396
There are no special classes of people who use
the drugs for the purposes indicated in the ques-
tion. Of cour6e the Hindu and Mahammadan
fakirs who are habitual moderate consumers do use
them for the said purposes.
Charas is not beneficial for alleviating fatigue
and hard labour; but the moderate use of bhang
does alleviate fatigue.
42. The moderate use of bhang is neither bene-
ficial nor injurious; but even the moderate use of
charas is not harmless.
43. The moderate consumers of bhang are in-
offensive to their neighbours. The claras con-
sumers, however, are offensive to their neighbours,
inasmuch as the obnoxious smoke of the charas,
their coughing and prattling are very troublesome.
44. The habitual moderate consumers of bhang
feel pleasure when they form the habit. It is re-
freshing, produces intoxication, and increases ap-
petite. The intoxicating effects remain the same
as long as the consumer continues to drink. On
the contrary, charas, on account of its heating and
arid qualities, affects the appetite, produces cough,
and also uneasiness for want of subsequent grati-
fication.
45. The habitual moderate use does not produce
any noxious effects—physical, mental, or moral.
It does not impair the constitution. It does not
injure the digestion or causes loss of appetite. It-
does not cause dysentery, bronchitis, or asthma.
It does not impair the moral sense, nor induce
laziness or habits of immorality or debauchery
It does not deaden the intellect, produce insanity
and, if insanity be even produced, it is not re-
induced if the use of this drug (bhang) is given
up. If persons suffering from mental anxiety or
brain disease use the drug to obtain relief, they
may often tend to indulge in the moderate use of
charas and bhang.
46. The habitual excessive use of these drugs
would produce effects contrary to those mentioned
in answer to question No. 45; but the effects of
charas would be more harmful than bhang, which
is a mild intoxicant.
47. Not a hereditary habit.
48. As the habit is not hereditary, this question
need not be discussed.
49. Nearly half of the habitual moderate con-
sumers of charas and bhang use the drug as an
aphrodisiac. Bhang is so used by the prostitutes
to some extent. The use of charas tends to pro-
duce impotence to some extent.
50. Those persons, who commence the moderate
use of charas and bhang at first, gradually become
addicted to use them in excess. At the age when
they are habitual excessive consumers, they have
no inclination for debauchery. Among the habi-
tual excessive consumers some use them for pur-
poses of devotion, and most of them for the sake
of intoxication.
51. A very small proportion of bad characters
use charas and bhang, because the use of these
drugs would affect their energy and activity for
criminal designs.
52. Habitual criminals should be daring and
courageous, which the excessive consumers of
bhang and charas are not. Every moderate and
excessive consumer of bhang and charas is a
coward (as a rule).
53. Excessive indulgence in bhang and charas
does not incite to any violent or minor crime, nor
have I heard of any such violent criminal.
54. Criminals never use these drugs to fortify
themselves to commit crime, because they con-
sider that intoxication would depress their spirits
and courage.
55. Certainly, if any criminal induces a temper-
ate person to use an excessive quantity of charas
or bhang, it can be concluded that he did so with
the object of theft, etc., but no case of the kind
has ever come before me. Complete stupefaction
of temperate persons is possible with this drug
without admixture.
56. Habitual offenders can carry out their
criminal designs (a) by inducing their victim to
take a moderate quantity of bhang or charas with
admixture of dhatura, etc., and (b) by inducing
their victim to take an excessive dose with the
admixture of a little dhatura, etc.
57. No one eats or drinks charas in this
province; but it is, however, smoked. It is oc-
casionally used in medicine in very small quantity.
58. The present system of administration is
good.
59. No improvement is required.
60. Ganja is not produced in this province.
61. Charas is not produced in this province.
62. Hemp is not cultivated in this province,
and as regards the wild growth of it, in case the
owners of land do not take any compensation for
it, there seems no necessity for control over it
by Government. If it is controlled, some tax
would have to be imposed on it, and the control
would be feasible by means of revenue papers.
There would be obstacles at first; but perhaps,
under such circumstances, the agriculturists might
bring under cultivation the areas on which the
hemp plant grows wild, and its production may
gradually cease.
64. The existing usage is correct.
65. The system now in force is correct and
proper.
66. Ganja is not produced in this province.
67. There is no objection. If a tax be imposed
on charas, its consumption will be reduced by the
consumers, and they would thus avoid physical
injuries. The tax may be Re. 0-8-0 per seer, and
its sale should be restricted to the markets at
Umballa, Hoshiarpur, Amnitsar, and Rawalpindi.
Nearly 4,900 maunds of charas is imported
into the Punjab every year, of which nearly one-
fourth is consumed here, and the rest is exported
to other places outside the province.
The consumers of charas are generally destitute
people, and they would dislike the high price of
the drug owing to the imposition of tax.
68. There are shops in abundance for the sale
of these drugs, according to requirements, and
this arrangement is good. There are no licensed
shops where the drug may be consumed on the
premises.
69. Enquiry is not made (from the people); but
shops are, however, opened according to the wishes
of the people.
70. This has no connection with the Native
States, nor is there any loss (sic).