464
35. The prohibition of bhang, if enforced, would
occasion serious discontent among the consumers,
and the drug would be consumed illicitly. It is
much feared that the discontent would amount to
a political danger, because the use of this drug
has also some connection with the Hindu religion.
It would be a serious privation to the consumers of
ganja and charas if the use of the drugs is pro-
hibited, but their number is very small. The
habitual consumers of these drugs cannot have
recourse to alcoholic stimulants, as they are very
costly.
36. Alcohol is not being substituted for any of
these drugs. On the contrary, the consumers of
spirituous liquors take one of these drugs when
they have not enough money to buy alcohol.
37. Ganja is not used in this province. Ac-
cording to medical science, ganja is a more in-
ebriating drug.
38. Round ganja is more intoxicating than the
flat one, which is better than chur.
39. The intoxication of opium is not injurious
in any way, because its consumer becomes active
after its use. All other intoxicants are very per-
nicious in their effects, the spirituous liquors being
the worst.
40. Bhang is prescribed for use in the following
complaints :—indigestion, diarrhœa, debility, etc.,
etc., and also for the treatment of cattle. Charas
is also used medicinally in special cases.
41. (a) Bhang is accessory of food and diges-
tive.
(b) Charas gives staying-power under severe
exertion or exposure to heat or cold.
(c) Bhang is preventive of fever as well as of
bad effects of unwholesome water.
(d) Its use is also beneficial during cholera.
Fakirs, who generally live in jungles, use these
drugs to protect themselves from the severity of
cold.
42. The use of almost all the intoxicants is
injurious except when used medicinally.
43. The consumers of bhang, charas and ganja
are inoffensive to their neighbours.
44. The following are the effects on the habitual
consumer:—is refreshed; feels appetite; is saved
from sorrows when under the influence of the
drugs.
The intoxication lasts for three or four hours,
and when it is over the consumer goes to sleep.
45. All the mischief is done by charas and
ganja.
46. The consumers of charas and ganja become
lazy, remain in a dirty state, and pass their days
like vagrants.
47. In my opinion it does not affect in any way
the children of the consumers.
48. Bhang, being aphrodisiac, is often pres-
cribed with other tonic medicines. Women use
it as an astringent. The use of ganja and charas
produces impotency.
50. The excessive use of intoxicants, whatever
they may be, stupefies the consumer.
51. Charas is commonly smoked by bad charac-
ters.
52. Excessive use of charas and ganja is very
bad and injurious.
54. Yes.
56. Dhatura, if given, causes stupefaction to
the consumers, and thus criminals can easily make
away with the property of their victims. Dhatura
mixed with bhang produces instant stupefaction.
57. Ganja and charas are only used for smok-
ing.
58. The present system works well, and hardly
requires any improvement.
59. Particular rates should be fixed for these
drugs, and then duty should be levied on them.
62. As the hemp plant grows spontaneously
after rainfall, its control appears to be a difficult
task.
67. The duty imposed on these drugs is heavy
and should therefore be reduced,
68. Reduction in the number of sakikhanas
(places where the drugs are sold and consumed)
will reduce the number of consumers, because the
lessees who pay for their licenses instigate people
to consume the drugs,
69, Persons obtaining licenses induce people to
consume the drugs.
54. Evidence * of HAKIM GHULAM NABI, Medical Practitioner, Lahore.
1. As I have been practising medicine during
the last twenty years, I have had opportunities
now and then treating and bearing people (who
use these drugs).
3. The hemp plants grow spontaneously in
every district, more or less.
4. The consumers of bhang are generally the
takia nashin beggars and those people who are lazy
and flinch from labour. Many technical names
have been given to bhang by these men, such as
sabji, thandai, sawi, dhawi, israr, waraq-ul-khyal,
raz, kumb, hubbat-ul-ma?akin, moonas-ul-hamoom
and khashisat-ul-fukra.
6. The wild hemp grows densely and abun-
dantly on the Jhelum river on the road to Kushmir,
where very high plants of it have been seen.
7. So far as I know, it is not cultivated, but
grows spontaneously.
10. So far as I know, there are no persons in
the Punjab who cultivate bhang, which grows
spontaneously in certain districts. There are,
however, special licensed vendors who sell bhang.
16. Bhang and charas, etc., are not prepared
privately in houses; people purchase them from
the shops of licensed vendors. To prepare and
sell these drugs in houses is forbidden (by the
law).
19. They are generally used for smoking. Cha-
ras is also used medicinally in certain pills and as
plaster for external application.
20. Charas and ganja are generally used by
persons of low professions, such as kanjars, dums,
mirasis, or such vagabonds of loose character who
keep company with them. Respectable men very
rarely (say one per cent.) contract the habit from
bad company, and this, too, in towns only. In
the villages, where these drugs are unknown,
takia nashin fakirs, say one in a thousand, use
them.
* Translation.