424
41. Moderate use of bhang may be beneficial
as indicated in (a) to (c). Menial classes use it
for the purposes above referred to.
42. Occasional moderate use of bhang for the
purposes set forth in paragraph 41 (a) to (c) would
be harmless.
43. Yes.
44. It does not refresh ; lassitude ensues, it
intoxicates; is said to increase the appetite and
not to allay it. The effect lasts according to the
amount taken and differently on all persons. After-
effects are said to be laziness, indifference. Yes;
a longing or uneasiness is occasional.
45. The habitual moderate use of bhang and
charas produces noxious effects—physical, mental
and moral. It is said to cause bronchitis and
asthma, induces laziness and habits of immorality.
The excessive use of charas produces insanity and
makes the body feeble and thin.
46. The habitual moderate use of bhang and
charas produces noxious effects—physical, mental,
and moral. It is said to cause brouchitis and
asthma; induces laziness and habits of immorality.
The excessive use of charas produces insanity and
makes the body feeble and thin.
47 and 48. As far as it is known, it does not
affect children.
49. It is generally admitted and believed that
charas and ganja tend to produce impotence.
50. Bhang and charas are excessively used
more than ganja.
51. Moderate consumers, when they are in
poor circumstances, are inclined to commit petty
crimes in cities and towns to obtain money to
purchase these drugs. They are also quarrelsome,
and their bad tempers, when under the iufluence
of drugs, get them into trouble.
53. Persons, when addicted to the excessive
indulgence of these drugs, become temporarily
insane, and, when in this state, commit offences
of a grave nature, as they are extremely irritable
and easily take offence at everything, and have
been known to commit murder, suicide, etc., when
in this intoxicated state.
54. No; I should say no, as far as my ex-
perience goe9.
55. Criminals, in my opinion, seldom stupefy
their victims by either of these drugs without the
admixture of dhatura.
56. Dhatura in small quantities is mixed with
hemp seed to intensify the bhang mixture by
persons addicted to use it to excess, especially in
the cold weather by the poor. The richer men
use jawatree and almond in lieu of dhatura.
57.
59.
Are not eaten in this district.
Appears to be working well. Can recom-
mend no improvement.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
Apparently so.
None produced in this district.
Not more than it now is.
No objection.
None.
Can't give opinion.
No.
Never studied the matter.
There are no such houses or shops in this
district.
69. As far as it is known, no wishes of the
people are consulted. It is necessary to consider
the local public opinion.
70. None.
32. Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR T. E. L. BATE, Inspector General of Prisons,
Punjab.
1. I have had no special opportunities of ob-
taining information regarding the matters connect-
ed with hemp drugs. I have not studied the
question, and I have no special knowledge of the
drugs.
3. Any replies I could give to the questions in
this chapter would not be of any use to the
Commission.
16. Bhang is not generally prepared by consum-
ers in their homes. It can be prepared from the
plant wherever grown. Charas can, I believe, be
got from the wild plant. Consumers of bhang
commonly resort to small temples, takias, darazes
and baithakhs where they either prepare it them-
selves or get it prepared.
18. Ganja and charas do not deteriorate rapid,
ly by keeping. Bhang is injured by damp, and
once mixed with water it goes bad quickly.
19. Ganja and charas are, so far as I have
ever heard, used only for smoking. Prisoners in
jail have, however, been known to eat charas.
20. Ganja and charas are smoked chiefly by
the lower classes in towns and cities. Fakirs are,
of course, large consumers of the drugs.
23. Bhang is only smoked by the very poor
when they are unable to obtain charas or ganja.
It is said to be very irritating to the air passages.
24. Bhang is eaten mixed with sweetmeats by
the better classes addicted to the use of the hemp
drugs. All classes, and especially Sikhs, drink
bhang.
26. Among a hundred users of the drugs there
would probably be—
(a) 65.
(b) 25.
(c) 5.
(d) 5.
27. Fakirs are commonly excessive smokers.
The consumers of the drugs in this province are to
be found chiefly among Hindustanis, the residents
of cities and cantonment bazars. The practice is
extended by ordinary social intercourse and by
fakirs, and it is induced by the ordinary vicissi-
tudes of life.
28. (a) 15 to 45 grains costing three to nine
pies.
(b) 50 to 200 grains or more costing 0-1-0 to
0-4-0 or more. This answer applies to charas and
ganja.
29. (a) Spices of sorts are commonly mixed
with bhang.
(b) Dhatura is sometimes mixed with it for
criminal purposes. "Bhang massala" is mixed
with bhang in the preparation of sherbet, which is
said to produce a cooling effect in summer. It