332
17. Preparation of ganja from the hemp drug
is made by Capus, Hindus, Muhammadans,
Pariahs, Chuklers and others.
19.Ganja is used for smoking. There are also
several uses of it in medicine and for medicinal
purposes.
20.Ganja is smoked by sanyasis or bairagis and
fakirs or dervishes (almost without exception). A
very few non-fakirs among Muhammadans and
some Hindus, Rajputs, Mahrattas, Malas, etc.,
also smoke ganja; sanyasis smoke in matts and
fakirs in makans and wherever they happen to be.
Others smoke in their own houses.
21.Flat, round and chur ganja are considered
equally preferable for smoking.
24.Only a very small proportion of the people
eat or drink, bhang.
25.The use of ganja is neither on the increase
nor on the decrease.
26.Nearly 70 per cent. of the whole number
of ganja consumers are habitual moderate con–-
sumers. Twenty per cent. may be habitual excessive
consumers. Five per cent, occasional moderate con–-
sumers, and five per cent, occasional excessive con-
– s u m e r s .
27.Habitual moderate consumers and habitual
excessive consumers are mainly sanyasis and
fakirs. The other classes of consumers are taken
from the common people who occasionally associat–-
ing with habitual consumers are induced to smoke
or voluntarily smoke ganja.
Ganja smoking costs the habitual moderate
consumer approximately one anna, and the habi–-
tual excessive consumer two annas or so per diem.
29.Tobacco is ordinarily mixed with ganja by
that class of consumers which wishes to increase
the intoxication of the drug. I do not know if
dhatura is so used. I know the preparation " bhang
massala," which is sold for the purpose of being
mixed with ganja. Its ingredients are: (1) anise-
seeds, (2) poppy seeds, (3) melon seeds, (4) dry
ginger, (5) cow's milk, (6) milk taken from the
cocoanut kernel, (7) sugar. Bhang massala is
used on account of its good taste, strengthening
power, and the quality of improving the appetite.
30.Consumption of ganja is generally practised
in company and by a very few people in solitude,
In this district it is mainly confined to the male
sex. I have not seen children smoke ganja.
31.The habit of consuming ganja is easily
formed. It is not very difficult to break the
habit off. The moderate habit may develop into
the excessive, but it is not a necessary tendency of
the drug.
33. The consumption of ganja is regarded a
mean practice. With fakirs and sanyasis the
practice is not at all thought of. It may be said
that there is a social public opinion on the practice,
but none religious. The hemp plant is never
worshipped. by any sect of the people here.
35. It would not be feasible to prohibit the use
of ganja or bhang, especially the former. I can
devise no means or suggest any measures for enforc-
ing the prohibition of the use. The prohibition
would occasion serious discontent among the
consumers. In my opinion such discontent may
probably amount to a political danger.
The prohibition, if at all carried out, would
never be followed by recourse to alcoholic stimul–-
ants. I have some reasons to assign for saying
that the prohibition would occasion serious
discontent which may develop into a political
danger. They are
—
(a) Thousands of sanyasis or bairagis and
hundreds of fakirs or dervishes are
habitual consumers of ganja. Gener
–ally there are chiefs or heads over bands
of sanyasis and fakirs (which bands
consist of a thousand .persons each, and
sometimes a hundred men each, and so
on). When the prohibition is enforced,
these heads will most probably become
discontented, and consequently the
thousands under them would also be dis-
–contented.
(b)These sanyasis or dervishes are always
content, only if they have the usual
supply of ganja for smoking. As for
meals and other requirements, they do
not care much.
(
c
) Several of t hem are engaged i n t hei r re–-
membrance of God, and the smoking of
ganja is only a means to give them
patience to be engaged in such devotion,
without food or water for hours
and days. They do not wish to inter-
fere in matters of government or any
other person's matter, In short, they
are satisfied with any ruler, with any
form of government, and with anything
which falls to their lot.
(
d
) W h e n g a n j a s m o k i n g i s p r o h i b i t e d a n d
the prohibition enforced, I have no
doubt that they (the consumers) would
rise against Government, though they
may not be able to do any heal injury
to the Government. Common people
who smoke ganja may also side the
sanyasis and fakirs then.
(
e
) T h e y s m o k e g a n j a , c a r e v e r y l i t t l e f o r
food or cl ot hes, and are engaged i n
praying to God, and praying for the
good of the reigning monarch; who-
– e v e r m a y b e t h e r u l e r , t h e y a r e s a t i s f i e d
with him and pray for his welfare and
prosperity, and never say anything bad
of him.
( f) Moreover, during my experience of twelve
years as Honorary Magistrate of Cud-
– d a p a h t o w n , I h a v e n o t k n o w n o f a n y
case of murder or homicide committed
under the influence of ganja, whereas
other intoxications prompt the persons
under their influence to commit more
serious offences.
(g) No Muhammadan Emperors of India,
however strict in matters of intoxica-
–tion (according to law), nor any Maha-
– r a j a s a n d H i n d u r u l e r s , e t c . , s e e m t o
have, at any time, attempted to prohibit
the practice or taken notice of the
matter (though there was no duty in
those days on ganja). The reason
seems to have been only that discontent
would be created among the consum ers
and that the discontent would lead to a
political danger which they did not like.
Nor did those kings ever wish to disturb
poor and innocent people, that is, sa-
nyasis and bairagis or fakirs, who are
always engaged in remembering God,
by such prohibition.
36. There is no reason to think that alcohol is
now being to a certain extent substituted for any
of these drugs.
38. The three different preparations of ganja have
the same effects in kind or degree on consumers.