’ . < 'vV 
 
 F. P. A. 
 
 Pamphlet No. 39 
 Series of 1925-26 
 May, 1926 
 
 The Opium Situation 
 
 IN 
 
 India 
 
 Recent Developments 
 
 ’Prepared by 
 
 The Opium Research Committee 
 of the 
 
 Foreign Policy Association 
 
 NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 
 
 EIGHTEEN EAST FORTY-FIRST STREET 
 NEW YORK CITY 
 
 181 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 INTRODUCTION 4 
 
 The World Opium Problem 4 
 
 The Position of India at the Geneva Conferences 5 
 
 Part I— INDIA’S NEW EXPORT POLICY 7 
 
 End of the China Trade 7 
 
 Agreements w^ith Importing Countries 7 
 
 Import Certificate System 7 
 
 Responsibility over Exports 8 
 
 Lord Reading’s Statement of Policy 9 
 
 Part II— OPIUM CONSUMPTION IN INDIA 12 
 
 Position of Government of India on Opium Consumption 12 
 
 Position of Indian Opinion on Opium Consumption 13 
 
 Analysis of Government Figures for Opium Consumption 13 
 
 The Problem in Native States 15 
 
 The Problem in Assam 16 
 
 Review of Royal Commission of 1893 17 
 
 CONCLUSION 18 
 
 ANNEXES 
 
 Annex I — An Indian Critique of the Opium Policy of the Government of India 
 Speech by Dr. S. K. Datta in the Indian Legislative Assembly 
 March 10, 1926 20 
 
 Annex II — Speech by Sir Basil Blackett in the Indian Legislative Assembly, 
 
 March 10, 1926 29 
 
 Annex III — Recommendations of the Assam Congress Opium Inquiry Committee.. 32 
 
 Annex IV— Opium Policy of the Government of India 
 
 (Extracts from the official Report of the Indian Delegation, Inter- 
 national Conferences at Geneva, 1924-25) 33 
 
 Annex V — Statistics for British India Showing Consumption of Opium per 
 
 Ten Thousand in Seers for 1922-23 35 
 
 Annex VI— S tatements of Indian Opinion at the Second Opium Conference, 
 
 Geneva, 1924-25 43 
 
 Bibliography 44 
 
 Map showing Opium Consumption in India 47 
 
The Opium Situation 
 
 IN 
 
 India 
 
 Recent Developments 
 
 Two developments of great importance to the world prob- 
 lem of opium have taken place recently in India, 
 
 1. Export of Opium— (Smoking) 
 
 The Government of India has served formal no- 
 tice of its intention to retire from the export trade 
 in smoking opium. Early in February the Viceroy 
 of India, Lord Reading, announced that the gov- 
 ernment would progressively reduce its exports of 
 opium so as to eliminate them altogether within a 
 definite period of years, except for strictly medical 
 purposes. In March the Indian Legislative Assem- 
 bly and the Council of State voiced their full ap- 
 proval of the policy announced by the government. 
 
 11. Internal Consumption — (Eating) 
 
 Private investigators in India have uncovered new 
 facts regarding consumption of opium by eating 
 which vitally affect the established policy of the 
 Government of India. The situation revealed by 
 exhaustive surveys in many provincial districts con- 
 trasts sharply with accepted opinions and is calling 
 for fresh consideration of the whole problem and 
 its remedy. 
 
 This pamphlet is limited to a factual account of the re- 
 cent developments in India, and an explanation of their sig- 
 nificance in relation to the larger question of international 
 control of opium. Part I deals with the new export policy 
 and its immediate background. Part II summarizes the new 
 evidence regarding internal consumption in India.* 
 
 •Much of the data presented In the section dealing with opium consumption in India was 
 gathered by the Rev. William Paton, Secretary .of the National Christian Council of India, 
 Burma and Ceylon, at the special request of the Opium Research Committee of the Foreign 
 Policy Association. 
 
 3 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 I NDIA occupies a prominent position in relation to the international 
 opium problem. She is still the largest exporter of raw opium. She 
 is the largest opium producer except China, where the poppy is grown 
 illicitly in defiance of government edicts. In addition, she is a large con- 
 sumer of her own native grown opium. 
 
 The World Opium Problem 
 
 World’s Medical Requirements: approximately 350 tons. 
 
 World’s Total Production: minimum estimate — 3,500 tons a year. 
 
 The problem may be briefly put : The world’s medical requirements 
 for opium are approximately 350 tons a year. The total world production 
 is at least ten times this amount. The surplus, anywhere from 3,000 tons 
 up, is used (1) for smoking purposes in the Far East, especially in 
 China and in the British, French, Dutch and Portuguese colonies of the 
 East; (2) for eating, in India, and (3) for illicit trade in the smoking 
 opium markets of the East and the drug markets in the West. Four 
 countries produce the bulk of the world’s opium. Two of these, India 
 and China, produce a low-grade opium used almost entirely for smoking 
 and eating in the East. China’s entire output is illegal; approximately 
 half of India’s output is consumed within her own borders, the remainder 
 is exported on government order for smoking. The other two pro- 
 ducing countries, Turkey and Persia, grow a high-grade opium suitable 
 for manufacture into drugs. This is exported freely without government 
 control. One of them, Turkey, sends virtually all of her opium to 
 Europe, America and Japan for the manufacture of drugs. The other, 
 Persia, sends part of her opium to the West for drug manufacture and 
 part to the East for smoking purposes. Thus, the problem has two 
 distinct phases — the smoking and eating problem of the East, the drug 
 problem of the West. 
 
 Both aspects of the problem were recognized in the international con- 
 vention signed at the Hague in 1912. Smoking opium was to be progress- 
 ively reduced but the time was left to the governments concerned, i. e., to 
 China and to the colonies of the western powers. Opium eating as it exists 
 in India was not touched by the treaty, but production of raw opium was 
 to be controlled by laws and regulations adopted by the producing coun- 
 tries adhering to the treaty. The traffic in drugs was likewise to be con- 
 trolled by legislation adopted and enforced by the manufacturing and con- 
 suming countries. India through Great Britain’s signature was bound by 
 this Hague Convention. Due to the world war the Convention did not 
 come into effect until after the peace treaties were signed, and it was a 
 year or two later before its provisions were enforced by the different 
 countries. 
 
 4 
 
The Position of India at the Geneva Conferences, 1924-25. 
 
 Somewhat more than a year ago India, together with most of the 
 other principal countries of the world including the United States, par- 
 ticipated at the opium conferences which met at Geneva to extend the pro- 
 visions of the Hague Convention. The story of the conferences has been 
 told before. But the position of India at Geneva is essential to an under- 
 standing of the changes which are taking place today. 
 
 At the Geneva conferences the United States proposed an agreement : 
 
 1. To limit all production to medical and scientific needs. 
 
 2. To suppress opium smoking in the East within ten years. 
 
 3. To control the traffic in drugs through an international Central 
 Board with powers to review the annual statistics of opium manufacture, 
 import, export, etc. 
 
 India was only concerned with the first two proposals. As her 
 official position is given in detail in Annex IV it is sufficient here to 
 indicate the high spots. In regard to limiting production to medical 
 needs, India was willing to accept strict regulation of production 
 for export, but she held that production for use in India was a matter 
 of domestic concern. She contended that opium eating was an old 
 established Indian practice, necessary because of the inadequate 
 medical facilities in many country districts. She held further that 
 opium was not subject to abuse in India, that it was “legitimate” 
 under the terms of the Hague Convention, and useful as a remedy for 
 many ills. This was in harmony with the traditional policy of the 
 Government of India. (In 1921 a resolution was submitted to the League 
 Assembly by Wellington Koo calling for an investigation as to the needs 
 of the world on a medical and scientific basis. Mr. Sastri, the Indian 
 member of the Government of India delegation, moved to amend the 
 resolution by replacing the word “legitimate” instead of the phrase 
 “medical and scientific.” “Legitimate” as used in the 1912 Hague Con- 
 vention gave room for the smoking and eating of opium. This incident 
 caused much unfavorable comment among those interested in the pro- 
 gress of opium reform, especially in the United States.*) 
 
 The representatives of India at the conferences in 1924-25 explained 
 the system of government control on frequent occasions. They stated, 
 first, that production and export of all opium grown in India is under 
 direct control of the central government. The poppy is grown under 
 government monopoly, and the entire output is bought by the govern- 
 ment and transported to a government factory at Ghazipur. Here it 
 is prepared into opium for export, known as “provision opium,” and 
 opium for home consumption, “excise opium”. Export opium is sent 
 only to those governments who certify that it is required for “legitimate” 
 use. (Smoking is legitimate under the Hague Convention.) Indian 
 opium is seldom used for drug manufacture, and hence does not affect the 
 
 *Mr. Sastri stated his personal attitude on the matter in a recent cable, as follows: “Inquiry 
 proves existence of evil not in rural tracts where it cannot be reached, but in Assam, cities 
 and industrial areas where it should yield to regrulation. Legislatures can be roused to 
 adopt measures and registration and rationing and authorized medical prescription. British 
 India shows steady diminution of acreage under poppy. Indian states must follow good 
 example. Central Government instead of exporting blindly according to foreign govern- 
 ments’ certificates, now refuses where it suspects improper use. Stimulation of world 
 opinion from Geneva therefore attended with beneficial result. Need of concentrating on 
 China greater than ever, else improvement in world position largely illusory.” 
 
 5 
 
drug markets of the United States. The strict control of exports by 
 the Government of India has reduced smuggling to a minimum. 
 Second, the opium used in India is sold by the central government to the 
 provincial governments, by whom it is distributed through licensed 
 shops and vendors. Thus, it was pointed out by the Indian delega- 
 tion, control of the use within India is in the hands of the provincial 
 legislatures, and not the central government. 
 
 Claiming that there was comparatively little smoking within her 
 borders, India maintained that the question of smoking opium must 
 be settled by the governments of the countries concerned. But she 
 stated that she was ready to cut off her exports to any country 
 which did not want opium. At the same time, it must be pointed out 
 that the Government of India was willing to fill the orders of all 
 governments, even though she knew those governments were taking 
 no measures to suppress the traffic in smoking in the spirit of the 
 Hague Convention. 
 
 So much for the problem and India’s position at the time of 
 the Geneva meetings. The result of the conferences is well known. 
 No agreement could be reached on reduction of production to medical 
 needs. The ten year period for suppression of smoking opium was 
 extended to fifteen years, and made contingent on control of 
 smuggling from China and other producing countries. The United 
 States and China withdrew before the conferences ended, but the other 
 countries completed and signed two treaties, one dealing with smoking 
 opium, the other regulating control of drugs. 
 
 6 
 
PART I. 
 
 INDIA’S NEW EXPORT POLICY— 1926 
 
 I NDIA’S decision to stop exporting opium to countries where it is used 
 for smoking purposes is not an isolated event. The new policy an- 
 nounced by Lord Reading, February 9, 1926, before he retired 
 as Viceroy of India, and approved by unanimous vote of both 
 branches of the Legislature on March 18, is a culmination of a 
 series of reforms enacted during the past twenty years. 
 
 End of the China Trade 
 
 Unrestricted trade in opium came to an end in 1907 when India 
 agreed to abolish the notorious China trade. Early in the following 
 year the Government of India concluded an agreement with China 
 calling for a reduction of her exports to China by ten per cent each 
 year for ten years pari passu with China’s reduction of poppy cultiva- 
 tion within her own borders. In 1913 China had made such progress 
 in effectively suppressing production that India discontinued her 
 export without waiting for the expiration of the period agreed upon. 
 In cutting off the China trade which had reached vast proportions 
 during the later years of the nineteenth century, India sacrificed an 
 annual revenue of approximately four million pounds a year. Al- 
 though opium production has been revived on a large scale in China 
 since 1917, India has never attempted to renew her opium trade with 
 that country. 
 
 Agreements With Importing Countries 
 
 Beginning in 1915 India inaugurated a further check on opium by 
 restricting the Calcutta auctions, where opium had been sold to the 
 highest bidder with no questions asked, and by entering into agree- 
 ments with the governments of importing countries for the direct 
 supply of the bulk of the opium requirements of those countries. In 
 adopting this policy India made the governments ordering her opium 
 directly responsible for limiting their imports to the requirements 
 of the territories under their control, and for the prevention of re- 
 export. But India was still perfectly willing to ignore the fact that gov- 
 ernment orders for smoking opium were increasing, rather than “pro- 
 gressively decreasing” as the Hague Convention required. 
 
 Import Certificate System 
 
 The policy of concluding direct agreements with governments was 
 carried a step further after the Hague Convention was generally executed, 
 following the world war. The Convention stipulated that the powers 
 should take measures “to prevent the export of raw opium to 
 
 ■' 7 
 
countries which have prohibited its entry” and to bring about “the 
 gradual and effective” suppression of smoking opium. When the 
 Advisory Committee on Opium was created by the League of Nations 
 to administer the provisions of the Hague Convention it inaugurated 
 at one of its first meetings a system of import and export certificates 
 designed to strengthen the Convention. This system provided that 
 the governments importing opium or drugs issue a certificate for 
 each consignment ordered, stating that the opium or drugs in ques- 
 tion are required for legitimate purposes. Exporting governments 
 were not to authorize any shipment except on receipt of a certificate 
 from the importing country. The system was approved by the 
 Council and Assembly of the League in 1921 and was put into effect 
 by India and several other countries in 1923. By the following year 
 twenty-nine countries had adopted the plan. 
 
 Thus at the time of the Opium Conferences in 1925 India had 
 already abolished the trade with China, had restricted the Calcutta 
 auctions and had regulated her exports so that only those govern- 
 ments placing their orders directly or supplying import certificates 
 were authorized to receive Indian opium. 
 
