83
Gonda, Sitapur, and Terai districts, and is
exported from these districts.
15. As far as I can say, the male hemp plant,
which is called " bhang," grows in this province;
its leaves are gathered during the cold season, and
used for eating and drinking purposes. The female
plant is very rare, and is used for smoking only.
16. Bhang is not prepared by the people in
houses. It can be prepared from hemp plant
wherever grown. Ganja and charas can also be
prepared in this province, like the one received from
other province, if properly managed, from the wild
plant.
17. There is no particular class of people who
prepare preparations from hemp drugs.
18. These drugs deteriorate by keeping for a
long time. They lose their effect after some time.
Bhang and ganja remain good for a year, and
charas for two years with ordinary care. When
they get cold air or remain in damp places, they
lose their effect. They should be kept out of damp
places and exposed to air and sunlight occasionally
to keep them in order.
19. Ganja and charas are used for smoking only.
20. Most part of the fakirs smoke ganja and
charas, and the people of low caste use them more
than high caste men. About 90 per cent. of the
fakirs who are unmarried or widowers use these
drugs, and 3 per cent. of other people of the whole
province.
21. Baluchar is preferred for smoking, but in
Bundelkhand "pathor" and "chur" are much
used.
22. Foreign charas is chiefly used here, which is
of two sorts—Yarkand and Bukhara. It is im-
ported from the Punjab, where it comes from
Kashmir and Kabul.
23. Bhang is not used for smoking. It is rarely
used by the ganja-smoking class for smoking.
They mix it with tobacco at the time of use.
24. Fifty per cent. of the Brahmins, such as
Chaube, Gangaputr, Panda, etc., eat and drink
bhang, and five per cent. of the other classes use it.
It is generally used throughout the province.
25. The use of ganja and charas is on the
increase. (a) The chief cause of this being the
facility of import or export from and to different
places by means of railway communication which
has been introduced for the last 30 years. (b)
There is no religious institution.
26. (a) Bhang .
Ganja .
Charas .
(b) Bhang .
Ganja .
Charas .
(c) Bhang .
Charas
and
Ganja
(d) Bhang .
Ganja
and
Charas
.
.
3 per cent.
.
.
2
„
.
.
1
„
.
.
2
„
.
.
1
„
.
.
½
„
.
.10 „
.
.
Nil
.
.
2per cent.
.
.
Nil.
27. Fakirs, Jogis, Gangaputtris, Chanbes, Pandas,
and also menials are these taken from. The habi-
tual excessive consumers become idle, imprudent,
senseless, and become dependent on others.
28. (a) Bhang.
Charas.
Ganja.
½
6
2
pie per man per day.
pies „ „
„ „ „
(b) Bhang
Charas
Ganja
.
.
.
1
1
6
pie
anna
pies
per man
„
„
per day.
„
„
This is exclusive of other ingredients which are
mixed with bhang, the cost of which is—
(a) ½
(b) 1
anna per man per day.
„
„
„
29. The following ingredients are generally
mixed with bhang :—Pepper and aniseed, and some-
times milk and sugar, are also added. Dhatura is
seldom used. It is used to make it more narcotic.
These admixtures are used to make it palatable and
delicious. Only tobacco is mixed with charas and
ganja. It is mixed with a view that it may keep
it for a long time. There is no special " massala"
to mix with bhang, but different spices, such as
pepper, aniseed, almond, rose-flower, melon-seed
etc., are often mixed.
30. Ganja and charas are generally used in
company, but bhang is used in solitude too.
Females and children seldom use it. These drugs
are generally used by young men, and so they make
themselves habitual to them. Children of less than
ten years rarely use it.
31. The habit is generally formed by remaining
for a short time in company with such persons.
It is not very difficult to break it off. The habit of
smoking ganja and charas develops into excessive if
the company of such men continues.
32. The use of these drugs is strictly forbidden in
the Vedas and Shastras, the religious book of the
Hindus. The use of it is similarly prohibited
amongst the Muhammadans. The ignorant persons
take up this habit for want of religious doctrines.
During the Holi festival people of high caste use
majum (which is prepared from bhang), while the
low caste persons drink liquor. It is not a part of
the religious custom, and is not essential. It is
possible to form a habit if used for some time con-
tinually. It is excessive during the Holi festival,
and temperate in others. It is rarely injurious.
33. The consumption of these drugs is generally
considered bad amongst educated and civilized
companies. There is no public opinion in favour of
this practice.
The use of these drugs is really disreputable.
The consumers are called by the nickname of
"ganjeri," "bhangeri," and "charasia." Such
persons carry no respect and weight. The con-
sumer generally thinks himself mortified when he
uses it in excess. There is no worship of hemp
plant in these districts.
34. It would not be a serious privation to forego
the consumption of these drugs, as I have seen
persons going to jail where they do not get these
drugs, and that they are found healthy after they
come out of it. It is easy to give up this habit in
a few days.
35. It is not feasible to prohibit the use of all the
drugs throughout the province at one time. Ganja
and charas are more injurious, and measures should
be taken to prohibit them first, as ganja and charas
imported from Kashmir, Kabul, Central Provinces,
Gwalior State, and Bengal, and these are distant
places. It is presumed that, if these imports be pro-
hibited, the illicit consumption would be stopped.
In my opinion it would be better to notify to the
consumers to leave off using these obnoxious drugs
within a certain period, and if after the expiration
of these terms they do not mind themselves, they
may be prosecuted. There would be no serious
discontent among the consumers, as the number of
persons against it is much more than those who use it.
vol. V.
P 2