15
54. Yes; bhang particularly is often taken by |
bad characters to fortify their courage to commit
acts of violence; but liquor is generally preferred.
I have known instances of men about to commit
murder fortifying themselves with ganja.
55. No; not ordinarily; charas is the only drug
that would be likely to have a stupefying effect.
There is a preparation called majun, which is
sometimes used, and has strong intoxicating quali-
ties; but this is a very strong extract of bhang.
Dhatura is generally mixed with the drug when it is
intended to induce stupefaction. In conclusion, I
am of opinion that drugs have nothing whatever
to do with furthering crime, but are simply used
by criminals to keep up their courage, just as
liquor is used in England for a similar purpose.
14. Evidence of MR. J. S. CAMPBELL, Officia ting Magistrate and Collector,
Saharanpur.
1. I have been an Excise Officer or Officiating
Collector during the greater part of my ten years'
service.
2. Yes, for bhang and charas. I know nothing
about ganja.
3. Garhwal, Kumaon, Naini Tal, Bareilly,
Moradabad, Bijnor and Saharanpur.
4. Bhang.
6. Scattered.
7. There was considerable cultivation of the
hemp plant in Garhwal from 1886 to 1890, when
I was there, mainly for the fibre; but a little in-
ferior charas was also produced.
9. In Garhwal it was grown in the rains, always
near the village site, as it needs heavy manuring.
10. The cultivators used to extract charas, when
it was extracted at all.
16. (a) Yes.
(b) Yes.
(c) I think not.
19. In Garhwal charas was sometimes used as
a condiment.
25. I believe the use of these drugs to be on the
increase. The license fees have risen considerably,
and the natives also usually say that more drugs
are now consumed. It is to a certain extent due
to restrictions in the liquor trade.
20. I have not heard of such admixtures.
31. Like any other stimulant, even tobacco, it is
difficult to discontinue even a moderate consump-
tion, and this difficulty increases with excess.
35. It would not be feasible to prohibit the use
of bhang in the submontane districts. As charas
is not a bulky article, it would probably be smug-
gled. The prohibition would in my opinion be
followed by recourse to other drugs. The con-
sumer of these drugs has as a rule no taste for
alcohol.
36. No: drugs are supplacing alcohol, owing to
recent alterations in the liquor trade. The drug
consumer is said to derive no pleasure from the
stimulation of alcohol.
41. I belive charas among moderate consumers
is used as a pick-me-up after a hard clay's work.
Bhang is certainly largely consumed as a feb-
rifuge all through the Tarai and Bhabar.
43. Yes; I think so.
46. There can be no doubt that the excessive
use of charas produces insanity. The Bareilly
Lunatic Asylum was full of charas-smokers. They
were in many cases discharged as cured in a few
months, but unfortunately the lesson seems to have
but little effect, and as often as not the same men
turn up again having brought on a fresh attack
of insanity by another debauch on their favourite
and irresistible drug.
55. I never knew of such a case.
58. The contract for drugs is generally farmed
to one man for the whole district, and he makes
his own arrangements for sub-contracts, a limit
usually being put on the number of shops he may
open. I think more might be done to supervise
his arrangements, to see that the sub-contractors
are respectable men, and that the excise rules are
not infringed. I think the contractor often has
too much of a free hand.
62. I believe it to be impossible. Bhang is one
of the commonest weeds in the sub-montane
tracts.
68. I believe that as a rule charas is bought
from the licensed vendors, and taken away for
home consumption.
69. I think this is as a rule left to the discretion
of the contractor who opens a shop where he finds
a demand. I have never heard objections to the
opening of a drug shop, except from a rival con-
tractor, who thought his business might be in-
jured by its propinquity.
15. Evidence of MR. H. C. FERARD, Officiating Collector and Magistrate,
Banda.
1. I have been brought into contact with the
subject of hemp drugs in my capacity of Civil
Officer, but have made no special study of the ques-
tion.
10. I am told that they are of the same classes
as other agricultural cultivators.
12. I am told that in the Sultanpur districts
ganja and bhang grow spontaneously in villages
near the river Goomti, and that although police
supervision is kept close, nevertheless the people
continue to keep some plants and leaves and
prepare drugs from them. In such cases the
male and female plants are kept separate. The
male plant, I am told, is cut down when young
and dried, and its leaves form "bhang." Ganja
is made from the female flower and petals when
almost ripe, The plants can grow together until
the period of fertilization.
16. Ganja, at any rate, can be prepared from
the wild plant wherever grown, but is reported
of inferior quality.
17. The local dealers state there is no class of