 Responsibility Over Exports 
 
 Following the Geneva conferences one more important change in 
 policy was made by India. In September, 1925, the Government of 
 India announced to the Indian Legislature that they were willing to 
 accept a measure of responsibility even for exports covered by 
 certificates of importing governments. That is, they stood ready to 
 prohibit export even where foreign governments furnished a certifi- 
 cate if there was evidence that this opium escaped from government con- 
 trol into the hands of smugglers. At the time of this announce- 
 ment the Government of India had already applied this policy in 
 two cases. Opium was refused to Persia and to Macao, a Portuguese 
 colony in south China, during 1925 despite the fact that the 
 governments of both countries had requested it. According to the 
 spokesman for the Government of India, this policy was motivated 
 by a desire to show the world that India stood ready to carry 
 out her obligations under the Geneva conventions and was prepared 
 to take stringent measures to abolish smuggling of Indian opium in ac- 
 cordance with the protocol attached to the Second Convention.* 
 
 The situation as it existed following Lord Reading’s announcement 
 this year presented a marked contrast to that existing twenty years 
 ago. The contrast is graphically illustrated in the following table: 
 
 ‘Paragraph 1 of this protocol provided that opium producing countries “take such measures 
 as may be required to prevent completely, within five years from the present date (1925), the 
 smuggling of opium from constituting a serious obstacle” to the suppression of smoking opium 
 in countries where it is temporarily authorized. 
 
 8 
 
Quantity of Indian Opium Exported from British India by Sea, Both 
 on Government and on Private Account to Each Eoreign Country.* 
 
 Destination Quantity 
 
 1905-06 1923-24 
 
 China (including Hongkong and Macao) 
 
 ...6,720,980 lbs. 
 
 . . 33,600 lbs. 
 
 
 
 . . 34,300 lbs. 
 
 Straits Settlements (British) 
 
 ...1,731,520 lbs. 
 
 325,500 lbs. 
 
 United Kingdom 
 
 . . . 59,780 lbs. 
 
 
 East Coast of Africa 
 
 1,820 lbs. 
 
 
 Mauritius (British) 
 
 5,600 lbs. 
 
 
 Natal (British) 
 
 3,220 lbs. 
 
 
 Ceylon (British) 
 
 . . . 25,060 lbs. 
 
 
 Indo-China (French) 
 
 . . . 70,000 lbs. 
 
 379,400 lbs. 
 
 East Indies (Dutch) 
 
 ... 107,800 lbs. 
 
 126,000 lbs. 
 
 Australia 
 
 9,940 lbs. 
 
 
 Persia 
 
 
 .. 55,440 lbs. 
 
 Other ronntries 
 
 
 140 lbs. 
 
 (including North Borneo, Japan, Siam)... 
 
 . . . 75,320 lbs. 
 
 
 Japan 
 
 
 . . 14,000 lbs. 
 
 Siam 
 
 
 . . 229,000 lbs. 
 
 North Borneo (British) 
 
 
 . . 25,060 lbs. 
 
 Total export 
 
 ...8,811,040 lbs. 
 
 1,217,440 lbs. 
 
 Lord Reading’s Statement of Policy 
 It is this remaining export of approximately one million pounds a 
 year which India intends to wipe out. The statement as issued by 
 Lord Reading, and later by government members in both branches of 
 the Legislature, leaves no doubt as to the intention of India to elimi- 
 nate the item “Opium” from the export list. Lord Reading said : 
 
 “My Government have recently had under their consideration the 
 adoption of a new policy regarding opium which is in accordance with 
 the trend of opinion in a number of other countries and also with the 
 views that have been freely expressed in some quarters on different 
 occasions in India. We have very carefully examined the new obliga- 
 tions undertaken by us under Article I of the protocol to the conven- 
 tion of the second opium conference at Geneva to take such measures 
 as may be required to prevent completely, within five years from the 
 present date, the smuggling of opium from constituting a serious 
 obstacle to the effective suppression of the use of prepared opium. 
 
 “As a result, we have come to fulfill our international obligations in 
 the largest measure, and to obviate complications that may arise from 
 the delicate and invidious task of attempting to sit in judgment on the 
 internal policy of other Governments it is desirable we should declare 
 publicly our intention to reduce progressively the exports of opium 
 from India, so as to extinguish them altogether within a definite 
 period, except as regards the exports of opium for strictly medical pur- 
 poses. The period to be fixed has not yet been finally determined, as 
 
 *From Statistical Abstract for British India, Fifty-Eighth Number. 
 
 9 
 
before arriving at a decision it is necessary to consult the Government 
 of the United Provinces regarding the effects that the resulting reduc- 
 tion in the area cultivated with opium will have on the cultivators in 
 the province.” 
 
 In the Council of State at Delhi on March 18th, Mr. McWatters 
 moved an official resolution: “That this Council recommends to the 
 Governor General in Council that immediate steps should be taken to 
 give effect to the policy of progressively reducing the exports of opium 
 from India except for strictly medicinal or scientific purposes so as to 
 extinguish them altogether within a definite period.” 
 
 An identical resolution was introduced the same day by Sir Basil 
 Blackett, the Finance Member, in the Legislative Assembly. It was 
 passed by both houses. 
 
 Clearly this marks a long step in advance. The new policy was un- 
 dertaken wholly on the initiative of the Government of India but it 
 was fully discussed by the British Cabinet and obviously met with 
 approval in London. The one important question remaining is how 
 long will India take to cut off the export trade. In the official resolu- 
 tions the period of years is left undefined as it is naturally contingent 
 on the substitution of other crops in the opium growing districts and 
 on further agreements with the Native Indian States over which the 
 Government of India ostensibly exercises no control. These Native 
 States which are shown in the map on the last page produce large quanti- 
 ties of opium a part of which is purchased by the government. If the 
 requirements of the Government of India are cut approximately ir. 
 half by elimination of the export trade, it is obvious that purchases 
 from the Native States must be curtailed. Whether or not the Native 
 States will accept a drastic cut in this lucrative source of revenue 
 remains to be seen. Some arrangement, however, must be made with 
 the Native States before complete suppression of the export trade can 
 be brought about. A further factor is the loss of revenue to the Gov- 
 ernment of India which will reach approximately £1,333,000.* This 
 loss, however, will be spread over the period of years during which 
 the exports are being diminished and will be met, according to the 
 government, either by increased taxation or decreased expenditure. 
 
 What will be the effect of this new policy on the status quo in the 
 East? Referring to the Table of Exports given above, there are seven 
 countries still receiving Indian opium today : Hongkong, Straits Set- 
 tlements, Indo-China, the Dutch East Indies, Siam, North Borneo, 
 and Japan; Persia and Macao have been taken from the list since 1924. 
 The entire supply is used for smoking purposes in the countries re- 
 ceiving it, except in the case of Japan where part is manufactured into 
 drugs and part used for smoking in Formosa. In every case it is 
 ordered directly by the governments, Indo-China, the last country to 
 buy at the Calcutta auctions, having concluded an agreement with 
 India during the past few months. Furthermore, all of the British 
 colonies and most of the other countries listed above draw the great 
 bulk of their opium supply for smoking purposes from India. Under 
 the agreement concluded at Geneva these countries are pledged to 
 
 •An estimate submitted by Sir Basil Blackett, the Finance Member, in the Legislative Assem- 
 bly. March 18, 1926. 
 
 10 
 
suppress smoking opium within fifteen years from the time that pro- 
 ducing countries prevent the danger of smuggling from constituting 
 an obstacle to such suppression. In plain terms, this ambiguous 
 phraseology refers to China and to a lesser degree, Persia. All of the 
 opium smoking countries at the Geneva conferences contended that 
 vast quantities of opium produced illegally in China were smuggled 
 into their markets, preventing effective measures of control. Although 
 China strenuously protested the accuracy of this contention, the opium 
 smoking countries held firmly to their point, refusing to undertake 
 gradual reduction until smuggling had ceased to be an obstacle. 
 
 With India taking measures to cut off their supply, the smoking 
 countries are faced with the choice of abolishing this use of opium 
 or seeking new markets from which to purchase their supplies abroad. 
 What markets are available? The only remaining legitimate sources are 
 Persia and Turkey. Persia has recently declared her willingness to 
 limit opium production to medical and scientific needs if she is given satis- 
 factory crop substitution. A League of Nations commission of inquiry 
 is now in Persia under the chairmanship of Mr. Frederic A. Delano of 
 Washington and is working on this problem. Despite the fact that Persia 
 has never adopted the import certificate system, and has not controlled 
 smuggling from her gulf ports, it is possible that Persian opium will be 
 curtailed before many years have passed. Turkish opium has seldom been 
 used for smoking purposes, its high morphia content making it peculiarly 
 suited for drug manufacture in Europe and America. Unless the 
 amounts produced exceed those of the past years or unless Turkey 
 seeks the new markets, it is unlikely that there will be a sufficient sur- 
 plus to meet the needs of the smoking opium countries. Neither of 
 these countries, therefore, offers a likely substitute for India as a 
 source of supply. The only remaining source is China where, as we 
 pointed out, the entire crop is illegal. Unless the smoking opium 
 countries are prepared to face the criticism which would be bound to 
 follow any attempt to buy the contraband Chinese supplies, it is dif- 
 ficult to see how they can long continue the traffic. 
 
 The French, Dutch and Portuguese colonies may perhaps be able 
 to continue for a time by purchasing the Persian opium which is still 
 sold freely in the East. But the British colonies, if they seek to re- 
 place the Indian supply, must face the possibility of severe criticism 
 in the House of Commons. While there is no evidence to show that 
 the Government of India consulted the colonies or the Colonial Office 
 in London before announcing her new policy, it is clear that India, as 
 far as Great Britain is concerned, has shifted the responsibility for 
 suppression of the smoking opium trade directly to the colonies. It 
 is difficult to see how the British colonies can avoid shaping their 
 policy to harmonize with that of India. What the governments of 
 France, Holland, and Portugal will do remains an open question. But 
 as a result of India’s action, public opinion the world over will look to 
 these countries for the termination of the traffic in smoking opium. 
 
 11 
 
PART II. 
 
 OPIUM CONSUMPTION IN INDIA 
 
 O F equal importance with the question of opium exports is that of 
 opium consumption within the borders of India. But unlike the 
 former it is a purely domestic question for which India alone is 
 responsible. Although opium production in India and the other producing 
 countries was held to be a matter of international concern at the opium 
 conferences in Geneva, it was generally agreed that the use in India 
 was a subject which could be settled by that country alone. 
 
 Position of Government of India on Opium Consumption 
 
 The history of opium consumption in India dates back more than 
 three hundred years. When and how the practice of opium eating 
 was introduced in India is not known. But when the British took 
 over political control they found the practice firmly established in 
 rnany sections of the country. They came to the conclusion that pro- 
 hibition was not possible and began building up a system of regulat- 
 ing production and restricting consumption. They adopted the slogan 
 “maximum of revenue with minimum of consumption,” and progres- 
 sively increased the rates with a view to diminishing the demand. It 
 is unnecessary here to trace the various laws and regulations enacted 
 by the Government of India from 1826 until 1893 when a Royal Com- 
 mission was sent to investigate the whole question of opium con- 
 sumption in India. During the thirty odd years which have followed, 
 the Government of India has made the report of the Royal Commis- 
 sion the corner stone of its opium policy. The Commission reported, 
 and the Government of India has steadfastly maintained, “that the 
 opium habit as a vice scarcely exists in India, that opium is exten- 
 sively used for non-medical and semi-medical purposes in some cases 
 with benefit and for the most part without injurious consequences ; 
 that the non-medical uses are so interwoven with the medical uses 
 that it would not be practicable to draw distinction between them, and 
 that it is not necessary that the growth of the poppy and the manu- 
 facture and sale of opium in British India should be prohibited except 
 for medical purposes.” The government has further maintained that 
 opium “is in virtually universal use throughout India as the common- 
 est and most treasured of the household remedies accessible to the 
 people.” They have held that it is taken to avert fatigue, as a prophy- 
 lactic against malaria, and to allay pain in sufferers of all ages ; that 
 in many sections of the country medical practitioners are unavailable 
 and the bulk of the people are dependent almost entirely on opium for 
 relief. Thus the Government of India has maintained that opium is 
 not generally abused and that it fills a “legitimate” need of the people. 
 
 This was, in effect, the position taken by India at the Hague Con- 
 ference of 1912 and later at the meetings of the League of Nations 
 Advisory Committee on Opium and the International Opium Confer- 
 
 12 
 
ences held at Geneva in 1924-25. In explanation of the policy pursued 
 by India the representatives of that country at the Geneva confer- 
 ences presented long and detailed memoranda. These, together with 
 the verbal statements of the representatives of the Government of 
 India, have been summarized in the report of the delegation which 
 we quote in part in Annex IV. 
 
 Position of Indian Opinion on Opium Consumption 
 
 During the past few years and particularly in the months immedi- 
 ately following the Geneva conferences, a strong public opinion in 
 regard to opium consumption has developed in India. Evidence of 
 this opinion is clearly reflected in the following important develop- 
 ments : 
 
 (1) The Debates on Opium in the Legislative Assembly in March 
 1925 and March 1926. Both discussions, which covered the whole 
 question of production, export and internal use, followed the introduc- 
 tion by Dr. S. K. Datta of a motion to reduce the Demand “Opium” 
 by one hundred rupees. This was merely a nominal reduction put 
 forward in order to bring about a full discussion of the opium problem. 
 It was marked by a strong attack on the policy of the Government of 
 India in which many Indian members took part, and a statement of 
 policy by Sir Basil Blackett, the representative of the government. 
 
 (2) The Publication of the Assam Congress Opium Inquiry Re- 
 port. The committee was headed by Mr. C. F. Andrews, and was 
 composed largely of Indians. The report has made available much 
 new and valuable material regarding consumption of opium, both by 
 smoking and by eating, throughout Assam. 
 
