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19. Ganja and charas are smoked by the people.
The practice generally prevails in almost all the
districts of the Panjab.
20. On this frontier charas is smoked by the
beggars, Pathans and Hindus. The consumption
of ganja is very rare. I cannot state the num-
bers. By the frontier, I mean the frontier dis-
tricts of the Punjab.
22. The consumers give preference to the charas
imported from Afghanistan or Khorasan. In this
province both native and Khorasani charas is con-
sumed.
23. As far as I know bhang is not smoked in
this district.
24. The fakirs, Hindus, Muhammadans, and
even the Biluchis, drink bhang; but the practice
obtains to a smaller extent among the latter. In
this district the Sayads, who follow the profession
of beggars, generally drink the drug. The num-
ber, however, cannot be stated.
25. As far as I have heard, the consumption of
bhang and charas is on the increase.
26. My reply refers to the consumers of this
district only.
(a) It is generally the Hindus who drink bhang
in moderation.
(b) Muhammadans, fakirs and Sayads use it ex-
cessively. The proportion cannot be stated.
28. Regarding bhang—
(a) One chittack.
(b) Two or three chittacks.
Nothing is known about ganja and charas. My
evidence is generally with regard to this district,
of which I have personal experience.
30. The consumption of bhang and charas is
excessively generally practised at chawks, the
abodes of the fakirs. The persons use them in
solitude. The consumers use the drugs (early)
morning and evening, this being their fixed time.
It is not usual for children to consume the
drugs.
31. The habit is easily formed, and afterwards
the desire naturally arises for excessive use.
It is next to impossible then to break off the
habit.
32. As far as I know, the use of intoxicants is
not socially or religiously lawful. The practice
has, however, become general. The intemperate
use of bhang cannot prove injurious, while that of
charas is likely to prove harmful. The practice is
on the increase among the ignorant classes. This
answer does not refer to ganja, as I know no-
thing about it.
33. The use of the intoxicants is regarded bad
from the moral and social point of view, because
it is disallowed by the Hindu and the Muhamma-
dan religions. The intoxicating drugs are not
considered beneficial in any way. It is considered
by the people that the excessive consumption of
bhang, charas and ganja makes the consumers
lazy and idle. The custom of worshipping the
hemp plant does not exist on this frontier.
34 It is really a serious privation to the con-
sumers of bhang and charas to forego the practice.
I have seen it. by experience that the habitual con-
sumer of bhang become subject to many diseases
on foregoing the practice, and do not recover until
they resume the habit. In my opinion, the charas
smokers also must be feeling such a privation. I
do not know anything about ganja.
35. In my opinion, it would be difficult to carry
out prohibition. The consumers would certainly
consume the drug illicitly, or it would be difficult
to check them. The prohibition is likely to cause
discontent, which may amount to a political
danger. The substitution of alcohol or other in-
toxicants for these drugs is difficult, because
bhang and charas are generally consumed by the
poorer classes, as they can get them at a cheaper
rate, while they cannot afford to buy such costly
drugs as alcohol, etc.
40. Native physicians make* use of bhang in
curing piles, dysentery, gonorrhea, and some other
diseases. It is, however, seldom used in the treat-
ment of cattle.
41. The consumers of bhang are generally of
opinion—
(a) that it is a food accessory and digestive ;
(b) that it is beneficial in giving staying-
power under severe exertion or exposure,
and alleviating fatigue ;
(c) that it is not beneficial as a preventive of
fever.
Its use is said to be beneficial in counteracting
the unhealthy effects of change of climate. The
moderate and excessive consumers state that they
use bhang for the above purposes. The people
who are affected with diarrhœa through change of
climate use bhang as a remedy. The charas smokers
speak similarly about charas. In my opinion and
that of the consumers of these drugs bhang-drink-
ing is beneficial as compared with charas-smoking,
and I can say this from experience.
42. Out of these intoxicants the benefits of
bhang-drinking have been mentioned in answer to
question No. 41. In my opinion the moderate
use of bhang is harmless.
43. I have never seen the consumers of bhang
to be offensive to, or quarrelling with, their
neighbours.
44. I have noticed that the habitual consumers
of bhang feel refreshed and intoxicated after
drinking the dose. The dose does not allay
hunger. It sharpens the appetite. The effect
lasts probably for 6 hours. The want of subse-
quent gratification makes the consumers uneasy
and produces a longing for a second dose. The
effect of charas-smoking lasts for 2 hours. I do
not know anything about ganja.
45. The habitual moderate use (of bhang) does
not produce any noxious effects— physical, mental
or moral. It does not impair the constitution in
any way, nor does it injure the digestion: on the
contrary, it creates appetite. The native physi-
cians prescribe bhang in case of diarrhœa. Bhang
drinking, however, induces laziness and debauchery.
When the intoxication is over, the consumer
behaves discourteously until the dose is taken
again.
The habitual consumption of bhang does not
deaden the intellect, nor does it produce insanity.
Charas-smoking, however, injures the digestion
and causes diarrhoea and bronchitis. It induces
laziness, habits of immorality and debauchery.
When the brain is affected by intoxication, the
consumer cannot exercise self-control. Insanity
is, however, not caused.
46. By the excessive consumer, I mean one who
consumes bhang or charas habitually and immo-