LEAGUE OF NATIONS Communicated to the C.32.M.32.1942.XI. Council and the Members (0.C/A.R.1939/75) of the League (issued in English only) Geneva, May 9th, 1942 TRAFFIC IN OPIUM AND OTHER DANGEROUS DRUGS ANNUAL REPORTS BY GOVERNMENTS FOR 1939 INDIA Note by the Acting Secretary-General In accordance with Article 21 of the Convention of 1931 for limiting the Manufacture and regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs, the Acting Secretary-General has the honour to communicate the above-mentioned report to the parties to the Convention. The report is also communicated to other States and to the Advisory Committee on Traffic in Opium and other Dangerous Drugs. (For the form of annual reports, see document 0.C.1600). Dated New Delhi, the 12th December 1940 A. GENERAL I. Laws and Publications. 1 & 2. The following changes in the law were made by the Government of India during the year ; - (i) NOTIFICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, FINANCE DEPARTMENT (CENTRAL REVENUES), Nos. 1 AND 3, DATED THE 4TH FEBRUARY AND 25TH MARCH 1939, RESPECTIVELY. In order to raise the limit of opium supplied to a chemist by the Opium Factory, Ghazipur in a financial year from 400 to 600 lbs., (181 kg. 800 gr.to 272 kg. 700 gr.), sub-rule (4) of rule 9 of the Central Opium Rules, 1934 was amended. (ii) NOTIFICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, FINANCE DEPARTMENT (CENTRAL REVENUES), N° 2, DATED THE 25TH MARCH 1939. In order to authorise Provincial Governments to appoint a magistrate to try cases involving contravention of Central Rules, the functions of the Central Government under section 31 of the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1930 were entrusted to Provincial Governments, with their consent. - 2 - (iii) NOTIFICATION OF THF GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, FINANCE DEPARTMENT (CENTRAL REVENUES), N° 4, DATED THE 8TH APRIL 1939. In order to authorise the Government of Bengal to regulate the cultivation, manufacture and sale for export of opium, the functions of the Central Government under clauses (b) and (c) of section 18 of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation, 1900 were entrusted to the Government of Bengal, with their consent. (iv) NOTIFICATIONS OF THE GOVERNÎ^NT OF INDIA, FINANCE DEPARTMENT (CENTRAL REVENUES), Nos. 5 AND 8, DATED TFE 1ST JULY AND 26TH AUGUST 1939, RESPECTIVELY. In the Table appended to rule 4 of the Dangerous Drugs (Import, Export and Transhipment) Rules, 1933, the entry in the third column relating to "(4) Hemp (excluding charas imported by land)" was amended empowering the Provincial Governments and Collectors of Customs to regulate the import of hemp 'in transit1, (v) NOTIFICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, FINAJÏCE DEPARTMENT (CENTRAL REVENUES), N° 64-CUST0ÎS, DATED THE 9TH SEPTEMBER 1939. The Import into or export from British India to any place outside India through the medium of the Post Office, of narcotic drugs other than (1) those which were dangerous drugs within the meaning of the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1930 and (2) medicinal preparations which were declared not to be manufactured drugs under clause (g) of section 2 of the Act was prohibited. (vi) NOTIFICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, FINANCE DEPARTMENT (CENTRAL REVENUES), N° 9, DATED THE 14TE OCTOBER 1939. In order to prohibit the export from British India by sea or land to any destination other than an Indian State, of diacetyl- mcrphine, its salts and preparations containing diacetyl- mcrphine or its salts, a draft of certain amendments to the Dangerous Urugs (Import, Export and Transhipment) Rules 1933 was published with a view to eliciting public opinion. (vii) NOTIFICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, FINANCE DEPARTMENT (CENTRAL REVENUES), N° 10, DATED THE 28TH OCTOBER 1939. In pursuance of the recommendations of the Health Committee of the League of Nations under Article 10 of the Geneva Convention 1925, control ovër import, export, etc. of "preparations made from the extract or tincture of, Indian hemp except those which are capable only of external use," was taken by amending the Government of India Notification in the Finance Department (Central Revenues), N° 2-Dangerous Drugs, dated the 10th January 1931. - 3 - (viii) NOTIFICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, FINANCE DEPARTMENT (CEÏÎTRAL REVENUES), N° 11, DATED THE 11TH NOVEMBER 1939. of Rule 2 In pursuance of clause (a)/of the Central Opium Rules, 1934 the following tracts in the Uhitèd Provinces were fixed within which poppy was to be cultivated on account of Government during the year ending the 30th September 1940: - Ghazipur, Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Bareilly and Shahjahanpur. (ix) The following important measures were taken bv Provincial Governments during the year : - Madras.