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22. In Lahore charas is generally exported from
Ladakh, etc., by licensed contractors.
2 4. The consumers of bhang are generally those
lazy fellows who sit idle in takias all the day
long; or those people who are called vagabonds,
and use it on account of bad society. The number
of such persons is very small because such persons
who consume bhang or charas are contemptuously
looked down by the people,
25. The use of charas is on the increase
among such people who are vagabonds, or desert
their houses on account of bad society, as no
person has influence upon such people on account
of liberty allowed by the law, and they publicly
use bhang and charas in places where these drugs
are consumed. Another cause of the increase is
the facility with which such drugs can be pur-
chased at licensed shops in different quarters of
the city.
26. (a) More than 2 or 4 per cent. in towns,
and in villages not even 1 per cent. and this too
among the vagabond class.
27. The habit of using these drugs is formed
on account of bad company, and sometimes on
account of the inducements given by ignorant
people that these drugs are beneficial.
31. The habit of smoking charas cannot be
easily formed, because those who do not use it
hate its bad smell; but a man can become used
to it by living in company with a charas consum-
er for some time. Bhang is very rarely used
without other ingredients. It is often pounded
with musk melon and anise seeds, and then used
as a sedative and digestive by dums, mirasis,
musicians and their companion takia nashins.
Those persons who have a strong will are prudent,
and understand its bad effects, can break off the
habit at once without any provocation.
84, As such people are weak-minded, it would
be disagreeable to them to abandon the habit at
once, There is a very small number of the habi-
tual consumers.
35. The people would certainly get up means
for the illicit consumption of these drugs if their
use is authoritatively prohibited. Those perrons
who do not like to break off their habits will try
to procure the drugs by every means, or will re-
sort to alcoholic stimulants as a substitute.
36. The use of liquor has now reached to such
a degree, and is still on the increase, that if the
Government does not adopt measures to check it,
it will be impossible to remedy the pecuniary and
physical injuries done by it to the people. As
the consumers of bhang are generally people of low
status, they do not use alcohol as substitute for
bhang, because the former is costly and the latter
cheap, but some persons have been seen who use
both liquor and bhang together in the form of the
admixture called lurka.
40. Bhang is sometimes used as an auti-
periodic in intermittent fever. An oil, called kinb
oil, is also prepared from it, and is used in certain
refrigerent prescriptions.
41. Almost all the persons first begin the use of
bhang as a refrigerent and accessory to digestion.
Some of the Hindu shopkeepers, especially the cloth
merchants and grain-sellers, etc., use it as a than-
dai in the afternoon daily, Bhang is also used as
a febrifuge.
42. There are more takias outside the Mochi
Gate, Lahore, than in other parts of the city,
which are reserved for the consumption of such
drugs; and as the resorters to these takias geuer-
ally come to me for treatment, and as none of
them has during the last twenty years complained to
me of having suffered from any disease in conse-
quence of using bhang or charas, it shows that
the moderate use of these drugs is harmless.
43. The consumers of bhang are inoffensive
to their neighbours. The charas-consumers can,
however, prove offensive to their neighbours, on
account of the bad and disagreeable smell given
out when they smoke charas.
44. The immediate effect of bhang is that it
produces appetite and is refreshing. Its intoxi-
cation lasts for two or three hours, and the want of
subsequent gratification produces no uneasiness.
45. As above stated, I have not found even a
single person during the last twenty years who com-
plained of these drugs. It is, however, stated in
books that the excessive use of bhang weakens
the intellect and produces impotency. One person,
Sayad by taste, who is still alive, became insane
on account of the excessive use of charas ; but
he also used bhang and liquor, and it is therefore
uncertain by the effects of which of these intoxi-
cants he became insane.
49. See answers Nos. 20 and 24. A very
small number of the bhang and charas consumers
use them as aphrodisiac. Notable and rich prosti-
tutes do not like to smoke charas, which is used
by the prostitutes of lower class only, who are
looked on with contempt. It is mentioned in
medical works that bhang produces impotency,
but I have never come across any patent during
the last twenty years who complained of his having
become impotent by the use of bhang.
53. The consumer of bhang becomes coward,
and has therefore never been seen committing any
crime. The son of Sayad Raza Shah, Rais, has
been found to have become insane by the use of
charas. But he was licentious, and used charas,
bhang, liquor and all,
54. No, they are not used for this purpose.
55. I have heard that criminals commit thefts
by stupefying their victims who are unaccustomed
to these drugs by inducing them to smoke charas
mixed with dhatura.
58. The existing excise administration is all
right, but in allowing charas-khanas and
madak-khanas (houses where these drugs are
smoked on the premises ) to be opened, conditions
and restrictions should be laid to prevent shops
being opened in the thickly-populated parts of
a town ; so that the people are not induced to visit
such shops by seeing a great assembly of con-
sumers in them.
67. In my opinion the taxation should be in-
creased, so that the people may not be induced to
use these drugs on account of their being procur-
able at cheap prices.
69. The wishes of the people, though they
should be, are not consulted in opening these
shops.
vol. v.
3 R