The problem of illicit distillation

Lahore, Saturday, November 15, 1924

THE government’s review of the Punjab Excise Administration Report for 1923-24 contains a lengthy examination of the problem of illicit distillation and sale of excisable articles. This practice is said to prevail on an increasing scale owing to the continuous raising of the price of licit articles with the object of reducing their consumption. To what extent the practice of illicit manufacture and sale of excisable articles is carried on in the province and what proportion it bears to the sale and consumption of licit articles is not stated by the reviewer. We do not even know if an appropriate estimate has been or can be made of this illicit trade. But there is a great deal of official lamentation over the fact that the excise policy has proved to be a failure or, at any rate, has not been a success — because while it has reduced the flow of revenue from the people to the state, it has encouraged the unlawful manufacture and sale of excisable articles which cannot be effectively prevented. The Punjab Government seems to be shifting its ground regarding the real problem before itself — to work towards total prohibition of liquor traffic. It places itself in direct opposition to the popular ideal when it suggests that the problem of illicit sale of liquor prevents the further raising of the price of liquor or reducing the number of shops. The government frankly says: “Total prohibition of alcohol is at present impossible because there is a small minority of the people of this province who are used to moderate indulgence in alcohol and certain other drugs and their indulgence in these articles does no harm to themselves or their neighbours.”