27
47. No. The effect on the issue is weakness.
48. Persons who are habitual excessive users
of the ganja are generally very soon exhausted
and get no issue at all, and if they get any, their
issues turn out very weak.
49. Yes. Prostitutes seldom use ganja, or
bhang. They generally use opium or madak for
this purpose. The drugs when used as aphro-
disiac are more injurious in their effects. They
excite the nervous system and seminal discharges
so long as the person is in his rising age, but
they slowly exhaust the person and ultimately
produce impotence.
50. In the above case the exhaustion is slow,
but in cases of excessive use of the drugs the
effects are the same, but they follow sooner.
51. No.
52. Excessive use may lead to crime. When
a man is a habitual ganja smoker and he has not
got money to purchase it, he may likely commit
theft. There is, however, no necessary connec-
tion with these drugs and the crime in general.
53. I do not think so ; I know of no case of
homicidal frenzy.
54. Such cases are very exceptional.
55. No. To complete stupefaction it is neces-
sary to mix dhatura or other drugs with the
drugs. Criminals sometimes administer such
preparations to stupefy their victims.
56 and 57. I do not know.
58. I am not fully acquainted with the system
and am unable to answer the questions in this
chapter, except the last question.
70. I am not in possession of any figures, but
I know that the ganja grown in foreign Native
States finds its way into the province. The Boadh
and Sarguja ganja finds its way into the Sam-
balpur district and the Feudatory States and
zamindaries of the Sambalpur district and some
of those in the Bilaspur district. In the Gurjat
States, which border on the Chhatisgarh Feuda-
tory States, Raigarh, Sakti, Korba, etc., ganja
used to be grown and sold in local markets like
any other article of food. The consequence was
that a lot of this ganja used to be smuggled into
the Raigarh State. I had made enquiries and
was assured that it found its way up to Korba,
Bilaspur, and Sheorinarain. Attempts were made
to arrest its progress, and the authorities of
Chhota Nagpur were moved to restrict its growth
and sale. The consequence was that in 1892-93
the Raigarh State required more of the Govern-
ment ganja from Bilaspur than it ever took
before. The untaxed ganja of the Gurjat States
was thus superseded to a very large extent. Un-
til the surrounding Feudatory States restrict the
cultivation and sale of ganja, as it is done in this
province and elsewhere, the ganja which is grown
there will surely find its way in the khalsa, as
it could be had much cheaper than the Khandwa
ganja sold by Government contractors. Little
or no duty is taken on ganja in the Native States,
and the restrictions recently placed on its growth
and sale are more nominal than real.
Oral evidence.
Question 25.—The consumption of ganja is
really less than it was before restriction. I do
not think that there is a present tendency to
increase. There has been a decrease in places.
The general tendency of the restriction has been
to decrease the number of consumers. Formerly
the drug was produced in every compound, and
vol. vi.
some have given up the habit from restrictions.
I think there has been an increase in the consump-
tion of spirits among the higher classes, who are
beginning to look down on ganja. I think that
there is on the whole a tendency to decreased con-
sumption of ganja, even comparing the present
with the time immediately subsequent to the
restrictions. We cannot say definitely what is
occurring in Feudatory States, for we are only
beginning to have accurate figures, as they had
their own ganja formerly. Good bhang has to
be imported, so there is a decrease. Local bhang
(or ganja) is stronger. I would have good bhang
made more easily available, as it would take the
place of ganja with the richer classes. This
would be beneficial. Bhang is better than ganja.
Question 27.—Ganja is used at entertainments,
such as bhajans, ,jowara ceremonies, mostly of a
semi-religious character, and also at the Holi. I
do not know of any purely convivial ganja enter-
tainment being given, apart from some religious
connection. The ganja is smoked. Of course
smokers treat one another, apart from all religious
considerations. In the entertainments to which
I refer, non-smokers are offered and accept the
ganja chilam.B h a n g i s m o r e f r e q u e n t l y u s e d .
The middle classes rarely use ganja. Bhang
drinking is more respectable than ganja smoking,
just as opium eating than opium smoking.
Question 41. —In hilly tracts ganja is used
as a febrifuge. I have been advised in such tracts
to use it when suffering from malaria. But I
h a v e n e v e r d o n e s o . T h e d r u g s a r e , h o w e v e r , m o r e u s e d f o r i n t o x i c a t i o n ; b y t h a t I m e a n t h a t
they are more used for exhilaration than for
beneficial or medicinal purposes. Ganja does not,
I t h i n k , u s u a l l y i n t o x i c a t e i n t h e c o m m o n s e n s e o f
that term.
Question 45.—My opinion is that the moderate
habitual use tends to the excessive use. Thus
there are the ill-effects I specify, But the poorer
classes remain moderate smokers, because they
cannot afford more. The moderate use, if it
remains moderate, is, as I have said in answer No.
42, harmless. The poorer classes, who are the
greater part of the consumers, and also people of
determination, remain moderate smokers. Dhatura
is not often used, because of constriction of throat,
and also the very severe intoxication it produces.
The people generally dislike and fear it. I knew
a ease of dhatura making a man insane. The
general actual result is that the majority of mode-
rate smokers do not go to excess. I do not think
that the habit does harm to poor persons who have
to work hard and to endure exposure.
Question 54.—I know no such case.
Question 55. —Dhatura, oleander roots, jowari
roots, aconite are all used to increase the strength
of ganja. Arsenic is avoided owing to its dan-
gerous quality. I do not think that betelnut is
used ; it is not intoxicating. Nutmeg is. I do
not know of opium being used. What I have
named above are used by excessive consumers.
Dhatura seed is what criminals use. I have
heard of cases, but never seen one. I have not
heard of dhatura leaves being used. I do not
know whether they are poisonous.
Question 59.—My general opinion is that
consumption cannot wisely be stopped, because the
poorest classes would be deprived of the one means
they have for alleviating their toil. I think that
the result would be not a resort to liquor, because
caste as well as expense stands in the way, and
most of those who can use liquor do so. The
result would be a resort to other poisons. Maha-
G 2