101
17. There is no special caste.
19. Ganja is nearly always used for smoking;
rarely for eating (see answer 15). It is also used
medicinally both for men and cattle. For men
it is a tonic. For cattle it is used as a preventive
of diarrhœa early in the rains.
20. There is little distinction of castes or loca
- l i t i e s a s r e g a r d s g a n j a s m o k i n g . B u t b a i r a g i s ,
gosains, and musicians, etc., use it more than
others. Respectable people smoke it less than the
lower classes. The Marwaris drink bhang a good
deal in the hot weather.
21. The flat kind is the best, from having been
more pressed; it is stronger.
23. Sometimes, if ganja cannot be procured.
It is not used by any special caste.
24. No one eats bhang except in the form of
majum. That is generally eaten at the Holi fes
- t i v a l , b u t b y
a v e r y s m a l l p r o p o r t i o n o f t h e p e o p l e
either then or at other times. 50 per cent. of
Marwaris and 3 or 4 per cent, of other castes
drink bhang.
25. When cultivation was allowed 12 or 13 years
ago, ganja was only obtainable in the localities
where cultivation happened to exist. Now that
there is a halkabandi and ganja is obtainable
everywhere, the consumption has increased. The
increased price of country liquor has also tended
to increased consumption of ganja. I have not
observed any steady annual increase. The above
applies to bhang too, but bhang is chiefly confined
to Marwaris.
26. I cannot give the proportions, but I say
generally that gosains and bairagis and musicians
are habitual excessive consumers of ganja. The
Marwaris are habitual moderate consumers of
bhang, and excessive consumers in the hot weather.
28. For ganja
—
(a)1/4 t o 1/ 2 t ol a ;
(b) 1 tola.
29. Ganja smokers usually mix dry tobacco.
Habitual consumers also sometimes mix spices.
Bhang drinkers mix sugar, and habitual con
- s u m e r s s p i c e s . D h a t u r a i s s o m e t i m e s m i x e d w i t h
bhang to make it stronger; rarely with ganja.
"Bhang massala" contains pepper, cucumber
seeds, rose petals, kachni, and somp.
30. Generally in company, two or three or
more. In the villages I have generally noticed
that all the smokers of ganja of a muhalla get
together. Bhang is drunk either in solitude or in
company according to circumstances. No women
smoke ganja except gosain women and prostitutes.
Very few children smoke it. The same with
bhang.
31. For ganja and bhang: very easily, with
bad company and example. It is difficult to break
off, but not so very difficult. A sentence of im
- p r i s o n m e n t f o r s i x m o n t h s o r s o w o u l d b r e a k t h e
habit. There is no marked tendency of the kind
indicated.
32. There is no special custom as regards ganja.
Bhang is generally drunk at the Holi and
Sheoratri. It is, however, not essential to the
observance of these festivals. It is not generally
excessive.
33. It is looked on as a bad habit. Non
- s m o k e r s l o o k d o w n o n s m o k e r s . T h e r e a s o n s
are—(1) waste of money; (2) it generally implies
low company or running after women; (3) it
seems to lead sometimes to asthma; (4) ganja
smokers become violent tempered. This does not
apply to bhang with Marwaris. There is no wor
- s h i p o f t h e h e m p p l a n t .
34. Yes; to sadhus and bairagis, who have to
undergo hardship.
35. Yes, except in the case of sadhus and
bairagis. There would be illicit consumption,
but not much. The ganja shops should be closed,
except at large cities, and there the sale should
be restricted to sadhus and bairagis and doctors.
I think there would be little discontent and no
political danger. No doubt the consumption of
country liquor will increase.
36. No.
39. Ganja smoking is worse than bhang drink
- i n g , o r t h a n e a t i n g o r d r i n k i n g a n y f o r m o f e i t h e r
drug.
40. Yes; they put ganja and bhang into
various medicines, chiefly for debility. Ganja is
used for a cattle disease, but I cannot remember
for what particular one. It is given when they
are suffering from over-work.
41. Phang and majum are appetiser. Ganja
is a substitute for food. It gives staying-power
and protects from the effects of cold. I do not
know it as a febrifuge.
43. They become quarrelsome, but not to a
very great extent.
44. Ganja smoking produces intoxication at
once. It allays hunger. Its effects last three or
four hours. There is no subsequent headache, as
in the case of liquor, but there is lassitude.
There is uneasiness to the habitual consumer if he
is deprived of his usual dose. Bhang does not
intoxicate at once. It is an appetiser. Its
effects are more lasting than in the case of ganja.
There is some discomfort and lassitude after the
intoxication is over.
45. Ganja smokers are generally thin, and
have bad digestions and poor appetites. I have
not noticed any evil mental or moral effects.
46. Habitual excessive consumers are liable to
bronchitis, asthma, and dysentery. They are also
lazy and stupid, but not necessarily debauched or
immoral.
47. No.
48. The only danger is that the children will
become consumers by force of example.
49. Yes; they are both used for this purpose.
I do not think prostitutes use them for this pur
- p o s e , t h o u g h t h e y d o u s e t h e m . T h e i r u s e i n
this way is injurious. It tends to produce
impotence.
50. The same applies to the excessive use of
these drugs.
51. Many bad characters smoke ganja, but I
do not think the moderate use of ganja has any
connection with crime in general or with any
special class of crime.
52. Same as above.
53. No; I think not.
54. Yes.
55. No.
56. Ganja and bhang are rendered stronger by
the admixture of dhatura.
57. When ganja is pounded up seeds and all,
and eaten mixed with sugar, it has a stronger
intoxicating effect than when smoked.
68. Consumption on the premises should be
prohibited, as has been done with advantage in
the case of madak.