 (3) Private and Semi-Official Investigations. These included 
 those made by the National Christian Council of India, Burma and 
 Ceylon, and resulted in fresh evidence regarding opium consumption 
 in many of the provincial districts of India. 
 
 For purposes of clarity the new information made available as a 
 result of these recent inquiries is treated here as a whole.* By far 
 the most interesting part of this information is that which deals with 
 the relative figures for opium consumption in all the districts of British 
 India. The figures are based on official government statistics for 
 1922-23. They were presented for the first time by Dr. Datta in the 
 Legislative Assembly in March, 1925. They put an entirely new com- 
 plexion on the whole problem of internal consumption of opium in 
 India. 
 
 Analysis of Government Figures for Opium Consumption 
 
 The story told by these figures is graphically presented in the map 
 on the last page. The black spots in Calcutta, in Assam, in parts of the 
 Punjab, and in Burma show where opium consumption is heaviest. 
 The shaded areas indicate where consumption is fairly prevalent, and 
 the white areas indicate where consumption is negligible. Unnamed 
 districts are shaded according to the average of the province, with the 
 exception of Bombay where the rural districts are indicated as falling 
 below the average. 
 
 •Extracts from the speeches delivered in the Legislative Assembly, together with resolutions 
 adopted by the Assam Congress Inquiry Committee and tables showing consumption in all the 
 districts of British India, are contained in the annexes. 
 
 13 
 
To get the full significance of the figures for opium consumption in 
 India, a comparison with the index figure laid down by the Joint 
 Health and Opium Committee of the League of Nations for medical 
 consumption is essential. This index figure, generally accepted as a 
 standard, is 12 lbs. per 10,000 population per annum. That is, the 
 average consumption for medical needs is 12 lbs. a year for each 10,000 
 of the population. Now the average for the whole of India is 24 lbs., 
 exactly double the League of Nations figure. But this average does 
 not reveal the situation as it actually exists because large sections of 
 the country fall far below the League figure. The greatest difference 
 is shown in the figures of the various provinces and even of the in- 
 dividual districts of each province. 
 
 Referring to the map, the black spots indicating areas of highest 
 consumption are relatively few. The highest consumption is in Assam 
 where the average for the entire province is 104 lbs. per 10,000 popula- 
 tion. In the Sadiya Frontier Tract on the northern border, with a 
 population of 39,500, the index figure runs up to 474 lbs. The figure 
 for Lakhimpur is 380 lbs., for the Balipara Frontier Tract 272 lbs., 
 Nowgong 346 lbs., Sibsagar 220 lbs., Darrang 212 lbs., and Kamrup 
 91 lbs. On the other hand in the southern districts the figures range 
 from less than 2 Ihs. in Sylhet to 38 lbs. in Cachar, 42 lbs. in the Naga 
 Hills, and 83 lbs. in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. 
 
 In Bengal, adjacent to Assam, the average is 16 lbs., but the figures 
 for practically all of the districts, with the exception of Calcutta and 
 its environs, fall far below the 12 lbs. set by the League. In fact, 
 eleven out of the twenty-seven districts of Bengal show a figure be- 
 low 6 lbs., and eighteen are below 12 lbs. Without exception the 
 districts showing the lowest per capita consumption are rural areas. 
 On the other hand, the figure for Calcutta with its more than one 
 million industrial inhabitants rises to 287 lbs. 
 
 Following the map south from Bengal through the provinces border- 
 ing on the east coast and north to Bombay on the west coast, one finds 
 black spots marking highest consumption in Balasore, Puri and 
 Cuttack, Ganjam, Godavari, Madras, and the industrial centers 
 throughout Bombay. The figure for Balasore is 110 lbs. while the 
 average for the provinces of Behar and Orissa is only 16 lbs. The 
 figure for Ganjam is 45 lbs., Godavari 134 lbs., Madras 52 lbs., and 
 Bombay 86 lbs. The average for the districts surrounding these points 
 of highest consumption is relatively low, in fact, throughout the larger 
 part of the province of Madras the figures are far below 12 lbs. and 
 opium eating as an evil can scarcely be said to exist at all. In explana- 
 tion of the high consumption in Godavari and Balasore, Dr. Datta has 
 pointed out that large numbers of coolies migrate from these coastal 
 districts to Calcutta, Assam and Burma, where they acquire the opium 
 habit, and on returning continue the practice of eating. 
 
 In the province of Bombay the average figure is 44 lbs. with Panch- 
 Mahals 125 lbs. The points of highest consumption are the cities of 
 Bombay 86 lbs.. Broach 102 lbs., Hyderabad 104 lbs., Karachi 93 lbs. 
 and Ahmedabad 89 lbs. with large industrial populations. The rural dis- 
 tricts, particularly in the south, show relatively low figures. 
 
 In the northern provinces of the Punjab, North Western Frontier 
 Province, and the United Provinces, the average is fairly high. The 
 
 14 
 
figure for the Punjab is 24 lbs. with the points of highest consump- 
 tion in Ferozepore 120 lbs., Lahore 80 lbs., Amritsar 43 lbs., Ambala 
 53 lbs. and Ludhiana 98 lbs. 
 
 The average for the Lfnited Provinces is just over the 12 lb. figure 
 set by the League of Nations. Most districts in the United Provinces 
 fall below this. The lowest have an index figure of 2 lbs. The highest 
 figures in the United Provinces are Benares 64 lbs., Cawnpore 58 lbs. 
 and Lucknow 39 lbs. It is interesting to note the low average of the 
 United Provinces in view of the fact that practically all of the opium 
 in British India is grown here. 
 
 The North Western Frontier Province shows an average of 20 lbs. 
 with the district of Peshawar 40 lbs., the highest point. Baluchistan 
 has an average of 12 lbs., and Ajmere-Marwara shows a figure of 
 105 lbs. which is significant in view of its proximity to the states of 
 Rajputana where the opium habit is established. 
 
 In the Central Provinces and Berar the average is 32 lbs. which is 
 higher than the surrounding provinces. Many districts, however, fall 
 below the League figure, while the points of highest consumption 
 are Badilana 70 lbs., Akola 66 lbs., Amraoti 60 lbs., and Balaghat 46 
 lbs. The lowest figure is in the district of Damoh where the consump- 
 tion is 6 lbs. 
 
 The average for Burma is 57 lbs. This province, with a large Chinese 
 population, is the only one in British India where most of the districts 
 conform reasonably to the average. Three districts show figures be- 
 low 20 lbs., eight below 60 lbs., and thirteen between 60 and 100 lbs. 
 The points of highest consumption are Katha 111 lbs., Tavoy 130 lbs., 
 Rangoon 218 lbs., and in Mergui, where the large tin mines are located, 
 it is 294 lbs. 
 
 The Problem in Native States 
 
 The above figures cover all of the provinces of British India. There 
 remain the Native States: Kashmir, Nepal and Bhutan on the north, 
 Rajputana and the Central India Agency in the interior, and Hydera- 
 bad, Mysore and Travancore in the south. These states are not under 
 direct control of the Government of India and consequently no figures 
 are available showing either production or consumption. A certain 
 quantity of the opium produced in the Native States, however, is pur- 
 chased by the Government of India under agreements with the 
 separate states, and precautions are taken against smuggling into 
 British India.* 
 
 What is the conclusion to be drawn from these figures for opium 
 consumption within British India? In the first place it is clear that 
 the abuse of opium is rare in a large part of India. Opium addiction 
 as such does not exist in many sections of the country. At the same 
 time the traditional defense made for the existing policy by the Gov- 
 ernment of India, namely, that opium is necessary as a household 
 remedy in view of the scarcity of medical assistance in the rural dis- 
 tricts, cannot be maintained in the face of the new evidence, which we 
 have just summarized. For it is precisely in the urban districts and 
 in the large industrial centers, where medical assistance is readily 
 
 •See page 10. 
 
 15 
 
available, that opium consumption is highest. Leaving out Assam, 
 the points of highest consumption are confined almost entirely to the 
 cities. Furthermore, contrary to the statements repeatedly made by 
 representatives of the Government of India, opium smoking as well as 
 opium eating exists as an evil in certain sections, notably Assam. 
 
 The Problem in Assam 
 
 This brings us to the far reaching investigation of the opium prob- 
 lem in Assam, the results of which are embodied in the Assam Con- 
 gress Opium Inquiry Report. This document is indispensable to those 
 who wish to study the problem exhaustively. It contains detailed and 
 accurate information together with many practical suggestions which 
 reflect the most progressive Indian opinion. 
 
 The situation in Assam differs from that in the other provinces in 
 British India in that opium smoking as well as opium eating is found 
 among the Assamese race and the neighboring hill tribes. Addiction 
 is not prevalent among the Indian population, which is in a distinct 
 minority. The Assamese race has a large mixture of Mongolian blood 
 in its veins. Although it is scarcely true that only the Mongolians 
 become opium addicts, nevertheless the fact remains that an extremely 
 high percentage of the Assamese are addicted to opium. The Govern- 
 ment of India through the Excise Department has for many years 
 maintained the policy of “maximum of revenue with minimum of con- 
 sumption.” The Assam Congress Committee’s Report, however, shows 
 that while the retail price of opium has been increased year by year 
 consumption has shown no material reduction. For example, the price 
 of opium in 1874 was 22 rupees per seer, which was increased to 65 
 rupees per seer in 1924. At the same time opium consumption in 
 Assam was 1874 maunds in 1875 and 1614 maunds in 1920-21. “In 
 spite of this steady rise in the price of opium,” the committee reports, 
 “We have already seen that from 1881 to 1921 the consumption merely 
 wavered, now going up and now going down according to the pros- 
 perity or adversity of the season. So neither the decrease in the num- 
 ber of shops, nor the raising of the price of opium, nor the change in 
 the method of licensing, had any appreciable effect on the consumption 
 of opium in the Assam villages and among the Hill tribes.” 
 
 Since 1921 there has been a marked reduction in the amount of 
 opium consumed by the Assamese. This is undoubtedly due, however, 
 to the influence of the temperance movement which Gandhi started 
 throughout the length and breadth of India about this time. As 
 Mr. C. F. Andrews points out, “within six months of Mahatma 
 Gandhi’s visit to Assam, when he took up opium reform decisively, the 
 consumption dropped suddenly by 22 per cent.” The situation, how- 
 ever, still remains critical and the Assam Congress Committee in its 
 recommendations suggested drastic steps to eradicate the evil. The 
 committee suggested (1) that the sale of opium should be ultimately 
 limited to medical and scientific needs; (2) that all addicts above 
 the age of forty should be registered and put on a limited ration ; 
 (3) that addicts under forty should be dealt with as medical patients; 
 and (4) that these changes should be carried out within the next five 
 years after which opium should be placed on the list of poisons under 
 the dangerous drug act. No official move has been taken by the 
 
 16 
 
Government of India or the Assam Government in regard to the 
 recommendations of the committee. Nevertheless, the findings of the 
 committee are so far reaching that the government will sooner or later 
 be forced to give its full attention to the situation. 
 
 Review of Royal Commission of 1893 
 
 To return to the opium problem throughout British India; As a 
 result of these revelations both in Assam and the other provinces, 
 Indian leaders interested in opium reform have been demanding a 
 thorough-going review of the findings of the Royal Commission of 
 1893. Following the conferences in Geneva, Dr. Datta, in the debate 
 in March, 1925, asked that the Government of India appoint a repre- 
 sentative all-India commission of inquiry to examine the situation in 
 the light of the new evidence available. The Government of India at 
 that time replied that the question of reduction of opium consumption 
 within the borders rested with the local governments. The new con- 
 stitution for India which came into effect in 1921 had made the sale 
 and distribution of opium in all provinces, with the exception of 
 Assam, a “transferred subject;” that is, a subject over which the local 
 governments through their representative legislatures exercised con- 
 trol. The Government of India maintained that the initiative for 
 reduction of consumption should come from the provincial govern- 
 ments themselves. Sir Basil Blackett, speaking in the Legislative 
 Assembly in reply to Dr. Datta, stated that “the Government recently 
 circularized the local governments in regard to this question. Attention 
 was drawn to some prima facie evidence which has been produced by 
 some investigators of the abuses of opium in various districts and the 
 local governments have been asked to re-examine the question and to 
 consult with the Government of India by what means, whether by 
 some special inquiry or by another committee, the problem should 
 be dealt with.” Sir Basil Blackett went on to say that in his own 
 opinion there was a good deal to be said for an inquiry. He was not in 
 a position, however, to promise that such an investigation would be 
 forthcoming. In March of this year Dr. Datta again asked the 
 Government of India what it intended to do in regard to a nation- 
 wide investigation and what had been the result of the correspond- 
 ence with the local governments. Sir Basil Blackett replied that “the 
 opinion of the local governments does not suggest that they think 
 that there is any occasion for a new general inquiry.” He went on 
 to say that there was no reason for a revision of the conclusions of 
 the Royal Commission Report. He said that he was not in a position 
 to say what further steps the Government of India would take, but he 
 intimated that there did not seem to be any great probability that a 
 new inquiry would be undertaken. 
 
 Thus to summarize briefly, the Government of India still bases 
 its policy on the obsolete report of the Royal Commission and holds 
 to its contention that the local governments have power to solve 
 the problem if they so desire. That the local governments have not 
 taken advantage of this power must be conceded. It can scarcely 
 be said that many Indian leaders in the provincial legislatures have 
 taken any great interest in opium reform. On the other hand, the 
 Government of India has done little to assist the local authorities. 
 
 17 
 
Although legally the initiative may lie with the provincial governments, 
 yet morally the responsibility for leadership in working out what in 
 many districts is a real social evil, lies with the Government of India. 
 
