402
The above answer refers to bhang also.
27. Mostly those people who associate with
the classes of consumers mentioned in answer 26,
or those who wish to become members of that
congregation.
28. Charas—
(a) 4 to 6 mashas.
(b) 2 to 2½ tolas.
Bhang—
(a) 6 to 8 mashas.
(b) 4 to 5 tolas.
Note.—The use of bhang can be increased or
decreased according to habit. If it is used in
company, the quantity drunk is often large; and
if it is used in solitude, the quantity consumed
cannot exceed that given above.
29. No ingreedients are mixed with charas
except tobacco. It is used in two ways: some
smoke it without any admixture, and some mix it
with tobacco.
As regards bhang, its ingredients are black
pepper, poppy seeds, musk melon seeds, and milk.
I have never seen any man using it with dhatura
or any other intoxicant.
As regards the remainder of the question, so
far as it relates to consumers, please see answer
No. 26.
30. Please see answer No. 28. I cannot give
a detailed answer to the question—"Is the use
mainly confined to the male sex or to any time of
life?" But, so far as I think, the use is more
prevalent among the male than among the female
sex, and people use the drugs in the cold weather
or climates or to alleviate fatigue. Those children
who keep company with such persons as are refer-
red to in answer No. 26 also use the drugs, but
it is in very rare cases.
81. The habit is easily formed, because those
who consume the drugs first induce the non-con-
sumers to accept small doses of the drugs by way
of amusement, and the consequence is that the
taste of the non-consumer for the drug increases
and is gradually formed into a habit. The habit
can be gradually abandoned without any incon-
venience if one wishes to break it off. The exces-
sive habitual use is caused by the fact that since
the quantity of any drug one is in the habit of
using becomes assimilated with his constitution,
it ceases to give him intoxication, and he is there-
fore compelled to increase his dose with the object
of getting intoxication.
32. As far as I know, bhang is pounded by the
Sikhs on. the Dasehra day, and it is ordinarily
binding upon every Sikh to drink it as a sacred
draught by mixing water with it.
Legend—Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru,
the founder of the Sikh religion, was on the guddi
of Baba Nanak in the time of Emperor Aurang-
zeb. When the guru was at Anandpur, tahsil
Una, Hoshiapur district, engaged in battle with
the -hill rajas of the Simla, Kangra, and the
Hoshiarpur districts, the rajas sent an elephant,
who was trained in attacking and slaying the
forces of the enemy with a sword in his trunk and
in breaking open the gates of forts, to attack and
capture the Lohgarh fort near Anandpur. The
guru gave one of his followers, Bachittar Singh,
some bhang and a little of opium to eat, and
directed him to face the said elephant. This brave
man obeyed the word of command of his leader
and attacked the elephant, who was intoxicated
and had achieved victories in several battles before,
with the result that the animal was overpowered
and the hill rajas defeated. The use of bhang,
therefore, on the Dasehra day is necessary as a
sacred draught. It is customary among the Sikhs
generally to drink bhang, so that Guru Gobind
Singh has himself said the following poems in
praise of bhang:—"Give me, O! Saki (butler),
a cup of green colour (bhang), as it is required by
me at the time of battle." (Vide "Suraj Parkash,"
the Sikh religious book.)
Bhang is also used on the Chaudas day, which
is a festival of the god Sheoji Mahadeva. The
Sikhs consider it binding to use it on the Dasehra
day. The quantity then taken is too small to
prove injurious.
1 know nothing about charas.
83. In comparison with bhang, the use of charas
cannot morally be regarded as good. I know of
no other religious public opinion than that men-
tioned in answer No. 32. I do not consider the
moderate use of bhang disreputable; but, as re-
gards charas, I am of opinion that it is most
injurious to the health. I do not know when the
worship of the bhang plant takes place,
34. Vide answer No. 26. I cannot 6tate with
exactness the degree of privation which would be
felt by the consumer on account of foregoing the
habit; but I presume that the privation would
vary according to the quantity used by a con-
sumer, because the consumers of these drugs
greatly suffer; and it is even possible that they
may be reduced to the point of death if they do
not get their dose at the proper time. The con-
sumer of bhang, however, suffers much less. The
number of these people does not exceed 5 per cent.
35. The use of everything can be prohibited by
authority; but the drugs will, as a matter of
course, be illicitly consumed. The prohibition can
be enforced by an act of law, just as it has been
done in the case of chandu. It will certainly cause
a serious discontent among the consumers; but
the discontent will not amount to a political
danger. The prohibition would be followed by
recourse to alcoholic stimulants and other drugs.
36. It cannot be answered.
40. In the case of those suffering from piles,
bhang is applied externally and is also drunk. It
is also used for cattle diseases. I know nothing
about charas and ganja.
41. 1 cannot give a precise answer to this
question, but so far as I know is:—
As regards charas —(b) Yes; it gives staying-
power under severe exposure, and alleviates
fatigue. (d) In my opinion it cannot be beneficial
in any other way.
As regards bhang—(a) Yes; it is a food
accessory and digestive. (b) It gives, staying-
"power under severe exertion in the hot weather
and alleviates fatigue. (c) It is of the utmost
use in malarious tracis and in preventing malarious
diseases.
The number of the travellers and labourers, some
of whom are the moderate habitual and others
occasional cousumers, cannot be stated. Travellers
and labourers are the occasional, and the in-
habitants of unhealthy tracts habitual consumers
of it.
42. The idea is that charas and bhang do not
prove injurious if used in moderation, because the
constitution can bear the effects of small quantities