40
bhang and do not smoke ganja. Females never
smoke ganja, except among bairagis.
31. Yes, it is easily formed in company. Yes,
it is somewhat difficult to break it off soon. The
easiness or the difficulty depends upon the form
- a t i o n o f h a b i t . I f a m a n s m o k e s o c c a s i o n a l l y , h i s
habit can be broken off easier than that of a person
who is a regular smoker. There is a tendency in
these drugs for moderate habit to develop into ex
- c e s s i v e .
32. As far as my experience goes there is no
custom, social or religious. Almost all the bairagis
(religious mendicants) are addicted to ganja
smoking, and the real object is to concentrate
their mind in devotion to God.
33. Respectable and educated people regard
ganja smoking as bad. The public opinion is
against it, as viewed from social standpoint. I
think that the use of ganja is in disrepute, and
the sentiment is attributable to the fact that it
spoils health and renders him indifferent and care
-less towards his worldly duties. Moreover, a
ganja smoker loses trust. It does not cause so
much harm to bairagis.I do not know of any
custom of worshipping.
34. I think it would go very hard with bairagis
and gosains to forego the consumption of ganja.
The reason is that they are habitual smokers and
they have very little worldly cares and anxieties.
They can't drink liquor or eat opium, and so they
require ganja as a matter of necessity for con
-centration of mind.
35. Yes, for some time the drug would be con
- s u m e d i l l i c i t l y . P r o h i b i t i o n c a n b e e n f o r c e d b y
abolition of shops and stoppage of ganja supply,
as well as abolition of its cultivation. The prohi
- b i t i o n w o u l d c e r t a i n l y o c c a s i o n s e r i o u s d i s c o n t e n t
among the consumers. But it would not amount
to a political danger. Yes, there is probability of
the prohibition being followed by recourse to liquor
and opium.
39. Ganja smoking is much more injurious to
health than the drinking of bhang. The latter
form, if well prepared, cools the body and keeps
up a man's spirit. The former causes great heat
and makes a man weak.
Bhang is prescribed by the school of native
physicians on account of medicinal qualities. It
is chiefly used in medicines given to remove
nervous debility. In the treatment of cattle dis
-ease also it is used.
41. Yes, use of ganja and bhang.
(a) Bhang drinking.
(b) Ganja smoking.
(c) Ganja smoking.
All labouring classes and artisans. Moderate
habitual use.
43. Yes. They are inoffensive (ganja smokers).
44. The immediate effect of moderate use of
ganja on habitual consumers is intoxication, allays
hunger, creates appetite after 20 minutes. The
effect lasts one hour. The after-effect is lazi
- n e s s .
The immediate effect of bhang is refreshing,
slight intoxication, good appetite. The intoxica
-tion lasts three hours. The after-effect is exhaus
- t i o n .
45. It impairs the constitution in the long run
to some extent. It does not cause loss of appe
- t i t e . I t c a u s e s b r o n c h i t i s a n d a s t h m a i f g o o d
quantity of ghee is not taken.
47 and 48. No.
49. Excessive use of ganja for a long time,
without nourishing food, would produce impo
- t e n c e .
51. No. Few ganja smokers will be found
among bad characters. Moderate use does not
tend to commit crime.
52. As above.
55. Very rarely done. Yes.
63. The present system is working well, and I
have no objection to it.
65. The taxation of ganja is reasonable. One
tola of ganja satisfies ten persons at one time, and
its cost is 1 anna ; whereas 10 annas liquor
would satisfy ten persons at one time.
67. I have no objection to the present method
of taxing ganja.
68. In this division there are no licensed
houses for the sale of these drugs.
69. No, the wishes of the people are not con
-sulted before a shop is opened. The neighbour
- i n g c o n t r a c t o r s a r e c o n s u l t e d ; a n d i f t h e y h a v e
no objection to the opening of the new shop
or their objection proved useless, it is opened.
Public opinion is unnecessary. The present
method is good.
20. Evidence* of MUNSHI THAKHT SINGH, pensioned Tahsildar, Bata,
District Damoh.
I. Entered Government service in 1836 as
Assistant Record-keeper. Rose to be Naib
Tahsildar and Tahsildar. Was also Superintend
-ent of Settlement. Retired in 1880. An Hon
- o r a r y M a g i s t r a t e .
2. Bhang is imported in small quantities from
Upper India (known as duba bhang);charas is
unknown. Ganja (the flat kind) is obtained from
Nimar. Broken ganja is not sold separately.
19. Ganja is only used for smoking, i e., the
flower part, rejecting the stalk and leaf. Majum,
which is prepared from ganja boiled in ghee, is
eaten. The leaves of ganja are used in place of
bhang when the latter cannot be obtained.
20 Charas is unknown. Ganja is chiefly used
by the lower classes and castes. It is used by all
who have to do hard manual labour. Very few
such could be found who don't use it.
21. Only the fiat kind.
23. No.
24. Knows of no such practice as bhang eating.
It is drunk by all castes and by respectable
persons in all places. Its use is confined to the
hot weather as a cooling and refreshing beverage
and as an inducer of sleep.
25. The use of ganja is not decreasing, rather
increasing. I do not think the stoppage of its
cultivation under license in every district has
decreased its consumption.
27. See answer to 20. It gives a man an
interest in his work, and enables him to work
harder and longer. The effect of a chilam lasts
for four or six hours. Hard manual labour
chiefly leads to the practice.
* Translation.