 Nevertheless, Indian opinion is generally awakening to the impor- 
 tance of the opium problem. In June, 1924, the All-India Congress 
 Committee unanimously declared “the opium policy of the Govern- 
 ment of India is altogether contrary to the moral welfare of the 
 people of India and other countries. The A. -I. C. C. is further of 
 the opinion that the people of India would welcome the total aboli- 
 tion of the opium traffic for purposes of revenue and is also of the 
 opinion that the production of opium is out of all proportion to the 
 medical requirements of India.” In 1925, the National Christian 
 Council published a valuable report containing resolutions adopted 
 by many Indian organizations and evidence given by the members 
 of the Indian Medical Service, missionary doctors, educators and 
 Indian private practitioners. This report which was presented at the 
 Opium Conferences at Geneva a year ago reflected clearly the 
 strength of Indian opinion on opium. Furthermore, the demand for 
 a new government inquiry, which we mentioned above, is being sup- 
 ported by a growing number of influential Indian leaders. 
 
 In conclusion, the problem of internal consumption as it exists 
 today may be briefly summarized as follows : There are certain black 
 spots in British India where opium addiction is extremely high. 
 These areas have been clearly defined. They have been brought 
 to the attention of both the Government of India and the local govern- 
 ments. The groups in India advocating opium reform, including the mis- 
 sionary groups, the All-India Congress Committee and prominent 
 political leaders are advocating that the Government of India and 
 the provincial councils undertake a fresh inquiry into the cause 
 and the effects of opium consumption in India. Their method of 
 bringing about reduction to medical and scientific needs is by first 
 eliminating the exceedingly high consumption which still exists i^ 
 certain restricted areas. If consumption throughout India can be 
 brought down to the figure set by the League of Nations’ committee 
 as an average for medical purposes the problem will be virtually 
 solved. 
 
 CONCLUSION 
 
 In considering both aspects of the Indian opium question — export and 
 internal consumption — much progress can be seen. One advance can be 
 credited to native Indian leaders, one to the Government of India sup- 
 ported by Indian opinion. 
 
 The analysis of the government figures of opium consumption result- 
 ing from the study initiated by the Opium Research Committee of the 
 F. P. A. clarifies the reason for some of the divergence between native 
 Indian opinion and that of the Government of India. Government officials 
 had before them averages for the provinces as a whole, and an average 
 for all India. These averages, many claimed, did not show widespread 
 addiction. The Indian people themselves knew from first hand ex- 
 perience, however, that there was grave abuse of opium in India. These 
 two statements seemed irreconcilable and resulted almost inevitably in 
 charges of inaccuracy and bad faith from both parties to the controversy. 
 
 18 
 
The facts as shown in the map accompanying this pamphlet make clear 
 how misleading are averages for provinces in view of the “black spot” 
 situation. We believe that this analysis which had not before been 
 brought to the attention of the government nor was generally known to 
 Indian leaders, points the road to the solution. 
 
 This can be accomplished only by an aroused and active public opinion 
 among the Indians, expressed through action by the Provincial Legisla- 
 tures, and a sympathetic support by the Government of India to all effort 
 toward this end — a support pledged by Lord Hardinge in the Assembly 
 of the League in 1923. 
 
 It is indeed encouraging to be able to conclude by emphasizing the 
 great advance that the new export policy of India signalizes in spite of 
 the uncertain position of the Indian Native States. Not since the cessation 
 of the China trade has there been the promise of such a great forward 
 sweep in the line of attack against both the smoking of opium, which was 
 declared an abuse in the Hague Convention in 1912, and also against that 
 common enemy of society, the opium smuggler. His extinction in the 
 East can surely be glimpsed, though still somewhat remote ! 
 
 With the establishment of the Central Board of Control as outlined in 
 the treaty of the Second Conference at Geneva, 1925, his confederate in 
 the western world, who manufactures excessive amounts of opium deriv- 
 itives and smuggles them not only through Europe and America, but 
 also to the East, will perforce heed the handwriting on the wall. 
 
 HELEN HOWELL MOORHEAD 
 WILLIAM T. STONE 
 
 We wish to acknowledge our debt to all those who by their candid 
 criticism and constructive suggestions have helped us prepare this study. 
 We are particularly indebted to Professor Joseph P. Chamberlain, Head 
 of the Legislative Drafting Research Department, Columbia University; 
 the Reverend William Paton, Secretary of the National Christian Council 
 of India, Burma and Ceylon; and the Reverend A. L. Warnshuis, Secre- 
 tary of the International Missionary Council. The attached map was 
 prepared for this pamphlet by Elizabeth Batterham of the F. P. A. staff. 
 
 19 
 
ANNEX I 
 
 AN INDIAN CRITIQUE OF THE OPIUM POLICY OF THE 
 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 
 
 Speech by Dr. S. K. Datta in the Indian Legislative Assembly, 
 March 10, 1926 
 
 OlIR, I propose a small reduction of Rs. 100 to call attention to the 
 opium policy of the Government of India. At the very outset I 
 feel I ought to congratulate the Government of India on the bold 
 step that they have taken in restriction of the export trade. Our debate 
 of last year, I may say, was not wholly useless. I know it is an un- 
 gracious thing on the other hand to look a gift horse in the mouth. I 
 think I will take the risk of doing that, not for the satisfaction of the 
 Government Benches, but possibly for the satisfaction of those who be- 
 lieve in a theory of economic determinism. Sir, the interesting fact in 
 regard to the cultivation of Indian opium has been the rise in the cost 
 of production. Between the years 1913 and 1914 the cost of production 
 of a chest of opium was Rs. 632. Between 1922 and 1923 the cost has ■ 
 risen to Rs. 1,270 a chest. In other words, the cost of manufacturing 
 a chest of opium has more than doubled. What are the reasons for this 
 rise in price ? The Government began to discover that they could not get 
 the cultivator to grow the poppy on the old terms. That was a cardinal 
 feature in the situation. Mr. C. D. Wild, the Opium Agent at Ghazipur, 
 on 18th January, 1921, wrote: 
 
 “The season was again an unfortunate one for the crop. . . . the yield was 
 disappointing. This misfortune was accentuated as wheat, the chief com- 
 peting crop, did not suffer and gave excellent results. 
 
 “The thanks of the Department are due to Mr. H. Young and Pandit 
 Champa Ram, Special Managers, Court of Wards, for their assistance in 
 inducing the men on their estates to engage for poppy. Quite an appreciable 
 area was obtained through their help.” 
 
 I wonder whether these excellent gentlemen were remembered in the 
 Honours List. We also find the Secretary to the Board of Revenue in 
 the United Provinces, Mr. C. L. Alexander, writing on 3rd March, 
 1921: 
 
 “As the previous year had been an unfortunate one and cultivators were in 
 need of money, it might have been expected that settlement would have been 
 obtained without difficulty for the full area required; but the area fell short 
 by 16.15 per cent. ... an average return of Rs. 33.1 per bigha. . . . falls very 
 short of the profit obtainable for the cultivation of wheat, the competing crop. 
 . . . It is satisfactory that the price of opium has been raised again, and will 
 in future be Rs. 15 per seer. The Board hope that this will lead to a fuller 
 area being obtained next year.” 
 
 20 
 
The price given to the cultivator was raised from Rs. 7-8-0 to Rs. 15. 
 But this factor must have had an immediate effect on the price of opium 
 in the Far East, that is the Indian monopoly or non-monopoly opium in 
 the Far East. There was another factor also at work in putting up the 
 price of opium in the Far East, and that was exchange. If you consider 
 the rates between India and Hongkong, it is clear that 100 dollars equalled 
 in 1919, Rs. 215 and in 1920-21, Rs. 257. Then it dropped to Rs. 218, 
 181, 169 3/16 and in 1924-25 to Rs. 165 5/8. In other words, more 
 dollars were required to purchase the same quantity of Indian opium 
 and the price of Indian opium in the Far East was raised. There was 
 also a third factor to which much attention was paid last year, though 
 unfortunately the results were not considered. As I read the debates at 
 the Geneva Conference, whenever China was mentioned the represen- 
 tative of the Indian Government passionately denounced the smuggling 
 of Chinese opium into the other parts of the Far East. I did not then 
 quite realize why there was so much heat in the controversy. Again in 
 the proceedings at Geneva there was another thing to which my atten- 
 tion was directed. The representatives of certain European States re- 
 ferred to monopolies and high prices. The innuendo was that the 
 British Government’s determination on an opium monopoly was to in- 
 sure a high price and thus obtain a very substantial profit from the sale 
 of Indian opium. What had happened was this. Chinese opium was 
 getting round. The price of smuggled Chinese opium ruling was some- 
 thing like one-quarter or one-sixth of the price of Indian opium. The 
 tendency of Indian prices had been upwards ; the tendency of Chinese 
 opium prices had been, on the other hand, downwards. In other words, 
 the Indian Government was losing its Far Eastern trade. A few weeks 
 ago (early this Session) I asked the Honourable the Finance Member 
 for certain statistics. I asked him what amounts of opium were sold at 
 the auction sales in Calcutta. In 1922, 2,790 chests were offered for 
 sale and 2,500 were sold. In 1923, 3,150 chests were offered and 3,000 
 were sold. In 1924, 3,000 were offered and 2,240 were sold. In 1925, 
 3,000 were offered and 1,155 were sold. Now the curve of sales of 
 the Indian product, at least through auctions, has decreased. 
 
 The Honourable Sir Basil Blackett; Does the Honourable Mem- 
 ber realise that that is entirely because we were making direct agree- 
 ments ? 
 
 Dr. S. K. Datta ; Direct agreements ? The quantities thus sold have 
 also dropped, and may I inquire why the amounts offered at the auctions 
 remained almost constant? 
 
 The Honourable Sir Basil Blackett: We were cutting them. 
 
 Dr. S. K. Datta: There was also another factor in the situation 
 which probably influenced the Indian Government in its decision not to 
 continue this diminishing trade, and that was the possibility of a League 
 of Nations Inquiry Committee. The League of Nations said they were 
 going to send out a committee to see whether there was smuggling of 
 opium in countries where opium is produced, and whether proper regu- 
 lations are in force to prevent smuggling from those countries. Now, 
 I do not know if that was a reason, but on looking into the facts I 
 wonder whether that was not also a factor in the situation. However, 
 
 21 
 
the great thing has been achieved. We have at least been told that a 
 complete extinction of the foreign traffic has been decided upon and 
 that in itself is a tremendous gain and a step for-ward. 
 
 Now, Sir, I turn again to the debate held in this House a year ago. 
 It centered round the internal consumption of opium. In that debate 
 the Honourable the Finance Member used the following words, which, 
 to my mind at least, constitute a distinct pledge to this House. He 
 said : 
 
 “But I can say for myself that my own view coincides entirely with that 
 given by Mr. Cosgrave and I think that, unless strong reasons exist, which 
 I do not know of, some kind of inquiry to review the conclusions of the 
 Commission of 1923 may be very desirable. I see no objection to it. But 
 I say I am not in a position to go further because we have not yet received 
 the replies of the Local Governments.” 
 
 Now, what has been done? On several occasions Members of this 
 House have interpellated the Honourable the Finance Member regard- 
 ing this inquiry into the internal consumption of opium in India. What 
 has been the result? We have been told that the matter is still being 
 considered, or the Local Governments were being consulted. On the 
 27th of January of this year the Honourable the Finance Member said 
 that the replies of the Local Governments to the reference of the Gov- 
 ernment of India regarding the consumption of opium in India have 
 been received and are now under careful examination. He said that he 
 was not in a position to make any further statement at present. I won- 
 der how far these efforts have gone. In the month of May — I think 
 it was two months after the debate in this House— I was told by the 
 Secretary of the National Qiristian Council that he had addressed one 
 of the Local Governments regarding this matter. He told the Local 
 Government that the Honourable the Finance Member had made a par- 
 ticular statement in this House regarding a re-inquiry into the problem 
 of the internal consumption of opium and he asked the Local Govern- 
 ment what their attitude would be with regard to an inquiry of this kind, 
 or rather he commended an inquiry of this kind to the Local Govern- 
 ment. The reply of the Local Government was that they never heard 
 about this debate and they did not know that the Honourable the Finance 
 Member had made a statement regarding opium. They asked the Secre- 
 tary of the National Christian Council to supply them with a copy of 
 this debate. Now, Sir, I do not know how it happened. It may per- 
 haps be a mere accident. I would, however, like to know what has 
 exactly been done and where do we stand with regard to this inquiry. 
 What did we ask for last year? It was this: 
 
 “An examination of the general policy of Government which, so far, has 
 been based on the Report of the Royal Commission on Opium of 1893 to 
 1895.” 
 
 Now, Sir, some points were put forward regarding the cultivation of 
 opium crop under the system of advances. I have already read out some 
 extracts from official documents regarding certain features of the culti- 
 
 22 
 
vation of the opium crop. When we spoke last year on this subject, we 
 referred the Government to the question of an inquiry into the problem 
 of illicit traffic and I believe that I quoted what was then the evidence 
 of the Excise Commissioner of the United Provinces Government which 
 he gave before the Taxation Inquiry Committee. Today we are also in 
 possession of the Report of the Taxation Inquiry Committee. Their 
 views are still more emphatic. With regard to the cultivation of opium 
 they say: 
 
 “The cultivation of poppy, though now restricted in British India to a 
 single province, is carried on there in as many as 29 districts. This large 
 dispersal of it coupled with the enormous temptation to the smugglers which 
 results from the high rates of duty makes it exceedingly difficult to ensure 
 that all the opium is brought into the factories.” 
 
 This is what we suspected. They go on : 
 
 “And it seems to be desirable to secure a large concentration of cultivation 
 even if this results in an increase in expenditure.” 
 
