261
with a view to stupefaction. Ordinarily a liquor
drinker would fortify himself with liquor. On
the contrary a ganja smoker would certainly not
take alcohol to fortify himself. In this answer
I do not attribute the crime to the ganja habit.
We have a great many ganja smokers who are
criminals, but that is purely an accident. In the
register which is kept of bad characters the ganja
liquor or opium habit is noted. I am speaking of
the district in which 1 am now serving. I think,
however, that the fact is generally noted. The
reason for noting it is that the man's sources of
livelihood and expenditure are recorded as far as
possible. No use would be made in court of this
information.
69. Evidence of RAI BAHADUR K. NARAINASWAMY, Telaga, Inspector of Police,
Vizianagram.
1. In the discharge of my duties as a police
officer, I have often had opportunities to come in
contact with the habitual consumers of the various
products of the hemp plant. From my personal
knowledge of such men, and also from the inform-
ation given by them, I make my answers to the
following questions.
14. Yes, ganja and bhang are prepared in this
country. Mostly in the agency tracts, and to a
small extent on the plains.
16. Bhang is prepared g enerally by the people
in their houses, It can be prepared from the
hemp plant wherever grown. Ganja can be pre-
pared from the wild plant wherever grown.
19. Ganja is used for smoking in confection,
called madum and in electuaries. Madum is pre-
pared by the admixture of sugar and jaggery,
ganja, and some spices. Some make ganja into
powder after roasting it in ghee and use the
powder in electuaries, while others use the very
ghee in which the ganja is boiled after the latter
is strained away. Some use the strained ghee by
applying it to betel leaves. This is done to pro-
duce sound sleep or liveliness. These uses are
prevalent in towns.
20. There are ganja smokers among all classes
of people, except banians. Bairagis (mendicants),
as a rule, are all ganja smokers. Of others, some
of those that frequent the hilly parts of the dis-
trict are also ganja, smokers, About 10 per cent,
of the population of Vizianagram are either ganja
smokers or bhang eaters or drinkers. These uses
are more prevalent in towns than in villages.
24. Brahmins and Musalmans eat or drink
bhang. The drinkers outnumber the eaters. In
towns.
25. From April to September 1893, ganja 781
seers, madum 77 and odd seers, and bhang 182
and odd seers were sold in the Vizianagram town
against. 781 and odd seers of ganja, 67 and odd
seers of madum, and 266 and odd seers of bhang
for the same time in 1892 both in Vizianagram
and cantonment. The difference being so very
trifling, that cannot account for either increase or
decrease.
28. Quarter anna worth of bhang or ganja per
day is enough for a habitual moderate consumer.
32. No social or religious customs in regard to
the use of any of these drugs I have known of as
existing.
33. The use of any of these drugs is considered
an evil practice. No public opinion (social or
religious) exists in regard to the practice. Ganja
smoking is considered bad, and therefore the con-
sumers stand very low in the estimation of re-
spectable people. They cannot be steady-minded.
I know no custom of worshipping the hemp plant
in the district.
39. Smoking ganja is more injurious than eat-
ing or drinking, because smokers look more un--
healthy than eaters or drinkers.
40. None recommend the use of ganja on ac-
count of its medicinal qualities. It is used in the
treatment of cattle diseases. The Maharaja's
stable doctors often purchased ganja or bhang to
use it in medicines for treating horses and other
cattle.
41. Even the moderate use of either ganja or
bhang is in no way beneficial in its effects.
42. Though the moderate use of bhang is not
beneficial, it is harmless if taken with spices, milk,
sugar or jaggery. I have known many persons
Who drink bhang in the way given above who
have not lost their health or mental or bodily
vigour.
43. Moderate consumers are inoffensive to
their neighbours.
44. The immediate effect of even the moderate
use of any of these drugs is the excitement of the
brain, It lasts for about an hour. The want of
subsequent gratification produces desire or uneasi-
ness unlike that which is produced by opium.
In the latter the desire or uneasiness is much
stronger than in the former. Some say it adds to
the digestive powers and creates appetite, while
some others that it does not.
45. Even the moderate use of any of these
drugs affects to some extent the virile powers, and
tends to increase the belief in God. I have known
of several men who complained of the loss or
weakness of their sexual desire by the use of
ganja smoking. I have also known of some cases
in which the users of ganja smoking have become
sadhus or mendicants.
49. The use of any of these drugs is not prac-
- t i s e d a s a n a p h r o d i s i a c .
51. Yes, out of 21 on the active list of crimi--
nals in the Vizianagram town, 15 are habitual
ganja smokers and opium eaters or smokers,
These men commit thefts and house breakings,
though not of a serious nature.
53. I have known of cases in which the exces-
sive use of ganja smoking has made the con-
sumers mad ; but I know no case in which it led
to homicidal frenzy.
5 4 . N o n e v e r .
55. Yes, several cases occurred in which crimi--
nals induced their victims to partake of madum
or confection, and so stupefied them to rob them
of their personal property. No complete stupe--
faction can be had by ganja if taken moderately.
An unusually large dose, of course, brings upon
the consumer complete stupefaction.