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54. Evidence of ADAKI JAGANNADHA RAO, Brahmin, Acting Tahsildar, Hindupur,
Anantapur District.
1. As I am a public servant of 12 years' stand-
ing, I have had several opportunities of obtaining
information regarding matters connected with
hemp drugs in the Madras, Cuddapah, Nellore
and Anantapur districts.
2. The terms siddha-patri, ganja and bhang are
used for denoting dried ganja leaves.
3. I have not seen the hemp plant growing
spontaneously : but raiyats grow it purposely for
private consumption or sale.
4. Ganja or bhang or siddha-patri.
7. Hemp plant is cultivated by raiyats on por-
tions of their fields (a) for production of ganja ;
(b) for use as bhang; (c) for its fibre.
8. The growth of hemp plant is not prohibited
by abkari laws. There has, therefore, been neither
increase nor decrease in the area under such
cultivation in back-yards and fields and gardens at-
tached to mutts of lingayats.
9. Where the seeds are thickly sown in a hot-
bed, the seedlings are transplanted.
10. Linga Balijas are much addicted to ganja
smoking. Muhammadans use bhang. Other
agricultural cultivators rear the plant for specu-
lative purposes.
13. The cultivation of the hemp plant for ganja
is not restricted in the Madras Presidency. But
the sale of ganja without a license is an offence
under the Madras Abkari Act, 1886.
14. (a) and (c) are prepared in this taluk.
15. (A) Dried ganja leaves are mixed with
tobacco for smoking purposes ; (B) habitual smok-
er of ganja at times uses ganja leaf for eating ;
(C) liquid preparation called ramarasam is pre-
pared by Marathis on festive occasions to keep
their spirits up.
16. Bhang is prepared generally by the people
in their houses.
17. Muhammadans, Linga balijas, bairagis and
boyas.
19, Ganja is used for smoking and drinking
purposes. A sort of beverage is prepared from
ganja leaf like tea by Kshatryas and Marathis.
The preparation is styled " ramarasam."
20. Muhammadans, lingayats, bairagis and boy-
as smoke ganja in this taluk.
21. Chur is preferred for smoking.
23. No distinction is drawn between ganja and
bhang in this taluk.
24. Muhammadans, bairagis, lingayats eat or
drink bhang.
25. It is on the increase, as it is cheaper than
arrack. A man with smoking one pie worth of
ganja can have as much intoxication as one that
drinks one drachm of arrack. Further, the use of
ganja can be done more secretly than the use of
arrack.
26. Lingayats are habitual moderate consumers.
Bairagis are habitual excessive consumers. Ksha-
triyas are occasional moderate consumers. Boyas
are occasional excessive consumers.
27. Men of sedentary habits contract the habit
of smoking ganja. Persons of voluptuous habits
smoke ganja or bhang, for it is highly aphro
-disiac.
28. (a) One-fourth seer of 21 Colas = 1½ a n n a s .
Vol. VI.
(b) Half seer of 21 tolas = 3 annas.
29. Only tobacco is mixed with ganja. Dha-
tura is mixed with ganja by criminal classes to
facilitate robbing the victims. No bhang massala
is used here.
30. Ganja smoking is usually practised in com-
pany. It is not confined to the male sex. It is
practised by adults. It is not usual for children
to consume any of these drugs.
31. The habit of consuming any of these drugs
is easily formed. It is difficult to break off.
There is a tendency in the case of ganja or bhang
for the moderate habit to develop into the exces-
sive.
32. In marriages and festivals the use of the
drug is regarded as essential. It is generally tem-
perate. It is used by Marathis and Kshatriyas
on such occasions to keep up their spirits.
33. The consumption of these drugs is generally
abhorred. The person that uses bhang or ganja
is looked upon as a bad character. There is no
custom of worshipping the hemp plant.
34. It would be a serious privation to forego the
consumption of the drug they use.
35. It would not be feasible to prohibit the use
of these drugs. The drug would be consumed
illicitly. The prohibition would occasion some
discontent among the consumers. Such discontent
would not amount to a political danger. The pro-
hibition would to some extent be followed by re-
course to (a) alcoholic stimulants; (b) opium.
36. Alcohol is now being to a certain extent
substituted for these drugs by the rich who can
afford to buy costly liquors.
39. There is a popular belief that smoking ganja
is a less injurious form of consumption than drink-
ing or eating the same.
40. Ganja leaf is used by quacks. The leaf is
applied externally when a man is suffering from
stomach ache. These drugs are not used in the
treatment of cattle disease.
41. The moderate use of charas, ganja or bhang
is beneficial in its effects—
(a) as a food digestive ;
(b) to alleviate fatigue ;
(c) as a febrifuge.
The drug is prescribed by hakims. I refer to
the moderate occasional use of the drug,
42. Even the moderate use of these drugs can-
not but produce deleterious results in the long run,
as it is a physiological principle that the use of
stimulants is ever followed by subsequent pro-
stration, as stimulants cannot but draw upon the
bank of Nature's forces.
4 3 . Y e s .
44. The immediate effect of the moderate use
of ganja is refreshing. It produces intoxication.
It increases appetite. The effect lasts for an hour
or so. Subsequent prostration is the after-effect.
The want of subsequent gratification produces un-
easiness.
4 5 . ( b )
I t i m p a i r s t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n .
(e) It induces habits of immorality or debau-
chery.
(f) It produces insanity in some cases.
( g )
N o .
2 L