 We also referred last year to the illicit traffic from Malwa. I now 
 ask Government whether it is a fact that the Excise Department of the 
 Central India Agency was asked to report on this feature? If so, with 
 what results? Has there been a report on this matter or not? An- 
 other feature of the illicit traffic is the enormous amount of opium that 
 finds its way into the smoking dens of Calcutta. We are told, Sir, that 
 opium is under a strict control. But I would ask the Honourable the 
 Finance Member to visit an opium den in Calcutta when he next goes 
 there and see how that strict control is being maintained. If you go to 
 one of these Chinese clubs you will find people with their pipes, as also 
 a boy who attends to them to whom they pay a sum of 8 annas for the 
 “prepared opium.” The boy is constantly bringing in opium for them 
 and thus they can go on for the whole night; an unlimited quantity of 
 opium is evidently available in spite of the fact that its sale is supposed 
 to be under restriction. This shows that there is need for a most search- 
 ing inquiry. So much for the illicit traffic of opium. 
 
 Let us now turn to another feature of opium, as commented upon by 
 the Royal Commission, namely, the medicinal uses of opium. We have 
 been told that opium to the country at large is necessary for medicinal 
 purposes. Last year it was pointed out in the debate that, as a matter 
 of fact, the highest percentage of consumption of opium was in areas 
 where medical relief was available and lowest in remote district areas. 
 But evidence is accumulating and has been accumulating for the last 30 
 years as to the medicinal use of opium. The Royal Commission itself 
 said that the matter ought to be investigated. Probably at the back of 
 somebody’s mind when that recommendation was drafted was the idea 
 that certain scientific researches had been undertaken but the results 
 were not then known. That was in 1895. But in 1898 the first re- 
 searches of the Pasteur Institute became available to the public. In 
 Metchnikofif’s laboratory in the Pasteur Institute in Paris experiments 
 were made by a number of scientists. The results of these experiments 
 
 23 
 
are highly interesting. They appeared in English in a book entitled 
 “Immunity in Infectious Diseases” published by the Cambridge Uni- 
 versity Press : 
 
 “It is possible to immunize guinea pigs against cholera, unless treated 
 with opium.” 
 
 The reason is perfectly clear. The narcotic effect on the phagocytes 
 of opium retards their defensive functions. Here in India we have a 
 confirmation of this from Sir Leonard Rogers, at one time Professor in 
 the Calcutta Medical College. He is emphatic in his denunciations. He 
 says that in cholera the retention of toxins formed by the cholera vibrio 
 and resulting uraemia is often brought out by the use of opium. As to 
 dysentery, malaria and kala-azar there is recent medical evidence in- 
 corporated in the report on Opium in Assam by Special Committee of 
 the Indian National Congress which makes it clear that opium is useless 
 in these conditions. This has been confirmed by eminent authorities such 
 as Manson and others. With regard to malaria as far as I can see, 
 according to present day medical science, there is not an iota of evidence 
 that it is either curative or a prophylactic. We also know that opium 
 itself produces a peculiar kind of diarrhoea in opium eaters. In June 
 of last year the Government of Assam made a public report on the 
 opium position. The report was written in 1913, and the Committee 
 was presided over by the Honourable Mr. Botham. In the report the 
 following passage appears : 
 
 “Another garden in which large opium consumption and unhealthiness go 
 hand in hand is the Namsing division of the Jaipur Tea Company. The 
 Manager says, ‘The garden is on the ‘black list’ and I put down the whole 
 cause to opium.’ ” 
 
 Opium, it is true, has a certain important value, but hardly any of 
 those which were given to it by the Report of the Royal Commission 
 of 1893. 
 
 The next point on which we seek investigation- — and more and more 
 evidence is being accumulated in regard to this — regards the effect of 
 opium on children. We observe a very high infantile death rate in the 
 city of Bombay. In the industrial areas in Bombay it was, in 1917, 410 
 per thousand, in 1918, 590 per thousand, in 1919, 552 per thousand, and 
 in 1921, 667 per thousand. Take another industrial city, Ahmedabad. 
 We have no figures for 1917-18, but in 1919 the death rate of infants 
 under one year was 363 per thousand, in 1920, 360 per thousand and in 
 1921, 348 per thousand. We know that this higher death rate is not 
 wholly caused by opium, but there is a considerable drugging of children 
 with opium, and it is probably a contributive factor. This is another 
 matter which we desire to see investigated. 
 
 Now, Sir, the Government of India, or rather the Local Governments 
 of India are completely unable to make up their mind whether they 
 should treat opium as they treat alcoholic liquor on the one hand or as 
 a poison on the other, and this is demonstrated by the dilemma in which 
 
 24 
 
the responsible departments find themselves. A few months ago the 
 Bengal Government published in the Calcutta Gazette draft rules which 
 they had made under the Indian Poisons Act, for the control of par- 
 ticular poisons. Under those rules, they classified poisons under three 
 heads. Schedule A, Schedule B and Schedule C. The most potent 
 poisons were placed in Schedule A, the less potent in Schedule B and 
 the least potent in Schedule C. Rules were made under Schedule A foi 
 the sale of drugs included in it. First these drugs must be sold by 
 licensed chemists, secondly, if anyone purchases these drugs he must 
 give his name and address, and possibly also sign the chemist’s poisons 
 register, or put his thumb mark. The particular bottle in which the 
 drug is given out must have a particularly coloured label wkh the word 
 “Poison.” It must also bear the name of the chemist who dispensed 
 it, and the chemist has discretion, if he does not know the person, to 
 refuse to give the drug at all. Now classified with prussic acid and 
 other potent poisons I find opium included. Opium and its derivatives 
 were placed in Schedule A as being dangerous poisons. On the other 
 hand the rules exclude “excise opium” which is exempted. A respect- 
 able person, that is to say, a person of intelligence and education, who 
 knows what a poison is, is the sort of person who usually goes to a 
 chemist shop and asks, say, for Chamberlain’s Cough Cure, or for some 
 more or less innocuous patent medicine with a minute quantity of opium 
 in it. The precautions prescribed by Schedule A for the sale of these 
 drugs are applied. On the other hand the ignorant labourer enters an 
 excise shop and buys 3 tolas of opium, enough to poison himself and 
 his whole family, but no such precautions are taken. Government will 
 have to make up its mind whether they are going to consider opium as 
 a poison or not. 
 
 Now, Sir, some time ago I asked questions of the Army Department 
 with regard to the use of opium. The questions and the replies of the 
 Army Department were as follows ; 
 
 “(a) Are Government aware that during the late War opium was issued by 
 the Supply and Transport to certain Indian personnel when on active 
 service ? 
 
 (b) If so, will Government state under what conditions was this done? 
 
 (c) Will Government place the instructions permitting this practice on the 
 table of the House? 
 
 (d) Will Government state whether these instructions are still in force, and, 
 if so, is Government prepared to abolish them?” 
 
 The answers to these questions were as follows : 
 
 “(a) Yes. 
 
 (b) It was supplied as a ration on payment to opium eaters only, at the 
 rate of 20 grains a man per day. 
 
 (c) and (d) The issue of opium on the scale mentioned is provided for 
 in the ‘Supply and Transport Manual (War).’ These instructions are 
 still in force, but the Manual is to be revised shortly, and the question 
 will then be examined whether the issue of opium as a ration article 
 on payment should be continued or not.” 
 
 25 
 
May I compare that with the practice of certain other European Powers 
 who have possessions in the East. The Dutch will not admit to their mili- 
 tary services any person addicted to opium. Indeed many medical officers 
 themselves have held that the inclusion in the Indian Army of personnel 
 who had formed the habit of eating opium was a very great mistake, 
 and as a matter of fact such people on active service were of little use. 
 
 Now since the debate held in this House two very important docu- 
 ments have come into our hands. The first is the Taxation Committee’s 
 Report and the second is the Assam Congress Committee’s Report on 
 Opium. Now, Sir, what were the conclusions of the Taxation Commit- 
 tee? I do not know whether my friend Mr. Lohokare has read that 
 Report. Here are some of the conclusions: 
 
 “(1) The Ghazipore Factory is carrying a stock which is out of all propor- 
 tion to its present issues and which represents a very large lock-up of 
 capital. 
 
 (2) In the second place a recommendation is made that future issues of 
 opium should be in pill form for the following reasons : 
 
 (a) Less labour for the retailer. 
 
 (b) The pill form will protect the poor against adulteration ; 
 
 (c) The large cakes in which opium is now supplied to the retailer 
 is an aid to theft and hence illicit traffic.” 
 
 The Report further recommends that there should be an equality of 
 price, one rate of excise of monopoly price for continental India ; we 
 would thus be able to speak about “national opium.” The Report fur- 
 ther condemns the present auction system and says: 
 
 ‘‘On the other hand the steady pressure that is being exerted towards limi- 
 tation of issues to those for medical use and the extension to Assam of the 
 policy for registering consumers suggests the desirability of introducing some- 
 thing in the nature of official vend.” 
 
 Now, Sir, what, may I ask, is to be the attitude of Government to 
 these particular proposals? 
 
 The second important document is the Assam Congress Committee 
 Report. One of the most valuable things that the Congress Committee’s 
 Report did was to republish extracts from the Botham Report, which 
 the Government, after 12 years, made public last June. The Com- 
 mittee reported in 1913 but the Government has refused publication of 
 that report until last year. Now the Botham Report says regarding 
 the consumption of opium in Assam: 
 
 ‘‘Among those who take opium only (non-medical), consumption in the 
 form of smoking is almost universal to this extent that almost all smoke in 
 the first instance and only take to other forms of consumption after they 
 have become confirmed opium takers. . . . On this point the evidence is unani- 
 mous and conclusive. 
 
 ‘‘Over the five districts, half would be a moderate estimate of the propor- 
 tion of those now smoking to the total number of consumers.” 
 
 26 
 
I believe it was suggested even as late as last year to this House that 
 opium smoking was unknown in India. Sir, the Congress Committee 
 Report makes other statements. It seems that the original peoples of 
 Assam are being affected in larger numbers, and that even the labour 
 force in Assam, which is non-Assamese, itself is being affected, I am 
 particularly interested in one community, a very fine Assamese com- 
 munity, the Khasis. I see from the evidence given by the representa- 
 tive of the Khasis in the Assam Council, the Reverend Mr. Roy, — a 
 definite statement is given that the Khasis, this fine race of people, is 
 becoming infected with the opium habit. Now, Sir, these are the points 
 to which I directed attention last year and I have brought them for- 
 ward again. I do not know what attitude the Local Governments are 
 taking towards the problem, but I hold that this ought to be a matter 
 of supreme concern. You will never get an effective opium policy until 
 we have a united policy for all India, and until that is done, the prob- 
 lem cannot be solved. In all the world there is a rising tide of opinion 
 against the non-medical use of opium and legal restrictions against 
 such use of opium are more stringent than ever before. Does the Indian 
 Government mean to suggest such precautions are useless ? I pointed 
 out in a debate in this House some time ago that the habit was known 
 in England in the early 19th century. We are told for example about the 
 industrial population of the County of Leicester in a Home Office Re- 
 port that these people were too poor to go to church or to indulge in 
 alcohol, and then we are informed that “the druggist is their publican ; 
 they buy opium for themselves and laudanum for their children.” That 
 was once the condition in industrial England, but with the passage of 
 the Pharmacy Act of 1858 opium was classified as a poison, and no 
 one was permitted to sell it except under a strict license. Thus opium 
 as an intoxicant disappeared from England. All civilized countries im- 
 pose restrictions on the sale of opium. We sometimes assert that it is 
 necessary to the Indian people. I was in that comparatively prosperous 
 Indian colony of Fiji. The Government of Fiji absolutely prohibit the 
 use of opium by any one in the Island, including Indians. Further, even 
 when facing new problems such as come to the British Empire, action 
 has been taken against opium. I think of the work of that great admin- 
 istrator Sir Hugh Murray, Lieutenant-Governor of the Australian Colony 
 of Papua off the north-east corner of Australia. Papua is a dependency 
 of the Australian Commonwealth, the welfare of whose indigenous in- 
 habitants has been undertaken by the Australian people. I have just 
 read through the labour laws of Papua. One is impressed by the fact 
 that administration is carried on in the spirit of trusteeship. Now, 
 Sir, among the labour laws for Papua (I have a copy here, but shall 
 not read extracts), I was reading that the sale to the natives of three 
 kinds of articles are prohibited, alcohol, fire-arms and opium, except 
 under permit. The law allows a permit for alcohol, the law may allow 
 a permit for fire-arms, but there is no provision made for a permit for 
 opium. Furthermore the law lays down that a native may not carry, 
 even as a transport bearer, a consignment of opium from one part of 
 the country to another. If a European firm consigns fire-arms, a native 
 may transport the passage, but the law prevents the carriage of opium 
 across the island by one of these people. Surely there must be some- 
 
 27 
 
thing which has made nations all over the world take this drastic action 
 against opium. Sir, life is cheap in India, very cheap, and I can quite 
 understand the administrator being appalled by the problems which con- 
 stantly arise. But the problem of opium does not stand out singly; it 
 is intertwined with other problems such as the extension of medical 
 relief in this country, the raising of the standards of the people. Sir, 
 if this Executive Government has so far failed to rule by consent of the 
 people, at least in this matter let them act as trustees and go forward, 
 making their plans for the suppression of this traffic in opium. We ask 
 nothing more than permission to co-operate with the Government in 
 laying down a policy with regard to opium that will be satisfactory to 
 all parties concerned. 
 