- The Madras Prohibition Act, 1937 was extended to the North Arcot district with effect from the 1st October 1939 and the measures referred tc under "Madras" in the report for the year 1938 were adopted in that district also. Bombay.- As a step towards the extension of the policy of prohibition, the transport, possession and sale of charas were prohibited in Bombay and Ahmedabad with effect from the 1st August 1939. The limit of transport and possession without a permit was reduced to l/2 tola (5.85 grammes) of ganja, 2 tolas (23.4 grammes) of bhang, and l/4 tola (2.9 grammes) of opium i in certain areas in the Ahmednagar and Kanara districts. Addicts of opium and hemp drugs were however allowed to possess and consume the necessary drug, subject tp. certain maxima limits, on permits issued under certificates by registered medical practitioners. Bengal.- For regulating the import into and export from Bengal to any other Province pr any of the neighbouring Indian States of Mayurhhanj, Hill Tippera and CoAch Behar, and the transport, possession, and sale cf manufactured drugs other than prepared opium, and the manufacture of medicinal opium or any preparation containing morphine, diacetylmorphine or cocaine from materials which tho maker is lawfully entitled to possess, the Bengal Dangerous Drugs Rules, 1939 were framed. (2) For regulating the import into and export from Bengal by sea or land from and to places outside British India of manufactured drugs (other than prepared opium), orders were issued in pursuance of rules 4, 8, 10, 11 and 13 of the Dangerous Drugs (Import, Export and Transhipment) Rules, 1933. United Provinces.- The following important changes were made during the year : - (IJ Raising of issue price of opium from Rs. 90 to Rs.llO'^per seer (935 grammes) with effect from the 1st April 1939. (2) Extension of complete prohibition in the districts of Farrukhabad, Bijnor, Budaun and Jaunpur. (s ) Note by the Secretariat: Approximate average rate for 1940 calculated frpm the Statistical Year- Book of the League cf Nations 1940/41: 1 rupeo - 1.33 Swiss franc - 0.3 Ü. S.A.dollar. - 4 - (3) Reduction in the number of opium and hemp drugs shops by about 20 per cent. (4 ) Raising of duty on charas by Rs.20 per seer. (5) The system cf state management was extended to opium shops in Benares city and to all opium and hemp drugs shops in the selected areas in the following eleven districts, viz. , Garhwal, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr, Cawnpore, Moradabad, Aligarh, Agra, Jhansi, Gorakhpur and Basti. Central Provinces and Berar.- The following steps were taken in the Narsinghpur sub-division in the Hoshangabad district, where the incidence of opium consumption was high:- (a) The limit cf possession of opium by any one person was reduced from one-half to one-quarter tola with effect from the 16th June 1939, (b) Four opium shops were closed from the 1st January 1939 and three from the 16th May 1939. (c) With a view to checking under-selling by opium contractors, the minimum selling price was fixed at Re.l per half tola with effect from the 25th April 1939 at all shops except two on the border cf the Bhopal State. (d) Mine anti-ooium smoking committees were formed with the object of carrying on propaganda against opium smoking. (e) One of the anti-opium smoking committees administered with satisfactory results a locally manufactured medicine to addicts to wean them from the habit of opium smoking. Bih_ar.- (l) As a result of the further extension and introduction of the prohibition scheme in the Hajipur sub-division and in certain areas in the districts of Ranchi. Hazaribagh and Manbhum, the transport and possession of ganja and bhang were prohibited. The duty on opium, ganja and bhang was raised from Rs.90, 35 and 3 to Rs. 140, 50 and 4 per seer, respectively. (2 ) Opiu^ consumers; tickets vvere introduced in the prohibited areas of the Province by which the sale and possession of opium were restricted and were allowed only to those persons who possessed opium consumers1 tickets issued by the Collector of the district to whjz/a they belonged. ( oThe 1 ir.il t of possession cf opium was reduced from 1 1/2 tolas (17.6 gramme?) to 1/2 tola (15.85 grammes) in the prohibits:'. 9 ; cas. Orissa. - Under section 5 of the Opium Act, 18"8 » rv.2 == were issued to r 85 ..late the import, sxpr-rt, transport, possession and sal* of opium. lhc.se rules came into force from the 1st May 19?9. Under these rules only opium addicts registered and certified by qualified medical practitioner appointed for the purpose can use opium, subject to a maximum limit. All the opium shops in the district were abolished and registered addicts were supplied from centres and depots opened on behalf of the Provincial Government. - s - Punjab.- (l) A transport pass fee nf Rs. 20 per seer in addition to the import, expprt and transport■duty of Rs.