235
( b) Ghee, jaggery, spices, almonds, fig seeds
and opium, etc., to intoxicate.
30. Smoking is done in company and eating in
solitude. On marriage occasions, among the
Mahrattis, Rajputs, and Guzeratis, drinking is
done in company. I don't know if females in-
dulge in ganja. I am not aware of children con-
suming ganja.
31 Yes ; easily formed and difficult to break
off. The last question depends on the degree of
self-control exercised by the consumer.
32. In demon or hero worship, intoxicants of
all kinds are offered to the gods and then swal-
lowed by those offering them. In hook-swinging,
fire-walking festivals, the operators are drugged
with ganja and they become insensible to pain.
Yes, regarded as essential. Generally temperate.
May lead to the formation of the habit; but does
not generally.
33. With disfavour. Yes; public opinion has
a bad opinion of the consumer. The sentiment is
due to the fact that the consumer becomes lazy
and good for nothing. I am not aware of any
worship of the kind.
34. It would be a serious privation to a moderate
habitual consumer. I am not aware of any special
classes.
35. No; not feasible. Yes ; illicitly. Yes ; it
will cause discontent. No political danger. (b)
Perhaps opium; but not (a ) alcohol.
36. No.
37 to 39. I don't know.
40. Yes ; as a sedative, in cases of irregularities
of stomach and rectum.
I don't know about cattle disease.
41. (a) Yes. To dyspeptics and gourmands.
(b) Yes. To bairagis, sepoys, and footpads.
(c) Yes. To dwellers in malarious tracts and
hill villages. But opium is more largely used.
(d) To deaden pain, or at least to induce in-
sensibility to it in painful performances, like
hook-swinging, fire-walking, etc.
(a ), ( b ) and (c ) Moderate habitual use.
(d) Occasional use.
42. The moderate use is, I believe, harmless in
the same way that a pint of beer is harmless.
43. Quite so.
44. It produces a slight degree of intoxication,
I believe, and therefore refreshes. Smoking allays
hunger, and eating or drinking creates appetite.
I don't know how long the effect lasts. Yes;
the after-effects are languid drowsiness.
45. It weakens the constitution a bit; but I
don't think it has effect on the mind or morals.
It does not affect the digestion. Excessive smok-
ing is known to produce lung affections. It pro-
duces laziness, but certainly does not induce im-
morality.
47. I don't know.
49. I don't know.
51. I don't know if many bad characters are
habitual consumers; but I do know that ganja
consumption does not make a man a bad
character.
54. The drug will muddle the senses and stupe-
fy. It will render the man unfit for much violent
exercise.
55. Yes.
56. ( a ) For smoking, tobacco is added to give
flavour and heighten intoxication. For eating
and drinking, the addition of spices, perhaps, adds
a little to the effect of the ganja, but not to any
extent.
( b ) I don't know about dhatura.
57. I don't know.
58. Works well.
60. Cultivation and preparation are not under
control, and I will not advocate an y modification.
Sale is under control, and that is enough.
62. No.
63. None at all.
64. As an old Abkari officer, my honest opinion
is that ga nja should be let alone in this presi-
dency. It is used by such a small, almost infinite-
simal, portion of the population, and its effects
are so harmless that I would not interfere with
it.
65. There is no taxation except vend rents.
The incidence is light.
66. No.
67. None.
68. No.
69. There is no local opinion. But there is no
necessity for any. The shops are so few and the
drug so inoffensive that I would not interfere
with them.
70. The vendors pay for the privilege of selling
and that is sufficient.
48. Evidence of S. VASUDEVA. RAO, Tahsildar, Tadpatri.
1. Local enquiries made at Tadpatri Kusba
town.
2. The definitions of bhang and charas are
accepted. As regards ganja it is said that the
dried flowering tops of female plants are not
used, as they are said to affect injuriously the
sight. I am not sure that the people understand
clearly the distinction between male and female
plants. Bhang, charas and ganja are the names
used in this taluk for the three products referred
to.
7. The cultivation of hemp - plant, which is
extremely limited, is intended for production of
ganja only. The cultivation is confined to com-
VOL. VI.
pounds and back-yards of houses. A few plants
are also found grown amidst chilly crops.
8. The cultivation continues to be limited.
No variations.
9. The plant is periodically watered. As soon
as the leaves ripen the watering is stopped.
10. The cultivators are of the same classes as
other agricultural cultivators.
11. Yes ; but not in this taluk.
13. Cultivation of hemp plant is not restricted.
14. ( a) Yes.
( b ) and ( c). No.
Very limited extent. The owner of the house
2 K 2