 28 
 
ANNEX n 
 
 Speech by Sir Basil Blackett in the Indian Legislative Assembly, 
 
 March 10, 1926 
 
 S IR, Dr. Datta has given us a very interesting speech; I always 
 listen with very great interest when he talks to us about opium. 
 He has covered a great deal of ground and I do not propose to 
 attempt to follow him. So far as export is concerned, we shall have 
 a debate I hope very shortly, when the Resolution which is being brought 
 forward by the Government of India in regard to the further restriction 
 of our exports comes forward for the approval of this House. As 
 regards that, I think Dr. Datta was extremely ungenerous and tried to 
 invent out of his own mind all sorts of motives for the Government of 
 India in bringing forward an action, the reasons for which are perfectly 
 clear. They entered into an international engagement in 1912 and a 
 further international engagement recently, and they have the choice be- 
 tween the course they now propose and that of exercising that inter- 
 national engagement in a way that will bring them somewhat un- 
 pleasantly into conflict with the policy of other Governments. They 
 felt that they would have to set themselves up to some extent as exam- 
 iners of the policies of other Governments or take some arbitrary course 
 such as a complete reduction over a period of years. It is simply be- 
 cause of the international engagements that we have already entered 
 into that we feel the time has come to take this further step. I am not 
 prepared to say that it is going to have any effect in reducing the con- 
 sumption of opium in the world, and it certainly is going to have the 
 effect of reducing very considerably the revenues of the Government of 
 India, but that is the position and when we come to that Resolution we 
 can no doubt deal with that. So far as internal consumption is con- 
 cerned, I am in this difficulty that in every one of the provinces except 
 Assam, opium is a transferred subject, and I believe that very shortly 
 it will be a transferred subject in Assam. Most of the observations that 
 were made by Dr. Datta therefore are observations to be dealt with by 
 the individual Provincial Governments in the transferred departments. 
 Last year when the debate took place on the subject of Opium I made 
 a statement which I think Dr. Datta has misunderstood. I said: 
 
 “The Government recently circularised the Local Governments in regard 
 to this question. Attention was drawn to some prima facie evidence which 
 has been produced by some investigators of abuses of opium in various 
 directions and the Local Governments have been asked to re-examine the 
 question and to consider with the Government of India by what means, whether 
 by some special inquiry or another Committee, the problem should be dealt 
 with, if the Local Governments come to the conclusion that there is prima facie 
 evidence making it desirable to review the conclusions of the Royal Commis- 
 sion of 1893.” 
 
 29 
 
I went on to say that in my own opinion there was a good deal to 
 be said, subject to that qualification, for an inquiry. Dr. Datta read my 
 exact words. Now at that time, although the letters to the Local Gov- 
 ernments had been sent out, we had not received their replies. The final 
 reply was received at the end of last December. I have the file in front 
 of me and there is an illuminating note on it. “Unfortunately this must 
 now wait till April” because it is out of the question for the Govern- 
 ment of India with the Budget and the Session in front of them, to 
 take up the subject. That is to say, we must take it up in April. I am 
 bound to say, however, that the opinion of the Local Governments does 
 not suggest that they think that there is any occasion for a new general 
 inquiry. There is very little evidence before us which suggests that any 
 general revision of the conclusions of the Report of the Royal Com- 
 mission require reconsideration. The matter must, however, be ex- 
 amined by us as soon as we are free of the Budget Session and the 
 Local Governments meanwhile have had their special attention called 
 to the necessity for careful examination of the problem of opium in 
 three special directions — the possibility of closer coordination of policy 
 between Governments of adjacent Provinces in regard to the fixing of 
 the sale price of opium; the necessity and possibility of taking special 
 measures to prevent abuse where consumption is unusually high, of 
 which definite examples have been given; and the practice of doping 
 babies with opium. There is ample evidence to show that the Local 
 Governments are fully alive to the whole subject. I am not, however, in a 
 position to say what further steps the Government of India after con- 
 sideration of these replies may decide to take ; but I should say at once 
 that there does not seem to be any great probability of our coming to 
 the conclusion that a new general inquiry is either desirable or neces- 
 sary. The problem can much better be dealt with by the Local Govern- 
 ments themselves in the places where special attention is required. Dr. 
 Datta always talks about this problem of opium as if it is a nation-wide 
 evil in India. There are black spots here and there but the abuse of 
 opium in India is, as I thinlc I showed in my speech last year, very 
 unusual. The Indian is always temperate; and though there may be a 
 few cases where there is abuse, just as in the case of alcohol so in the 
 case of opium, the evidence of abuse is extraordinarily small. I am 
 quite prepared to admit that there are places in Assam where opium is 
 a really serious evil and that the Assamese Government are quite alive 
 to that question, but we cannot I think usefully attempt to deal with the 
 problem of an evil which is to a large extent local by the heavy machin- 
 ery of an India-wide Committee or an India- wide attempt to deal with 
 it. It is much more likely to be dealt with successfully by attention to 
 the spots where the evil is really serious by the Local Governments that 
 are in direct touch. The problem of course is one which has also to be 
 considered in connection with the Report of the Taxation Inquiry Com- 
 mittee. Dr. Datta drew attention to the proposal that an attempt 
 should be made to issue opium in pill form. We are experimenting 
 with the possibilities in that direction. There are technical difficulties. 
 I am not quite sure whether the form that it will take, if our experi- 
 ments are successful, will be exactly a pill form but it will be some- 
 thing corresponding, and that undoubtedly would be a useful way of 
 
 30 
 
dealing with the problem. There is also the problem of the Malwa 
 States. The smuggling of illicit opium from the Malwa States is men- 
 tioned constantly by all the Local Governments in their replies to the 
 letter of the Government of India and specially those Local Govern- 
 ments who are neighbours of the Malwa States. I believe within a 
 month there is to take place a special conference which one of the mem- 
 bers of the Central Board of Revenue will be attending, to examine the 
 position in the Malwa States with a view to seeing what steps can be 
 taken to deal with the difficulties that have arisen there. 
 
 My general answer therefore to Dr. Datta must be that we are quite 
 alive to the trouble, that we have every intention of following up the 
 subject as soon as we are free of this Session of the Assembly, and that 
 the Local Governments are themselves already actively engaged in dealing 
 with the problem in the special places where the evil is marked, and that 
 it is difficult In any case for the Government of India to intervene in a 
 matter which is mainly a transferred subject in the Provinces. I trust 
 that Dr. Datta will realise that he has served his purpose by moving 
 this reduction and that he will be content to withdraw his motion on 
 the understanding that we shall give full examination to the subject 
 during the summer. 
 
 81 
 
ANNEX III 
 
 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ASSAM CONGRESS OPIUM 
 INQUIRY COMMITTEE 
 
 In conclusion, we would recommend that the following steps be taken : 
 
 (1) The sale of opium and its derivatives should be ultimately limited 
 to the medical and scientific needs of Assam. 
 
 (2) Provision should be made for confirmed addicts above the age of 
 forty, enabling them to procure a rationed amount of opium, their 
 names being registered for that purpose. 
 
 (3) All opium addicts, who are under forty years of age, should be 
 dealt with as medical patients. Wherever opium is needed by them, 
 it should be given only under the order of a fully qualified doctor, 
 the medical permission to obtain it being subject to quarterly renewal. 
 
 (4) These changes should be carried out within the next five years. At 
 the end of five years, opium should be placed on the list of poisons 
 under a Dangerous Drugs Act, and treated as such for all inhabitants 
 of Assam. 
 
 While much depends on the Government action, we feel that no 
 progress can be made without the education of public opinion. The Non- 
 cooperation movement showed what a great advance could be made in 
 opium restriction by voluntary effort and public propaganda. The de- 
 crease in consumption in a single year is a proof of what can be done 
 by these methods. This work needs to be still further promoted and 
 sustained. :i i 
 
 We, therefore, appeal to all those who desire the welfare of Assam 
 to organize themselves into anti-opium societies and to advocate opium 
 prohibition amongst the people in general. This will lead to the educa- 
 tion of public opinion against the opium evil and create a moral atmo- 
 sphere, without which no great success can be achieved. Every avenue 
 of approaching the illiterate masses, who are the greatest consumers, 
 should be employed. Especially necessary is the careful training of the 
 young children in all the elementary schools of the Assam Valley and 
 among the Hill tribes. We would invite the cooperation of all sections 
 of the community in this educational work, and we would specially ap- 
 peal to the missionaries to help us in organizing temperance societies 
 among the Hill tribes with whom they are closely connected. 
 
 Finally, we would venture to ask Mahatma Gandhi once more to come 
 to Assam and put himself at the head of a great anti-opium campaign to 
 be carried on by entirely peaceful means. 
 
 (Signed) KULADHAR CHALIHA 
 
 TARUN RAM PHOOKAN 
 NABIN CHANDRA BORDOLOI 
 KRISHNA NATH SARMA 
 AMBICAGIRI ROY CHAUDHURI 
 OMEO KUMAR DAS 
 ROHINIKANTA HATI BARUA 
 
 32 
 
ANNEX IV 
 
 OPIUM POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 
 
 (Extracts from the official Report of the Indian Delegation, International Opium 
 Conferences at Geneva, 1924-25, pages 17-21.) 
 
 Control of Production 
 
 The Hague Opium Convention of 1912 refers in its preamble to the 
 gradual suppression of the abuse of opium and in Article I provides that 
 “the Contracting Powers shall enact effective laws or regulations for 
 the control of the production and distribution of raw opium unless laws 
 or regulations on the subject are already in existence.” The method of 
 consuming opium in India is by eating or swallowing, and the opium so 
 used is raw opium as defined by the Convention, For generations prior 
 to the date of the Hague Convention its production and distribution in 
 British India have been controlled by Government in a manner that was 
 accepted as a model by the framers of that Convention. Production is a 
 Government monopoly; the poppy is cultivated under Government su- 
 pervision; practically the whole of it is grown by licensed cultivators in 
 specified areas of a single province and must be delivered to the Govern- 
 ment Opium Department. The acreage under cultivation has decreased 
 from about 614,000 acres in 1905-06 to 141,000 in 1922; cultivation in 
 the Indian States has also decreased from about 146,000 acres in 1905 to 
 about 64,000 in 1921-22. The whole of the opium produced in British 
 India and a certain amount, which is purchased from the Indian States 
 and represents a considerable portion of their production, is “manu- 
 factured,” i. e., is made ready for packing and transport, at a Govern- 
 ment factory. The total weight of opium which the factory manufactured 
 in 1922-23 was about 1,900,000 lbs. It is interesting to note that this is 
 less than one-seventeenth of the amount, 15,000 tons, estimated by the 
 International Anti-Opium Association of Peking as the annual 
 production in China. In view of the falling demand for opium 
 the Government of India is now arranging for the further restriction both 
 of cultivation in British India and of purchases from the Indian States. 
 The whole of the opium handled by the factory is either exported for 
 purposes that are legitimate under the Hague Convention, or is sold at 
 cost price to the Provincial Governments, which thus become responsible 
 for its distribution. Under the Devolution Rules made under the Gov- 
 ernment of India Act, 1919, the control of the cultivation and “manufac- 
 ture” of opium and of its sale for export is exercised by the Central 
 Government, and the control of distribution for consumption within the 
 provinces is placed under Provincial Governments, and in all provinces 
 except Assam is transferred to the charge of an Indian Minister, who 
 is responsible to a Legislative Council containing a majority of mem- 
 bers elected by the people of the province. , . . 
 
 33 
 
Amount of Revenue from Opium 
 
 In the year 1923-24 the total revenue of the Central Government from 
 all sources under the head of opium was 3,186,000 1. gross, but after 
 deducting production costs and the expenses of central administration this 
 figure is reduced to 1,245,000 1, net; this revenue is almost entirely 
 made up of the proceeds of sales for export and sales at cost price to 
 Provincial Governments. An outside figure for the total of the revenues 
 of the Provincial Governments from opium (which comes under the 
 head of excise) for the same year is 2,145,000 1. gross; this figure in- 
 cludes transit duties and fines, etc., in respect of other excise besides 
 opium ; it is also not possible to reduce this gross revenue to its net 
 figure because the expenses of provincial administration on opium cannot 
 be distinguished from those of other excise administration, which is carried 
 on by the same staff; this opium revenue is chiefly made up of licence fees 
 and profits on the re-sales of the opium purchased at cost from the Gov- 
 ernment of India for consumption in the provinces. The combined gross 
 figures given above (3,186,000 1., plus 2,145,000 1. equals 5,331,000 1.) 
 amount to 3.36 per cent of the total gross revenues of India (158,728,000 
 1.) in 1923-24. 
 
 In calculating the real proportion which opium revenue bears to the 
 total revenues in India, it seems in some ways fairer to take the gross 
 opium revenue of the Central Government from exports only, and the 
 total gross opium revenues of the Provincial Governments; for that part 
 of the central gross revenue which is derived from the sales of opium 
 to Provincial Governments is all absorbed by expenditure on its produc- 
 tion and sale. In 1923-24 the total gross opium revenue from exports 
 was 2,376,000 1., this with the total of the gross opium revenues of the 
 Provincial Governments (2,145,000 1.) gives a combined amount of 
 4,521,000 1., which is 2.84 per cent of the total gross revenues of India 
 (158,728,000).* 
 
 Control of Internal Distribution 
 
 Distribution of opium within the provinces has been controlled by 
 Ministers, except in Assam, since 1921, when India obtained her new 
 reformed constitution. The Ministers have inherited a most strict sys- 
 tem of control from the earlier authorities. The Opium Act of 1878 pro- 
 hibits the manufacture, possession, transport, import, export, and sale 
 of opium except as permitted by rules framed under the Act, and pro- 
 vides for the confiscation of any opium in regard to which an offence is 
 committed. AH transactions are at every stage regulated by elaborate 
 rules made by the Provincial Governments ; imports into the provinces 
 from outside British India are closely restricted, so that a province’s 
 supply of opium consists practically of the amount purchased by the 
 Provincial Government from the Government of India; this is sold only 
 to licensed vendors or druggists, and the licences of the retail vendors 
 are subject to the most stringent conditions designed to restrict abuse; 
 a limit is placed by law on the amount that an individual purchaser may 
 possess at any one time, and retail prices are artificially fixed at high 
 levels, and have been progressively enhanced, so as to discourage sales 
 as far as is possible without incurring undue risk of stimulating smug- 
 gling. 
 
