356
44 (b) It is refreshing.
(c) and (d) . Yes.
(e) It creates appetite.
(f ) Three hours.
( g) Yes. Headache and uneasiness of mind.
(h) Yes.
45. It affects both physically and mentally.
49. Not known.
51. To a certain extent. Not known.
53. Not known.
51. No.
55. Not known. Yes.
145. Evidence of the REV. H. J. GOFFIN,*Missionary, Kadiri, Cuddapah District.
1. Have lived in South India 15 years. A
ganja shop is within half a mile of my door.
2. The only two names by which the article is
known here (Kadiri) are bangi-aku or bangi-leaf
and ganja. The small twigs with leaves and
flowers are sold in small bundles by the growers
to the shopkeeper, who strips off the flowers and
suitable leaves for sale as ganja. The terms flat,
round, and broken are not in use.
3. Nowhere.
7. Yes, as above described.
Particulars can be obtained from Government
office.
8. Some increase probably due to the action of
Government in licensing the sale of it. Taxing
the article puts a higher price on it, and makes it
more worth while to grow it.
10. No special class. The ordinary raiyat puts
a few seeds into his garden, and so makes a few
rupees extra.
17. The ganja of the district is not prepared by
any special class, though perhaps Muhammadans
chiefly do it. Any one may set up the shop by
taking out the license.
19. In Kadiri, ganja is used for smoking only.
20. No particular class of ganja smokers can be
designated, except that they are mostly of the
poor and lower classes. Fakirs or religious men-
dicants also are much addicted to its use.
21 See Question No. 2.
25. Slightly on the increase.
See Question 8.
29. The only ordinary mixture with ganja is a
little tobacco, and this is used because the ganja
is damp with the water which has been employed
to prepare it for smoking, and the tobacco helps
to dry it.
30. There is very little solitude about a Hindu's
practice of anything. He smokes his ganja any-
where and at any time. Its use by children and
females is unknown. Generally speaking, the
middle-aged and old use it most.
31. I think the habit of smoking ganja may be
easily contracted, and broken off without much
difficulty. Of course, it is the tendency of the
use of all such narcotics to become excessive.
32. None. The religious mendicants, who use
it largely, do so probably (1) because they are a
lazy, bad class of men ; (2) because it helps them
to bear the hard-hips of their peculiar kind of life;
and (3) because the half-crazy, imbecile demeanour
it produces is not unfavourably regarded by the
people.
33. It is generally looked down upon as disre-
putable for the reason that its effects are bad.
There is no worship of the plant amongst the
people here.
34. No doubt excessive consumers would feel
the deprivation very much, but they form an in-
significant fraction of the people.
35. Quite feasible. No doubt the drug would
be consumed illicitly, and no doubt also the prohi-
bition would be followed by a slight increase of
alcoholic stimulants; and specially of opium. I
do not think there would be any danger politically
in prohibiting its use, but its enforcement would
be difficult.
36. N o.
41. Doctors should be able to say.
43. Yes. Some who practise the habit say that
they do so in preference to taking alcoholic sti-
mulants, because the latter makes them noisy and
quarrelsome, whereas the ganja only has the effect
of making them dreamily contented with every-
thing.
44. A slight intoxication, during which the ills
of life, hunger included, are forgotten. The after-
effects are, of course, lassitude and weakness, and
the desire to renew the indulgence is considerable.
It is said, however, that after a short time of
dyspeptic trouble, the desire passes away, and the
habit may be broken off without great difficulty.
45. Most certainly the effects are injurious in
every way, more especially, I think, mentally.
The digestion becomes impaired and the body more
or less emaciated, but its ill effects are chiefly seen
in the peculiar imbecility which it
produces—an unsteadiness of mind which is its chief charac-
teristic.
46. Excessive use results in the same symptoms
in an intensified form. Not unfrequently death is
said to speedily follow excessive indulgence.
49. One instance of such use was brought to
my notice. A native drug seller sold pills com-
posed of ganja and some other drugs for such
purposes.
51. The religious mendicants, who are notorious
bad characters, always use more or less of this drug
(ganja).
53. I should say it would, though I have heard
of no specific instances.
55. I am told that a stupefying confection is
made with ganja and jagri, which may be used
for criminal purposes. It is sold in Cuddapah
under the name of majum.
58. I cannot undertake to criticise the present
or any system of excise administration. My own
impression is that with regard to the growth and
manufacture of these drugs, the Government would
be wise to adopt a strictly " let alone " policy,
leaving it to the spread of education and enlighten-
ment amongst the people to prevent and lessen all
ill effects. The province of Government (especially
of a paternally despotic Government as ours of
India necessarily is) should be carefully to watch
such effects, and, wherever and whenever necessary,
interfere with prohibitive legislation. such neces-
sity, however, in my opinion, would not often
recur.
* Invited to attend at a sitting of the Commission for oral examination, but failed to appear.