506
25. Charas smoking and bhang drinking are
daily increasing. Ignorance idleness lead to the
formation of these bad habits.
26. To break off the habit is beneficial to the
moderate as well as to the excessive consumers.
Ten, twenty or thirty per cent. of the traders give
up both bhang and charas after occasionally using
them. The proportions cannot, however, be stated.
27. The practice of consuming charas and bhang
prevails among the Hindus, Muhammadans, native
musicians, kanjars, sweepers, and Hindu and
Muhammadan fakirs. These evil habits are gene-
rally contracted in childhood by seeing others using-
the drugs.
28. In this district the consumption of charas is
greater than that of bhang in the city of Hoshiar-
pur; the consumption of charas and bhang is in the
ratio of 1:4.
Regarding charas
Regarding bhang
(a)
(b)
(a)
(b)
One tola, price anna 1.
Two tolas, price annas
2.
Three mashas.
From three mashas to
four tolas.
29. The consumers generally smoke charas with
admixture of tobacco. The fakirs in special cases
mix dhatura like tobacco. Their object is, however,
not known, nor do I know of any other admixture.
30. Generally five or ten persons assemble toge-
ther for smoking charas. The drug is seldom used
in solitude. If the habit is formed in childhood, it
is then next to impossible- to break it off. It is,
however, not so usual for children to consume
the drug.
31. Even for the consumption of bhang, the
consumers assemble in twos or fours. The habit
of using charas and bhang is easily formed by
seeing others use them, and it is difficult to break
it off. The moderate consumers of charas and
bhang have generally an inclination for excess.
The charas smokers become very soon addicted to
its excessive use.
32. There is no such religious custom among the
family men. Indeed, among the fakirs, bairagis
and suthras (Hindu mendicants) regard the use as
hereditary. Neither the moderate nor the excess-
ive use is regarded essential. Charas smoking is
injurious to brain, eye-sight, and the blood of the
body.
33. The consumers of bhang are mild-tempered
as compared with those of charas. There is no
such opinion, social or religious, in regard to the
practice. As far as I think, I regard the use of
both charas and bhang as bad. When the con-
sumers smoke charas, they cough and spit so much
that they make the place dirty. The non-consumers
cannot tolerate passing by the locality where it is
smoked. The custom of worshipping the hemp
plant does not exist in this country.
34. It would be a privation for some days to an
habitual consumer to forego the practice. The
charas smokers can satisfy their want by smoking-
tobacco, while the consumers of bhang by drinking
sherbet or sardai (cooling beverage).
35. The prohibition is feasible if the British
Government so desire. How could charas be con-
sumed or sold illicitly if its importation from
Yarkand is stopped altogether? The prohibition
is possible if the importation of charas from
Yarkand is put an end to. No one has the auda-
city to create such a discontent which may cause
any political danger. Indeed, it would not be sur-
prising if the consumers of charas and bhang took to
alcoholic stimulants, dhatura or sankhia as a
substitute.
36. The use of charas and bhang prevents the
consumers from taking to drinking. In other
words, the consumers of these two drugs do not use
alcohol. Alcohol is not yet substituted to any
certain extent (for these drugs). I cannot attri-
bute the change to anything, nor do I have any
proof to state.
37. As I know nothing about ganja, I cannot
state the difference between the effects of charas
smoking and those resulting from ganja smoking.
38. I do not know anything regarding ganja.
39. In my opinion there is none (less injurious
than the other).
40. Native physicans do not make use of charas.
Indeed, doctors prescribe the drug in the treatment
of cattle. Native physicians, however, make use
of bhang in the treatment of both men and animals.
41. (a) The moderate use of bhang sharpens the
appetite.
(b) It, however, does not help in alleviating fati-
gue or giving staying-power under severe exertion
and exposure.
(c) It counteracts the effects of unwholesome
water. The moderate use of charas satisfies the
hunger, and helps in enduring exposure.
(d) It is not beneficial in any other way. The
fakirs generally smoke charas in order to allay their
hunger. The traders drink bhang to avoid the
effects of unhealthy climates.
42. Even the moderate use of charas is not
harmless, as it gradually affects the blood, produces
emaciation, injures the virility, reddens the eyes,
causes asthma and bronchitis. The moderate use
of bhang interferes with the digestion, the reason
being that the consumer, while under its influence,
feels hungry and eats too much, but cannot digest
it.
43. The neighbours who do not consume the
drugs, i.e., who do not smoke charas, cannot
tolerate the bad smell of the smoke, but do not
experience any other inconvenience. Indeed, some
of their children contract the habit by seeing them
use the drug. Charas smoking first produces
cough and then dries the blood, causes loss of
appetite, and does not refresh the mind; on the
contrary, saddens it. When the consumer gets
intoxicated, his appetite is lost. Intoxication is
produced as soon as the drug is smoked. It lasts
for one hour. Then there is a desire for another
smoke, and a little uneasiness is felt. Bhang
drinking is, on the other hand, not so injurious.
45. Charas smoking injures the eye-sight, causes
bronchitis, asthma, insanity, emaciation, and loss of
appetite. It also impairs the moral sense and pro-
duces laziness. If a person is licentious, he be-
comes impotent. It deadens the intellect and pro-
duces insanity many a time, and sometimes insa-
nity of a permanent character is caused. If tem-
porary insanity is produced, it is cured by breaking
off the habit, and thereafter no symptom is visi-
ble, but on the contrary the body grows stronger
and stronger. There is a Punjabi proverb about
the use of charas, which is " I cause cough and
bronchitis. If still the consumer does not die, I
can't help it." Moderate use of bhang, however,
does not produce any such disease.
46. The excessive use of charas is very injurious.
Too much bhang-drinking is also injurious.