 •Rupees converted throughout at Is. 6d. 
 
 34 
 
ANNEX V 
 
 STATISTICS 
 
 FOR BRITISH INDIA 
 
 SHOWING 
 
 CONSUMP- 
 
 TION 
 
 OF OPIUM PER TEN THOUSAND 
 SEERS FOR 1922-23 
 
 IN 
 
 (League of Nations index figure — 6 seers per 10,000 people) 
 
 Consumption 
 per ten 
 
 Population thousand in 
 
 Province 
 
 Name of District 
 
 (in 1921) 
 
 seers* 
 
 PUNJAB 
 
 Hissar 
 
 .. 816,810 
 
 11.17 
 
 
 Rohtak 
 
 772,272 
 
 3.69 
 
 
 Guraon 
 
 682.003 
 
 5.18 
 
 
 Karnal 
 
 .. 828,726 
 
 7.55 
 
 
 Ambala 
 
 681,477 
 
 26.82 
 
 
 Simla 
 
 45,327 
 
 21.84 
 
 
 Kangra 
 
 .. 766,065 
 
 2.96 
 
 
 Hoshiarpur 
 
 .. 927,419 
 
 15.86 
 
 
 Jullandhar 
 
 822,544 
 
 23.05 
 
 
 Ludhiana 
 
 567,622 
 
 49.36 
 
 
 Ferozpore 
 
 .. 1,098,248 
 
 60.00 
 
 
 Lahore 
 
 .. 1,131,336 
 
 40.15 
 
 
 Amritsar 
 
 .. 929,374 
 
 21.46 
 
 
 Gurdaspur 
 
 .. 852,192 
 
 13.12 
 
 
 Sialkot 
 
 .. 937.823 
 
 10.65 
 
 
 Gu j ranwala 
 
 .. 623,581 
 
 12.38 
 
 
 Sheikhupura 
 
 523,135 
 
 14.62 
 
 
 Gujrat - 
 
 .. 824,046 
 
 5.04 
 
 
 Shahpur 
 
 719,918 
 
 7.18 
 
 
 Jhelum 
 
 477,068 
 
 10.58 
 
 
 Rawalpindi 
 
 .. 569,224 
 
 9.50 
 
 
 Attock 
 
 512,249 
 
 9.06 
 
 
 Mianwali 
 
 .. 358,205 
 
 4.72 
 
 
 Montgomery 
 
 .. 713,786 
 
 8.63 
 
 
 Lyallpur 
 
 979,463 
 
 15.56 
 
 
 Jhang 
 
 570,559 
 
 6.48 
 
 
 Multan 
 
 890,264 
 
 10.94 
 
 
 Muzaffargarh 
 
 ,. 568,478 
 
 5.38 
 
 
 Dera Ghazi Khan 
 
 495,810 
 
 9.44 
 
 
 Beloch Trans F. Tract .... 
 
 
 Total for 1922-23 (Province) 
 
 .. 20,685,024 
 
 11.99 
 
 UNITED 
 
 Dehra Dun 
 
 212,243 
 
 16.89 
 
 PROVINCES 
 
 Saharanpur 
 
 937,471 
 
 12.30 
 
 
 Muzaffarnagar 
 
 794,265 
 
 8.59 
 
 
 Meerat 
 
 . 1,499,074 
 
 10.09 
 
 * One seer equals two lbs. 
 
 35 
 
Province 
 
 Name of District 
 
 Population 
 (in 1921) 
 
 Consumption 
 per ten 
 thousand in 
 seers’ 
 
 UNITED 
 
 Bulandshahr 
 
 ... 1,066,519 
 
 10.37 
 
 PROVINCES 
 
 Aligarh 
 
 ... 1,061,745 
 
 12.61 
 
 (continued) 
 
 Muttra 
 
 ... 619,138 
 
 7.90 
 
 
 Agra 
 
 .... 924,155 
 
 8.66 
 
 
 Mainpuri 
 
 748,027 
 
 2.29 
 
 
 Etah 
 
 ... 827,760 
 
 4.51 
 
 
 Bareilly 
 
 .... 1,013,875 
 
 4.16 
 
 
 Bijnor 
 
 .... 740,182 
 
 4.88 
 
 
 Budaun 
 
 .... 975,347 
 
 1.70 
 
 
 Moradabad 
 
 ... 1,198,653 
 
 12.98 
 
 
 Shahjahanpur 
 
 .... 839,115 
 
 4.84 
 
 
 Pilibhit 
 
 431,001 
 
 5.83 
 
 
 Farrukhabad 
 
 .... 856,633 
 
 6.48 
 
 
 Etawah 
 
 .... 733,532 
 
 7.74 
 
 
 Cawnpore 
 
 .... 1,148,664 
 
 29.38 
 
 
 Fatehpore 
 
 .... 652,392 
 
 11.31 
 
 
 Allahabad 
 
 .... 1,404,445 
 
 10.08 
 
 
 Jhansi 
 
 .... 606,499 
 
 6.01 
 
 
 Jalaun 
 
 405,439 
 
 9.93 
 
 
 Hamirpur 
 
 .... 440,245 
 
 7.10 
 
 
 Banda 
 
 .... 613,114 
 
 5.14 
 
 
 Benares 
 
 .... 901,312 
 
 32.10 
 
 
 Mirzapur 
 
 724,183 
 
 9.66 
 
 
 Jaunpur 
 
 .... 1,155,105 
 
 6.11 
 
 
 Ghazipur 
 
 .... 832,289 
 
 1.25 
 
 
 Ballia 
 
 .... 831,009 
 
 1.07 
 
 
 Gorakpur 
 
 .... 3,266,830 
 
 2.64 
 
 
 Basti 
 
 .... 1,925,228 
 
 1.33 
 
 
 Azamgarh 
 
 .... 1,528,657 
 
 1.56 
 
 
 Naini Tal 
 
 .... 276,875 
 
 6.09 
 
 
 Almora 
 
 530,338 
 
 0.88 
 
 
 Garhwal 
 
 .... 485,186 
 
 1.12 
 
 
 Lucknow 
 
 .... 724,344 
 
 19.77 
 
 
 Unao 
 
 810,128 
 
 6.26 
 
 
 Rai Bareilli 
 
 .... 936,403 
 
 2.67 
 
 
 Sitapur 
 
 .... 1,089,481 
 
 2.35 
 
 
 Hardoi 
 
 .... 1,084,410 
 
 2.34 
 
 
 Kheri 
 
 .... 913,475 
 
 7.02 
 
 
 Fyzabad 
 
 .... 1,171,930 
 
 2.97 
 
 
 Gonda 
 
 .... 1,473,098 
 
 1.67 
 
 
 Bahraich 
 
 .... 1,065,377 
 
 2.45 
 
 
 Sultanpur 
 
 .... 1,003,912 
 
 2.56 
 
 
 Partabgarh 
 
 .... 855,130 
 
 2.74 
 
 
 Bara Banki 
 
 .... 1,029,954 
 
 1.34 
 
 
 Total 1922-23 
 
 .... 45,373,787 
 
 6.64 
 
 * One seer equals two lbs. 
 
 36 
 
Province 
 
 Name of District 
 
 Population 
 (in 1921) 
 
 Consumption 
 per ten 
 thousand in 
 seers* 
 
 BENGAL:— 
 
 Burdwan 
 
 1,438,926 
 
 13.77 
 
 BURDWAN 
 
 Birbhum 
 
 847,570 
 
 6.52 
 
 DIVISION 
 
 Bankura 
 
 1,019,941 
 
 5.39 
 
 
 Midnapore 
 
 2,666,660 
 
 14.54 
 
 
 Hoogly 
 
 1,080,142 
 
 4.04 
 
 
 Howrah 
 
 997,403 
 
 15.83 
 
 PRESIDENCY 
 
 24 Parganas 
 
 2,628,205 
 
 20.72 
 
 DIVISION 
 
 Calcutta 
 
 907,851 
 
 143.59 
 
 
 Nadia 
 
 1,487,572 
 
 4.98 
 
 
 Murshidabad 
 
 1,262,514 
 
 5.14 
 
 
 Jessore 
 
 1,722,219 
 
 2.82 
 
 
 Khulna 
 
 1,453,034 
 
 4.68 
 
 
 Dacca 
 
 3,125,967 
 
 3.04 
 
 
 Mymensingh 
 
 4,837,730 
 
 1.30 
 
 
 Faridpur 
 
 2,249,858 
 
 1.75 
 
 
 Bakarganj 
 
 2,623,756 
 
 4.36 
 
 
 Chittagong 
 
 1,611,422 
 
 6.11 
 
 
 Noakhali 
 
 1,472,786 
 
 1.35 
 
 
 Tippera 
 
 2,743,073 ■ 
 
 1.23 
 
 
 Rajshahi 
 
 1,489,675 
 
 2.50 
 
 
 Dina j pur 
 
 1,705,353 
 
 2.97 
 
 
 Jalpaiguri 
 
 936,269 
 
 2.69 
 
 
 Rangpur 
 
 2,507,854 
 
 2.54 
 
 
 Bogra 
 
 1,048,606 
 
 1.78 
 
 
 Pabna 
 
 1,389,494 
 
 1.69 
 
 
 Malda 
 
 985,665 
 
 8.24 
 
 
 Darjeeling 
 
 282,748 
 
 7.00 
 
 Grand Total of the Province 
 
 46,522,293 
 
 8.14 
 
 BOMBAY 
 
 Ahmedabad 
 
 890,911 
 
 44.31 
 
 PRESIDENCY, 
 
 Kaira 
 
 710,982 
 
 36.32 
 
 SIND & ADEN 
 
 Panch Mahals 
 
 374,860 
 
 62.50 
 
 
 Broach 
 
 307,745 
 
 51.08 
 
 
 Surat 
 
 674,351 
 
 11.58 
 
 
 Thana 
 
 759,916 
 
 4.99 
 
 
 Bombay 
 
 1,328,754 
 
 43.13 
 
 
 Kolaba 
 
 562,942 
 
 3.62 
 
 
 Ratnagiri 
 
 1,154,244 
 
 0.43 
 
 
 Kanara 
 
 401,727 
 
 1.47 
 
 
 Dharwar 
 
 1,036,924 
 
 1.99 
 
 
 Belgaum 
 
 952,996 
 
 4.19 
 
 * One seer equals two lbs. 
 
 37 
 

 
 Consumption 
 
 
 
 per ten 
 
 
 Population 
 
 thousand in 
 
 Province Name of District 
 
 (in 1921) 
 
 seers* 
 
 BOMBAY (con.) Bijapur 
 
 .. 796,876 
 
 1.01 
 
 Sholapur 
 
 742,010 
 
 35.40 
 
 Satara 
 
 .. 1,026,259 
 
 10.49 
 
 Poona 
 
 .. 1,000,033 
 
 36.61 
 
 Ahmednagar 
 
 731,552 
 
 23.36 
 
 Nasik 
 
 .. 832,576 
 
 10.47 
 
 West Khandesh 
 
 .. 641,847 
 
 6.15 
 
 East Khandesh 
 
 .. 1,075,837 
 
 17.92 
 
 Karachi 
 
 .. 542,065 
 
 46.51 
 
 Hyderabad 
 
 .. 573,450 
 
 52.19 
 
 Nawabshah 
 
 418,660 
 
 22.40 
 
 Thar Parkar 
 
 396,331 
 
 37.48 
 
 Sukkur 
 
 510,202 
 
 47.38 
 
 Larkana 
 
 .. 597,960 
 
 28.56 
 
 Upper Sind Frontier 
 
 .. 240,619 
 
 12.97 
 
 Aden 
 
 56,500 
 
 19.56 
 
 Total 
 
 . 19,348,319 
 
 22.17 
 
 MADRAS Division 
 
 . 1,496,358 
 
 23.05 
 
 The Agency 
 
 
 
 Gan jam 
 
 . 1,835,562 
 
 22.96 
 
 Vizagapatam 
 
 . 2,231,874 
 
 16.44 
 
 Godavari 
 
 . 1,470,863 
 
 67.14 
 
 Kistna 
 
 . 2,133,314 
 
 20.00 
 
 Guntur 
 
 . 1,809,574 
 
 9.01 
 
 Nellore .-. 
 
 . 1,385,553 
 
 3.80 
 
 Cuddapah 
 
 . 887,929 
 
 4.30 
 
 Anantapur 
 
 955,917 
 
 1.32 
 
 Bellary 
 
 . 862,370 
 
 0.89 
 
 Kurnool 
 
 914,890 
 
 4.92 
 
 Madras 
 
 526,911 
 
 26.32 
 
 (Amount sent outside from Madras is 
 
 deducted. 
 
 i.e., 10,897 — 9,510 equals 
 
 1,387.) 
 
 
 Chingleput 
 
 . 1,493,058 
 
 1.55 
 
 Chittoor 
 
 . 1,269,157 
 
 2.42 
 
 North Arcot 
 
 2,055,594 
 
 3.82 
 
 South Arcot 
 
 2,320,085 
 
 0.86 
 
 Tanjore 
 
 2,326,265 
 
 3.67 
 
 Trichinopoly 
 
 1,902,838 
 
 1.47 
 
 Madura 
 
 2,007,082 
 
 2.37 
 
 Ramnad 
 
 1,721,837 
 
 1.42 
 
 Tinnevelly 
 
 1,901,396 
 
 3.09 
 
 * One seer equals two lbs. 
 
 38 
 
Consumption 
 
 Province 
 
 Name of District 
 
 Population 
 (in 1921) 
 
 per ten 
 thousand in 
 seers* 
 
 MADRAS fcon.) 
 
