51
(a) Some take to it for the sensation and some
because it calms the mind, makes appetite
and removes belly-ache.
(b) From habitual moderates people become habi-
tual excessives, because the taste grows on
them. These cases are not, however, common.
(c) The same reasons as (a) .
(d) Mostly the pleasure of getting intoxica ted
These remarks apply to both bhang and ganja.
28. Ganja.—(a) 1 pice worth or 1 tola.
(b) 3 pice or 3 tolas.
Bhang.—(a) ½p i c e w o r t h o r ½
t o l a .
(b) 1 pice worth or 1 tola.
29. With ganja.—(a) Tobacco. (b) Dhatura.
Tobacco is mixed to make it more intoxicating.
Dhatura makes it very much more intoxicating.
With bhang.—(a) Poppy seeds, cardamom,
cloves, pepper and other fragrant spices are com-
monly mixed, in order to lessen the intoxicating
power and make it pleasanter. I know no items
exceptionally mixed with bhang. " Bhang rnas-
sala " is a mixture of the things I have named.
30. Both drugs are consumed both publicly
and in solitude. I cannot say in what propor-
tions they are used in company and in solitude.
Men only use them. From 16 to 35 years is the
usual time of life. They generally stop by 35 if
they find it injuring their health, but not other-
wise. Children do not consume these drugs.
31. The habit for both drugs is easily acquired.
It is not easily broken, especially smoking ganja.
There is a tendency for both drugs for the moder-
ate habit to become excessive.
32. There are no particular customs.
33. People think nothing of the habit of using
either bhang or ganja. They do not worship the
hemp plant. Ganja and bhang are offered to
Mahadeo.
34. Religious mendicants cannot give it up
easily, as they use hemp to aid their contempla-
tion. There would be about 50 such in Sambal-
pur. Other classes could give it up after a while
with some difficulty.
35. No. The drug would be consumed illicitly.
The prohibition could not be enforced properly.
It would cause serious discontent. They might
even rebel against the Government. Consumers
would not likely take to alcohol or other drugs in
place of hemp. They have not the same effects.
36. No.
38. Round ganja is preferred as being more
intoxicating than the other two kinds. Broken
ganja is the weakest in its effect.
39. Smoking ganja is more injurious than
drinking bhang. It produces cough and head-
ache and other diseases.
40. Purified ganja is used. Bhang is not used.
Ganja calms the mind and moves the bowels.
Occasionally it is used for cow pox and hoof dis-
ease and other cattle diseases. I have never used
it myself. I have only heard this.
41. As to ganja
—
(a), (b) and (c) , yes.
(d) I cannot say.
Gonds and Konds use it and other aboriginal
tribes. The upper classes use bhang. sometimes
for (a) . I have heard this. I have also seen
gutis and others smoking ganja when much fatig-
ued or suffering from fever. I mean moderate
VOL. VI.
occasional use. When a man is in bodily pain he
generally takes ganja to alleviate his suffering.
42. Except when a man is unwell, I think it is
harmful. ecause I think any form of intoxica-
tion is bad.
43. Yes.
44. It is refreshing to mind and body. It
creates appetite, but in excess allays hunger. The
effect lasts for at least two or three hours. There
are no good effects, but a feeling of fatigue follows
when the effect wears off. The want of it produc-
es longing and restlessness. I have observed this
among consumers of ganja. The effects of bhang
are similar, but the want of it is not felt so much.
45. As to ganja and bhang only excessive tak-
ing is injurious.
46. Habitual excessive use of ganja impairs
the constitution. It injures the digestion and
causes loss of appetite. It causes dysentery,
cough and asthma. It also generates rheumat-
ism. It impairs the moral sense and induces
habits of laziness and debauchery. It produces
insanity, sometimes permanent, sometimes tem-
porary. The madness is of all kinds. The symp-
toms may be reinduced when temporary by excess
in use after recovery. There are no special kinds
of types of mania. I have no knowledge to an-
swer the rest of the question. As to bhang the
bad effects are similar but less severe. I have
observed cases myself. I cannot think of any
particular cases.
47. It is not hereditary, The children of
ganja smokers are often very weakly. They have
no particular diseases. I have not observed this
effect from bhang.
48. The above is the effect of habitual exces-
sive use of ganja. No such effect on children is
observed in cases of habitual moderate smokers.
49. The only form used for this purpose that
I know of is " módak. " This consists of ganja
mixed with massalas, i.e., spices and medicines.
This is not so injurious as plain ganja. It is
used for an aphrodisiac, and also as a medicine for
rheumatism and other diseases. There are many
kinds of " módak. " Prostitutes sometimes use it.
50. Excessive use of ganja only tends to pro-
duce impotence. Módalt is not used much to
excess.
51. No.
52. Many bad characters are excessive con-
sumers of bhang and ganja (especially the latter).
Excess tends rather to crimes, especially murder,
as it makes the person affected angry. I have
known one or two cases of murders while under
influence of hemp.
53. Yes, to violent crime sometimes. In one
case a man tried to kill a woman while under the
influence of ganja. The man's name was Paltu.
I do not know if he was under provocation or if
he had any reason for the act. I don't know of
any case when a man under the influence of hemp
tried to kill or killed another for no reason.
54 and 55. I do not know.
56. See Answer 29. I do not know much about
this. Excessive consumers of ganja like to put
dhatura seeds in their pipes to make the ganja
more intoxicating. If given to one not accustomed
he might die of its effects.
57. Ganja is sometimes mixed with spices and
water and used the same as bhang. When bhang
is not available ganja is so used. I have no spe-
cial remarks to make about it. It is stronger
than bhang.
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