251
61. Evidence of R. SAMINATHA
IYER, Brahmin, Acting Deputy Tahsildar,
coono
or.
1. By conversation with men who have seen
people using ganja.
2. There is no manufacture of ganja made in
this division ; consequently no information is avail-
able on the subject as derived from local know-
ledge.
3. Coonoor. It is not abundant anywhere in
the division. It is scattered spontaneously.
Grows in certain places.
4 . T h e p l a n t i s k n o w n a s g a n j a p l a n t .
5. Wild ganja plants are seen to grow at a
height of about 4,000 or 5,000 feet above sea
level.
6. The wild plants in this division are scattered.
No systematic plantation is going on. It is pro-
hibited.
7 . N o .
14. No.
15. Vide reply to No. 19.
16. Yes; the ganja leaves from plants growing
in these parts are seldom used by anybody. It is
said that ganja can be prepared from the wild
plants growing in these parts.
17. Muhammadans, Bairagis, and other class of
people.
18. It is said that ganja and charas will last
for years without deterioration if kept in closed
vessel.
19. Ganja is used for smoking. It is also used
with milk as a sort of drink ; for consumption
with sheep's brain and condiments in the shape of
pills ; in the form of cake containing mixture of
it with sugar and jaggery.
20. Ganja is used by some Muhammadans,
many of the Bairagi pilgrims from Hindustan,
some of the other classes of people who have come
from Bangalore and Mysore in Coonoor, and
Wellington and other isolated places.
22. Charas is not used in these parts.
23. No.
24. Not known.
25. Use of ganja, bhang, etc., cannot be said to
be on the increase here. In these hilly parts liquor
is resorted to by many classes of the community
for intoxication in preference to other means. The
Badaga tribe and. perhaps also the hill tribes use
opium for intoxication. It has not come to
notice that there is sale of large quantities of
ganja going on.
26. (a) About one-half are habitual moderate
consumers.
( b )
About a quarter are excessive consumers.
(c) and (d) The remaining quarter may
perhaps be distributed under (c) and (d) .
It is said. that nobody resorts to any of the
above means of intoxication who has not pre-
. viously been accustomed to it.
27. Fakirs and travellers and labourers generally
resort to intoxication from ganja.
28. Small value of about 1 pie or less for each
smoke.
29. (a) No ingredients are ordinarily used.
(b) Exceptionally. The following articles are
used for preparing pills :-(1) Sheep's brain, (2)
chillies, (3) onions, (4) other substances used for
curry powder.
vol. vi.
For bhang-(l) Cow's milk or cocoanut milk,
(2) poppy seeds, (3) cloves, (4) nutmeg.
30. Ganja smoking is practised in solitude or
in company. Bhang is said to be consumed in
company. They are said to be consumed gener-
ally by Muhammadans at the age of about forty
years till the end of their lives. Females do not
use them. Children do not use them.
31. Said to be easily formed and to be difficult
for one to break off. It is said that there is a
tendency to increase the number of occasions of
use even in moderate consumers.
32. In smoking ganja a number of persons
habituated to it sit together and smoke. So also
is the case in the use of the mixture with milk.
33. Regarded not with. favour. The mistake
does not really give a man temporary vigour
during the intoxication. The consumer, under
the influence of the narcotic, looks giddy and awk-
ward. without proper sense, and the slightest
contact of anything with his body causes him to
jerk and shiver. It is not known in these parts
whether there is any custom of worshipping the
hemp plant.
34. Habitual smokers, if interrupted, do not
digest food, and are said to suffer from disorder
of stomach.
39. Smoking ganja is said to be worse in its
effects than its use in other forms. It is said to
weaken the lungs. The smokers of ganja are said
to look emaciated. The consumers of the pills,
milk mixture, and cakes are said to be sometimes
very healthy and to take proper quantity of ordi-
nary food.
40. For children generally the native doctors
prescribe a sort of solid preparation mixed with
ganja to regulate digestion.
41. Not highly beneficial to grown up persons.
4. 2. There is harm, however moderate the use
may be, in grown up persons. Besides engender-
ing the vicious practice of its periodical consump-
tion at stated intervals, if it is not consumed on
these occasions the person will not be able to
proceed with the ordinary work connected with
his daily avocation. The use of these drugs, etc.,
is also said to moderate the hunger of sex. In
this way also it is not good.
43. Yes.
44. Vide answer to Question No. 42. As soon
as it is consumed the eyes grow round, the man
loses his senses, has perhaps some inward sense of
pleasure and relief. He becomes unfit for active
service with reference to what surrounds him at
the time. The use of pills and milk mixture is
said not to affect digestion, Want of periodical
gratification is said to produce great uneasiness.
45. Physically the moderate use of these drugs
is said not to affect much the consumers thereof.
Though they themselves do not become vicious, it
is not favourable to the growth of morality in
their family in the long run. I am not acquaint-
ed with any particular cam.
51. No ; the consumers of these drugs are
generally not up to committing crimes, as people
under the influence of liquor are.
5 4 . C a n b e a n s w e r e d i n t h e n e g a t i v e .
5 5 . N o .