 Coimbatore 
 
 .. 2,219,848 
 
 2.63 
 
 
 The Nilgiris 
 
 126,519 
 
 21.26 
 
 
 Salem 
 
 ... 2,112,034 
 
 0.98 
 
 
 South Kanara 
 
 ... 1,247,368 
 
 1.03 
 
 
 Malabar 
 
 ... 3,098,871 
 
 2.40 
 
 
 Total 
 
 ... 42,313,067 
 
 8.50 
 
 ASSAM 
 
 Cachar 
 
 527,228 
 
 19.57 
 
 
 Sylhet 
 
 ... 2,541,341 
 
 0.99 
 
 
 Khasi and Jaintia Hills ... 
 
 243,263 
 
 41.81 
 
 
 Naga Hills 
 
 160,960 
 
 21.19 
 
 
 Lushai Hills 
 
 98,406 
 
 
 
 Goalpara 
 
 ... 762,523 
 
 2.27 
 
 
 Kamrup 
 
 ... 762,671 
 
 45.52 
 
 
 Darrang 
 
 ... 477,935 
 
 106.73 
 
 
 Nowgong 
 
 397,921 
 
 173.63 
 
 
 Sibsagar 
 
 ... 823,197 
 
 110.95 
 
 
 Lakhimpur 
 
 588,295 
 
 189.97 
 
 
 Garo Hills 
 
 179,140 
 
 
 
 Sadiya Front Tract 
 
 39,531 
 
 237.029 
 
 
 Balipara Frontier Tract. 
 
 3,819 
 
 136.161 
 
 
 Grand Total 
 
 ... 7,606,230 
 
 52.06 
 
 CENTRAL 
 
 Nagpur 
 
 .. 792,521 
 
 17.03 
 
 PROVINCES 
 
 Bhandara 
 
 ... 717,747 
 
 12.51 
 
 & BERAR 
 
 Chanda 
 
 660,630 
 
 5.68 
 
 
 Wardha 
 
 ... 463,696 
 
 16.89 
 
 
 Balaghat 
 
 511,634 
 
 23.45 
 
 
 Tubbulpore 
 
 ... 745,685 
 
 8.30 
 
 
 Saugor 
 
 .„ 528,380 
 
 6.04 
 
 
 Damoh 
 
 ... 287,126 
 
 3.13 
 
 
 Sooni 
 
 ... 348,871 
 
 19.15 
 
 
 Mandla 
 
 386,446 
 
 10.95 
 
 
 Betul 
 
 ... 363,737 
 
 6.90 
 
 
 Cahindwara 
 
 ... 491,835 
 
 12.20 
 
 
 Hoshangabad 
 
 ... 445,733 
 
 10.72 
 
 
 Narsinghpur 
 
 315,162 
 
 21.96 
 
 
 N imar 
 
 ... 396,554 
 
 10.26 
 
 
 Raipur 
 
 ... 1,406,676 
 
 16.42 
 
 
 Bilaspur 
 
 ... 1,231,765 
 
 7.76 
 
 
 Drug 
 
 ... 743,246 
 
 14.40 
 
 * One seer equals two lbs. 
 
 39 
 
Consumption 
 per ten 
 
 Population thousand in 
 
 Province Name of District (in 1921) seers* 
 
 BERAR 
 
 Amraoti 
 
 828,384 
 
 30.25 
 
 DIVISION 
 
 Akola 
 
 798,544 
 
 33.02 
 
 
 Badilana 
 
 699,429 
 
 35.20 
 
 
 Yeotmal 
 
 Grand Total for 9 
 months (April to 
 December, 1 9 2 2) 
 
 748,959 
 
 18.09 
 
 
 C. P. & Berar 
 
 13,912,760 
 
 16.14 
 
 BIHAR & Patna 
 
 1,609,631 
 
 13.01 
 
 ORISSA Gaya 
 
 2,159,498 
 
 4.54 
 
 Shahabad 
 
 1,865,660 
 
 2.28 
 
 Saran 
 
 2,289,778 
 
 1.34 
 
 Champaran 
 
 1,908,385 
 
 1.55 
 
 Muzaffarpur 
 
 2,845,514 
 
 1.69 
 
 Durbhanga 
 
 2,929,682 
 
 2.11 
 
 Monghyr 
 
 2,132,893 
 
 3.10 
 
 Bhagalpur 
 
 2,139,318 
 
 4.18 
 
 Purnea 
 
 1,989,637 
 
 9.84 
 
 Santal Pargana 
 
 1,882,973 
 
 3.92 
 
 Cuttack 
 
 2,109,139 
 
 25.47 
 
 Balasore 
 
 1,055,568 
 
 55.92 
 
 Angul 
 
 199,451 
 
 12.13 
 
 Puri 
 
 1,023,402 
 
 30.26 
 
 Sambalpur 
 
 744,193 
 
 11.29 
 
 Hazaribagh 
 
 1,288,609 
 
 5.36 
 
 Ranchi 
 
 1,387,516 
 
 5.49 
 
 Palamau 
 
 687,267 
 
 6.47 
 
 Mambhum 
 
 1,547,576 
 
 5.28 
 
 Singhbhum 
 
 694,394 
 
 14.40 
 
 Total 
 
 34,490,084 
 
 8.30 
 
 NORTHWEST 
 
 Hazara 
 
 622,349 
 
 12.28 
 
 FRONTIER 
 
 Peshawar 
 
 907,367 
 
 20.38 
 
 
 Kohat 
 
 214,123 
 
 15.13 
 
 
 Bannu 
 
 246,734 
 
 18.20 
 
 
 Dera Ismail Khan 
 
 260,767 
 
 13.50 
 
 
 Kurram - 
 
 103,142 
 
 0.97 
 
 
 Tochi 
 
 138,859 
 
 3.60 
 
 * One seer equals two lbs. 
 
 40 
 
Consumption 
 per ten 
 
 Population thousand in 
 
 Province Name of District (in 1921) seers* 
 
 NORTHWEST Malakand 865,860 
 
 FRONTIER Khyber 227,109 
 
 (con.) Wano 150,612 
 
 Total 3,736,922 10.18 
 
 BALUCHISTAN Quetta-Pishin 137,082 21.96 
 
 Sibi 119.464 4.77 
 
 Loralai 82,473 3.64 
 
 Zhob 56,668 1.78 
 
 Bolan Pass and Nushki 3,618 41.46 
 
 Kalat State 328,281 0.91 
 
 Chagai 21,343 2.81 
 
 Total 748,929 5.99 
 
 DELHI Delhi 488,188 
 
 AJMERE- 
 
 MERWARA 495,271 52.74 
 
 COORG 163,838 2.29 
 
 BURMA Akyab 576,430 34.78 
 
 Kyaukpyu 199,873 47.48 
 
 Sandoway 112.029 42.49 
 
 Rangoon Town 341,962 109.81 
 
 Insein , 293,083 27.33 
 
 Hanthawaddy 364,624 33.24 
 
 Pegu 445,620 22.80 
 
 Prome 371,575 33.34 
 
 Tharrawaddy 492,429 14.05 
 
 Toungoo 381,883 32.73 
 
 Thayetmyo 255,406 22.40 
 
 Maubin 330,106 26.39 
 
 Pyapon 288,994 33.95 
 
 Henzada 550,920 33.31 
 
 Bassein 489,473 44.97 
 
 * One seer equals two lbs. 
 
 41 
 
Province 
 
 BURMA rcon.) 
 
 
 
 Consumption 
 
 
 
 per ten 
 
 
 Population 
 
 thousand in 
 
 Name of District 
 
 (in 1921) 
 
 seers* 
 
 Myoungmya 
 
 370,551 
 
 43.12 
 
 Thaton 
 
 471,100 
 
 21.69 
 
 Ahmherst 
 
 417,910 
 
 42.21 
 
 Tavoy 
 
 156,786 
 
 65.76 
 
 Mergui 
 
 135,465 
 
 147.71 
 
 Salween 
 
 50,379 
 
 16.48 
 
 Pakokku 
 
 465,771 
 
 3.54 
 
 Katha 
 
 253,725 
 
 55.89 
 
 Shtveba 
 
 391,284 
 
 
 Sagaing 
 
 326,908 
 
 6.45 
 
 Lower Chindwin 
 
 342,880 
 
 23.62 
 
 Upper Chindwin 
 
 186,881 
 
 47.19 
 
 Mandalay 
 
 356,621 
 
 
 Kyauksi 
 
 142,677 
 
 
 Meiktda 
 
 289,897 
 
 
 Yamethin 
 
 323,189 
 
 12.62 
 
 Myingyan 
 
 442,008 
 
 4.73 
 
 Magwe 
 
 423,252 
 
 
 Minbu 
 
 274,302 
 
 21.18 
 
 Myitkyina 
 
 118,382 
 
 34.13 
 
 Bhamo 
 
 112,960 
 
 20.98 
 
 Mong Mit 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Grand Total 
 
 11,457,325 
 
 28.73 
 
 * One seer equals two lbs. 
 
 42 
 
ANNEX VI 
 
 STATEMENTS OF INDIAN OPINION AT THE SECOND OPIUM 
 CONFERENCE, GENEVA, 1924-25. 
 
 Extract from Statement by Mr. Alexander (Society of Friends), 
 
 Records of the Second Opium Conference, Volume I, Page 451. 
 
 “There is evidence of a rising tide of opinion in India in opposition 
 to the policy hitherto pursued by the Indian Government. The All-India 
 Congress Committee, consisting of some sixty national leaders, unani- 
 mously adopted the following resolution in June this year : 
 
 “ ‘In the opinion of the A. I. C. C. the opium policy of the Government of 
 India is altogether contrary to the moral welfare of the people of India and 
 other countries. The A. I. C. C. is further of the opinion that the people of 
 India would welcome the total abolition of the opium traffic for purposes of 
 revenue and is also of the opinion that the production of opium is out of all 
 proportion to the medical requirements of India.’ 
 
 “Mr. Gandhi and Dr. Rabindranath Tagore have made clear in public 
 statements that they hold a similar view. 
 
 “Since coming into this room this afternoon I have received a telegram 
 from Mr. Gandhi, which says : 
 
 “ ‘Please tell Convention all India wants complete stoppage opium traffic save 
 for medical purposes.’ ” 
 
 Extracts from Statement by the Rev. E. J. Dukes (Society for 
 THE Suppression of the Opium Trade), Records of the 
 Second Opium Conference, Volume I, Page 452. 
 
 “I ask leave to present at this point a petition to the Assembly on be- 
 half of 400 people who have signed it, representing societies and organ- 
 izations making a total of over 206,000 people in India who are in favour 
 of stopping the opium trade. 
 
 “It is very interesting to observe that the first name upon this list is 
 that of Mahatma Gandhi ; C. F. Andrews follows, with Ramananda Chat- 
 ter) ee, Sir Rabindranath Tagore, the poet and social reformer, and others. 
 I have to present to you, Mr. President, that address. May I just be 
 permitted to read what it says at the beginning. This is what they say: 
 
 “ ‘The undersigned, viewing in the growing addiction to narcotic drugs a 
 deadly menace to individuals and to nations an insidious rapidly spreading 
 poisoning of the human race, which can be overcome only by co-operation 
 among all nations, respectfully petition the International Opium Conference, 
 assembling in November 1924, to adopt measures adequate for the total ex- 
 tirpation of the plants from which they originate except as found necessary 
 for medicine and science in the judgment of the best medical opinion of the 
 world.’ ” 
 
 43 
 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 Opium Documents Issued by the League of Nations. Geneva, 
 Switzerland. 
 
 Legislative Assembly Debates Official Report. Government of India 
 Press, Delhi, India. 
 
 Volume V — No. 32, March 12, 1925 
 Volume V — No. 33, March 13, 1925 
 Volume VII — No. 29, March 10, 1926 
 
 International Opium Conferences at Geneva 1924-25, Report of Indian 
 Delegation. India Office. 
 
 The Truth About Indian Opium. By G. Graham Dixon, His Majesty’s 
 Stationery Office, London, December 1922. 
 
 Statistical Abstract for British India, Fifty-Eighth Number. His 
 Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, 1925. 
 
 Journal of the East India Association. Asiatic Review, London, 
 January 1926. 
 
 Opium. By John Palmer Gavit, Routledge, London, 1925. 
 
 The Imperial Drug Trade. By Joshua Rountree, Methuen and Co., 
 London, 1905. 
 
 The International Opium Conferences with Relevant Documents. 
 By Raymond Leslie Buell, World Peace Foundation, Boston, 1925. 
 
 The Opium Evil in India. By C. F. Andrews, Student Christian 
 Movement, London, 1926. 
 
 The New Constitutioh of India. By Sir Courtenay Ilbert and Rt. 
 Hon. Lord Meston, University of London Press, 1923. 
 
 Opium as an International Problem, The Geneva Conferences. By 
 W. W. Willoughby, Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1925. 
 
 Assam Congress Opium Enquiry Report. R. K. Hatibarua, Cinnam- 
 ara, Jorhat, Assam, India, September, 1925. 
 
 Opium in India. By William Baton, National Christian Council of 
 India, Burma and Ceylon, Calcutta, 1924. 
 
 India and Opium. By William Baton, Reprint from International 
 Review of Missions, January, 1925. 
 
 India and Opium, The Present Situation. By the Rev. W. Baton, 
 Reprint from the National Christian Council Review, Calcutta, January 
 1926. 
 
 Speech Made by Lord Reading at the Opening Ceremony of the 
 Indian Council of State, February 9, 1926 — Policy Regarding Opium. 
 
 Resolution Passed by Council of State, Delhi, India, March 10, 1926. 
 
 Figures for Opium Consumption in British India by Districts, 1922-23, 
 Issued by the Government of India. 
 
 The Pioneer. Allahabad, India. 
 
 The Times of India. 
 
 The London Times. 
 
 The Manchester Guardian. 
 
 44 
 

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