60
only can be prepared from the hemp drug where-
ever grown, but not of good quality.
18. The drugs do not deteriorate till one year,
the causes of deterioration are damp and moist
weather. Ganja is placed in paddy straw whilst
charas is wrapped up in leather skins and bhang
is placed on mackai above the ground to prevent
deterioration.
19. Ganja and charas are used only for smok-
ing.
20. Generally by low and labouring classes both,
Hindus and Muhammadans, and Hindu mendi-
cants (sadhus) throughout these provinces. Pro-
portion cannot be ascertained.
21. Flat ganja is generally preferred.
22. Foreign charas imported from Yarkand is
chiefly used.
23. Bhang is not used for smoking.
24. Bhang is used by almost all classes of
Hindus. Pandas of Bindiachal in this district
are very great bhang-takers. Bhang is both eaten
as well as drunk, but the number of bhang-eaters
is comparatively few. Bhang is mostly taken in
the hot weather. Proportion and localities cannot
be given.
25. There is increase in the use of bhang, whilst
there is a slight decrease in that of ganja and
charas.
26. There are no statistics from which the
ratio of proportion can be ascertained.
27. The labouring classes whose occupation
requires hard bodily labour indulge in these drugs
to give stimulus to their hard work ; the drugs
being cheaper than other intoxicants.
28. Habitual moderate consumers use bhang
one tola, cost pies 3 ; ganja and charas about 3
rattis, each cost pies 3.
The habitual excessive consumers take—
Bhang
20 tolas .
. .
Ganja and charas 1 tola . . .
Cost.
4 annas.
6 „
29. Ingredients used for bhang are black
pepper, aniseed, cucumber seed, rose leaves,
cardamom, almond, saffron. With ganja and
charas, dry and prepared tobacco. Dhatura is
occasionally used by excessive drinkers in cases
when they cannot afford to buy the requisite
quantity of bhang.
30. Generally in company, confined to male
sex adults. Children also take bhang only, but
their number is small.
31. Habit is generally easily formed, but can-
not be easily given up. Each of these drugs has
a tendency to excess.
32. The Holi and the Sheoratri are the only
festivals in which bhang is taken. In the former
many persons use it, whereas in the latter the use
is restricted to a few. In both the festivals it is
the social custom. It is not likely to lead to the
formation of the habit or otherwise injurious.
33. Bhang is not looked in bad light by people
in general, whilst the use of ganja and charas is
regarded as an evil habit attended with bad
effects.
34. The prohibition will entail serious priva-
tion simply because the habit once formed cannot
be easily given up as indicated in the reply to
question No. 31.
35. It is not feasible to prohibit the use of all
or any of these drugs ; if done, consumers would
have recourse to illicit use. As to bhang, the
prohibition cannot be enforced ; but the use of
ganja and charas can be checked by enlargement
of taxation to greater extent. The prohibition
would certainly cause discontent to a more or less
degree, but the number of consumers is not so
large as to warrant a political danger being
apprehended. The prohibition would be followed
by recourse to alcoholic stimulants and other
drugs.
36. The use of alcoholic liquor is now to a
certain extent substituted for any of these drugs,
because its intoxication is preferred. People in
whose religion its use is forbidden drink it secret-
ly.
37. The effects of charas smoking are different
from those of ganja-smoking, the latter is more
intoxicating than the former,
38. Round ganja is not imported in this dis-
trict ; only flat ganja and chur are generally used
and their effects are alike.
40. Hakims and vaids sometimes prescribe
bhang only for medicinal purposes. Bhang is also
given to cattle in sickness. It is also used to
remove fatigue when the cattle are tired.
41. Bhang might act as stimulant, when taken
moderately.
42. Moderate use of any of these drugs is not
injurious at all.
43. Yes. They are inoffensive to their neigh-
bours.
44. Immediate effect of the moderate use to the
habitual consumers is to remove the uneasiness
felt for want of gratification. It is somewhat
refreshing. Yes, it produces intoxication. Bhang
creates appetite. The effect of moderate use of
bhang lasts for three hours, whilst that of ganja
and charas remains one hour only. There are no
after-effects on the habitual consumers. Yes, it
produces uneasiness.
45. Moderate habitual use can produce no bad
effects.
46. Excessive habitual use of these drugs is
attended with evil effects, physical mental and
moral.
49. Moderate use of bhang is aphrodisiac. Ex-
cessive use of ganja and charas produces impo-
tency.
50. Excessive use of ganja and charas produces
impotency.
51. No, there are no large proportion of bad cha-
racters of habitual moderate consumers of any of
these drugs. The moderate use of these drugs
does not lead to crimes.
52. Excessive use of these drugs does not also
produce any tendency to crimes.
53. As far as I know, none of these drugs in-
cite to unpremeditated crime, etc. I know no
such instance.
54. No.
55. Yes, criminals sometimes induce their vie-
tims to partake ganja and bhang mixed with
dhatura to stupefy themselves. Yes, bhang and
ganja only can produce complete stupefaction
without admixture.
57. As far as I know, ganja and charas are
only used for smoking.
58. The present system of excise administration
is working fairly well.
59.
No suggstions to offer.