear any other interpretation-it is clear that opium is not now used to so large an extent as it was.
6. Taking the annual average of the 1st decade as the amount consumed in 1881, we find that with a population of 2,759,738 9,622 lbs of opium were consumed, or at least imported; this would amount to 1 lb for every 208 persons of the community. Dealing similarly with the decade ending 1891, we find the average annual consumption to be 9,957 lbs., and the population to be 3,007,789. Dividing the amount consumed by the population it appears that 1.1b. was consumed by every 302 persons, that is, it now takes a population of 302 to consume what was formerly used by a population of 208.
108
7. Taking it as established that 1 lb. of opium was consumed in 1881 by 208 persons, we can readily discover what would have been the amount imported in 1891 if the rate of consumption had not decreased. The amount would have been for 1891, that is, 14,460 lbs. ; but we have already shown that the consumption of 1891, based on the annual average of the decade, was 9,957 lbs. It follows, therefore, that although there is apparently an increase of 334 lbs. imported, yet, when we make due allowance for the increase of population, there is an actual decrease of 4,503 lbs., or nearly one-half of the amount of the annual average consumption.
8. We believe, that of the Native races, Malays are the most addicted to this drug, the Moors probably come next, the Sinhalese next, then the Tamils, and, lastly, Burghers and Europeans. It inust be borne in mind that the ordinary Native cannot have resort to the chemist for opium required for medical purposes. prescribed for himself, his family, or his cattle, by the village vedarala, the ordinary If this drug is Native can only obtain what he requires at the opium shop. His presence there does not by any means imply that he is a confirmed opium consumer.
9. There is very great difficulty in obtaining information, even approximately accurate, as to the importation of bhang. This drug is frequently, indeed generally, imported with others, and is entered under the general term drugs in the Customs Returns. When, however, it is imported by itself it is generally entered as ganga, and we annex the figures given us by the Custom House authorities. The wholesale price of bhang is, as we are informed Rs. 17:50 per cwt., and it is only liable to a duty of 6 per cent. think it extremely desirable that the importation of this pernicions drug should be checked by an extremely heavy duty, or altogether prohibited. In the former case
We
accurate statistics of the amount imported should be preserved; in the latter case it may be necessary to restrict the cultivation in Ceylon of Indian hemp.
The enclosures of your letter are herewith returned.
The Hon.
The Colonial Secretary.
GENTLEMEN,
We have, &c.
W. R. KYNSEY,
Principal Civil Medical Officer, &c.
F. R. ELLIS,
Acting Inspector General of Police, and Director and Inspector General of Prisons.
Enclosure 3 in No. 4.
CONSUMPTION OF OPIUM AND BHANG.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Colombo,
November 10, 1893.
I AM directed by the Governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter on the 23rd October, in which you have been good enough to submit your report on the subject of the consumption of opium and bhang in Ceylon.
2. While thanking you for this report I am to state that it has not fully met the points on which the Lieutenant-Governor desired a report.
3. What His Excellency would desire to have is the experience of the Principal Civil Medical Officer, as the head of the medical department of the hospitals, and of the medical practitioners, as well as that of the Chief Police Officer, as to the existence and extent of the alleged abuse of opium, gathered from your respective daily official duties and experience. It would, His Excellency believes, be specially interesting to know the experience of the Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum, and the peculiar duties of the police would enable them to discover what class of persons are customers at the opium shops, and what are the uses or abuses to which the drug is put.
4. I am to add that His Excellency wishes that you should supplement your report with similar information with respect to the use of bhang, or ganja.
Dr. W. R. Kynsey, C.M.G.,
Principal Civil Medical Officer.
F. R. Ellis, Esq.,
SIE,
Her
Inspector-General
Police.
No. 5.
I am,
&c.
H. HAY CAMERON,
for Colonial Secretary.
The MARQUESS OF RIPON to SIR A. E. HAVELOCK.
[Answered by No. 8.]
Downing Street, January 10, 1894.
I HAVE the honour to inform you that Her Majesty will not be advised to exercise power of disallowance in respect of the Ordinance No. 2 of 1893 of the Legislature
of Ceylon, entitled "An Ordinance relating to the sale by retail of Opium and Bhang within Municipalities and Local Board Towns," transcripts of which accompanied your Despatch of the 25th of November last.*
I desire, however, to request you to exercise great care in applying this Ordinance, and not to allow it to come into operation in any locality where you are not fully satisfied that the practice of using these drugs already exists. Unless there is great caution on the part of the Government in applying the Ordinance, its effects might be pernicious, for, presumably, pressure will be brought on the Government to apply it by the various local bodies, who would be under a temptation to stimulate the trade in such articles for the sake of increasing their revenues.
I have also to request you to furnish at a later date a full report upon the working of the Ordinance.
σ 89300.
* No. 3.
B
I have, &c.
RIPON.