203
(f ) No. It dulls the intellect temporarily
only during the lethargy consequent upon it.
46. No cases of any injury are here ascertain-
able. It is said that habitual excessive use has
been known to impair the intellect.
47. No, there appears to be no reason to con-
sider that the habit is ever due to heredity.
49. The drug i
s said to be an aphrodisiac, but
there is no general employment of it for this pur
- p o s e .
50. Not as far as can be ascertained.
51 and 52. No. No traceable connection exists.
53. No, on the other hand its effect seems gener-
ally in the ease of the moderate consumers of
these parts to produce indolence rather than ex
-citement.
54. Not as far as can be ascertained.
5 5 . N o c a s e s h a v e o c c u r r e d h e r e . Y e s ; i t i s
said so.
5 6 . T h e s u b s t a n c e s m i x e d w i t h i t h e r e (v
i d e
supra) are used as flavouring rather than for
modifying its effect. Dhatura, as stated above,
is not here used. It is said to add to the intoxi
-cation produced by the drug.
57. No differences in the effect of the drug
w h e n e a t e n a n d d r u n k a n d w h e n s m o k e d a r e p a r - t i c u l a r l y n o t i c e a b l e . A g i v e n q u a n t i t y o f t h e
drug is more efficacious when eaten or drunk than
when smoked.
58. No complaints are made against the pre-
sent system.
60. The cultivation is so sufficiently controlled
that it has been altogether crushed. Ganja,
however, as already explained, is imported ready
prepared from other districts, and as long as this
continues possible the system need not be changed.
The raiyats can cultivate other crops.
61. Charas is not produced here.
62. No additional control seems required. The
use of the plant is in no way abused, nor is ganja
dangerously common or cheap.
63. The present system appears to supply the
needs of this part of the country sufficiently well.
64. No.
65. The three are taxed alike apparently.
Consumers of ganja are usually poor, and the
increase of the tax would cause much discontent
.
66. Not as far as is apparent. Here, however,
flat ganja only is known.
67. The ultimate incidence of the tax falls now
upon the consumer.
68. No such houses or shops are known here.
69. Shops are located at regular distances so
that all consumers may have the power of getting
their supplies with the minimum of inconvenience.
The shops are in no way a nuisance to their neigh-
bourhood, and no complaints against their loca-
tion have been received. There is no local public
opinion on the pint to be considered.
70. Yes, duty is paid. This is no general use
of untaxed drugs.
26. Evidence of MR. R. E. GRIMLEY, Acting Head Assistant Collector, North Arcot.
1. I have had no personal experience and have
merely been able to collect information on the sub
-ject from medical men—European and native
— M i s s i o n a r i e s a n d o t h e r s i n m y d i v i s i o n . F e w o f
my informants knew much about the matter.
2. My information is that ganja and charas
are manufactured simultaneously from the hemp
plant. The leaves and buds are pressed with
stones. The expressed juice is charas and the
residue is ganja. Bhang is merely powdered
ganja. Ganja and bhang are known to all sorts
of people. Bhang is also known to consumers
as subji. Charas is known to very few people.
3. It is said that it is grown on Javadi hills.
It is not grown spontaneously in any part of the
division.
5. It is said that a cool climate with abundant
rainfall is favourable to the growth of the plant,
but that these conditions are not necessary.
7. It is said that in Maderpank division it was
cul t i vat ed i n f as l i 1, 301 on about 174 acr es of dr y
land for use as manure, but not with the inten
- t i o n o f o b t a i n i n g d r u g s . I t i s a l s o r e p o r t e d t h a t
the plant was to a small extent cultivated there
for its fibre.
15. Ganja is usually smoked. It is often mix
- e d
w i t h t o b a c c o . B h a n g m a s s a l a i s m a n u f a c t u r e d
out of ganja. Dry ginger, sombu, poppy seeds,
cows' milk or cocoanut milk are mixed with ganja,
the solid ingredients being powdered. Bhang is
only drunk as bhang massala.
16. Yes. It is generally prepared by the
people in their houses.
17. Fakirs, the lower sort of Muhammadans
and Hindus, bairagis, sanyasis (ascetics).
18. Bhang will go bad in two or three days.
Ganja is said to lose its strength after ten months.
19. Many people eat ganja.
20. The lowest classes of the people. The use
of charas here is very rare.
23. No.
24. It is only drunk as bhang massala. Only
a small proportion of those classes of people who
have been named against question 17 use it.
25. Said to be on the decrease. Decrease owing
to use of toddy and arrack.
27. Some contract the habit in order to help di-
gestion, others to excite sexual appetite, others to
intoxicate themselves.
29. It is said that dhatura is used by those on
whom, owing to long habit, bhang massala has
ceased to operate with its former intoxicating
effect. These persons are said to coat the inside
of the pot which they use with dhatura juice and
to pour in bhang massala after the juice has dried.
It is said that bhang (i.e., powdered ganja) is only
used as bhang massala.
30. Respectable people consume them in secret.
They are very rarely used by respectable people.
Majum-ghee and ganja. These are fried to-
gether and nutmegs, almonds, cinnamon and car-
damoms are added. This preparation is sometimes
given to children to help digestion and to induce
sleep. It is also eaten by adults. It is not con
-fined to any time of life. It is mainly, if not en
-tirely, confined to the male sex,
Vol. vi.
2 E 2