143
( b) One witness says one tola—worth one
anna, and more if they can afford ; another
witness says two tolas—two annas,
Bhang
—
(a) One chatak—cost 9 pies.
(b) Two chataks—cost 18 pies.
29. Ordinary tobacco is mixed with ganja and
charas. Dhatura is a rare admixture, and it is
not mixed here.
30. Nearly 80 per cent. of smokers practise
smoking in company. Only excessive smokers
smoke in solitude and consume as much as ½ a t o l a ;
but they also seek company in smoking. Bhang
is used in solitude by those who take it for medi--
cinal purposes. Habitual consumers are male
adults. The habit is easily formed and compara--
tively easy to break off.
31. There is no tendency in any of these drugs
to develop into the excessive.
32. These drugs are used during the Holi and
Shivaratri festivals. The plant is said to be sa
- c r e d t o t h e g o d S h i v a a n d M a h a d e o , a n d f l o w e r s
either fresh or dried are used as an offering to
these gods, especially on the Shivaratri day. The
use is considered essential, and the habitual smo
- k e r s o f g a n j a g e n e r a l l y s m o k e i t t o e x c e s s . M a n y
take bhang also to excess. This is not likely to
lead to the formation of habit. Excessive use
is considered injurious, especially if the man does
not take sufficient nourishment.
33. Ganja and charas are held in disrepute by
the higher classes, and any excessive smoking of
ganja or eating and drinking of bhang, is held to
be disreputable. I have never heard of the plant
being worshipped here, but the Gonds in their hill
homes are said to be worshippers of these plants.
34. Bhang is not much used here, nor is charas.
If smoking of ganja is prohibited, the privation
of it will not be felt seriously, but might be felt
for some time.
35. It would be feasible to prohibit the use of
these drugs where the plant is not cultivated and
does not grow wild. The illicit use of these drugs
might be carried on as long as money and a little
trouble could procure it. The discontinuance of
the use of these drugs would not be likely to
cause such discontent as to amount to political
danger. The prohibition would in all probability
c a u s e r e c o u r s e t o b e m a d e t o a l c o h o l i c s t i m u l a n t s
and other intoxicating drugs.
36. There is no such reason.
37. Charas is stronger in its intoxicating
powers.
38. The three different preparations of ganja
have no different effects, except baluchur which is
more intoxicating.
40. It is prescribed by native doctors as a tonic.
It is supposed to create appetite and aid digestion.
41. Moderate habitual use of ganja, charas and
bhang is supposed to be beneficial in its effects for
( a ), ( b ), ( c ), and (d). The moderate occasional
use is supposed to relieve pain. It is used mostly
by the lower and working classes, and it is harm--
less when moderately used with sufficient food.
42. According to information received and
quoted in paragraph above, the moderate use
is harmless.
43. Moderate consumers are inoffensive to their
neighbours.
44. Moderate use is refreshing and creates
appetite. If little extra is taken, intoxication is
produced. The effects last for an hour or two.
The after effects are weakness and laziness, and
occasionally produce fits of coughing.
45. The habitual moderate use of these drugs
without sufficient nourishment, makes a man
p h y s i c a l l y w e a k a n d s i l l y . I t b r i n g s o n a s t h m a ; i t i m p a i r s d i g e s t i o n ; i t i n d u c e s l a z i n e s s a n d h a b i t s
of immorality.
Yes ; it does produce insanity, by causing ab
-normality in the quantity of blood supplied to
the nerve centres. The insanity takes the type
of partial monomania ; it may be temporary or
permanent ; and the symptoms may by re-induced
by use of the drug after liberation from restraint.
47 and 48. Children may take up their habits
by imitation, but there is no hereditary tendency.
49. The moderate use of these drugs is prac
-tised as an aphrodisiac.
50. Excessive use produces impotence to a
slight degree.
51. Almost all bad characters are addicted to
the use of some one of these drugs.
52. Chevers says:—It is a matter of popular
notoriety, both in Bengal and the North-Western
Provinces, that persons intoxicated with ganja
are liable to commit acts of homicidal violence.
In cases of "running amok," the criminals are
known to have taken hemp with the object of
nerving themselves for the deed.
53. One witness says these drugs are inoffen
-sive in this respect.
54. Vide No. 52
.
55. Majum, which contains dhatura, is said to
have been used for criminal purposes.
56. Sadhus and fakirs sometimes mix dhatura
seeds for personal use. It is also mixed with
ganja when given to others to produce stupefaction
with intent to crime.
57. They are never eaten.
58. I regret I am unable to give an opinion.
70. Any drugs that are used here are obtained
from the Rewa State, as there is no drug shop in
the camp.
74. Evidence of BAZONJI DADABHOY, Parsi, Manager of the Empress Mills, Nagpur.
I am desired to give evidence specially as an
employer of mill labour.
1
. For the last 17 years I have been in charge
of these mills, employing from 1,500 to 3,000
work-people, including women and children.
45. I have had no experience of any ill effects
of hemp drugs on the work-people.
20. From enquiries that I have made, since
receipt of the printed questions, I have not been
able to discover more than nine male adults out of
a number of 1,900 who acknowledge being habi
- t u a l c o n s u m e r s o f g a n j a . T h e r e i s n o d o u b t o f
there being a larger number, which is estimated at
from 5 to 15 per cent. I am inclined to believe
the smaller percentage. However, I have been
unable to elicit the fact from the men themselves,
Besides the nine men, two acknowledged having