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43. Evidence of MIR ZAMIN ALI, Pensioned Hospital Assistant, Jabalpur.
1. I had the following opportunities of obtain-
ing information regarding the matters connected
with hemp drugs :—
(a) That I bad been the Superintendent of the
Lunatic Asylum at Jabalpur for ten years, that is,
from 1871 (A.D.) to 1881 (A. D.), and so I had
a great opportunity of observing and examining
lunatics, made by the use of hemp drugs.
(b) That by my private practice of long stand-
ing in this city, I have come across many diseases
produced by the use of hemp drugs.
(c) By my mixing with persons of all societies
and ranks, I have obtained much information
regarding the matters connected with hemp
drugs.
2. The hemp plant which is grown in this
province is called ' pathari' or ' pahari,' and the
ganja prepared from its flower-top is of flattened
shape, and bigger than the round ganja (baloo chur)
which is produced in the Himalaya Terai, viz., in
the districts of Gonda, Bahraich, etc. The flatten-
ed ganja of this province is less strong than the
round (baloo chur). The baloo chur is brought
for sale to this province also.
3. In this province the ganja hemp plant grows
spontaneously in the jungles of the Khandwa
district. The reason is that when any labourer
happens to smoke ganja in a jungle, its seeds
often fall there, and plants grow out of it which
gradually increase in number.
4. That jungly ganja is not publicly used in
this city, and therefore its name is not known.
7. In the Khandwa district the hemp plant is
cultivated for the production of ganja, bhang, and
seeds.
10. In this province the persons who cultivate
hemp for its ganja are of the same class as other
agricultural cultivators.
11. No; in this province the plants cultivated
for the production of ganja are not raised from
the seed of the wild hemp.
14. Ganja and bhang are prepared to a small
extent in the Khandwa district of this province,
but to a great extent they are brought from other
provinces and Native States.
16. In this province most of the persons use the
broken leaves of ganja as bhang. In this
province charas is not prepared.
18. Yes, all these three drugs deteriorate by
keeping. If it is rotten and some sort of insects
produced in it, it quite loses its effect. With
ordinary care it can keep good for one year. It
often deteriorates by damp. Therefore, if placed
in a good dry house its deterioration is not
rapid.
19. In this province ganja is used only for
smoking.
20. In this province ganja is used to a great
extent. Few persons use charas here. Almost
all the sadhus and fakirs and a greater part of
labourers smoke ganja.
21. In this province flat ganja is used.
23. In this province bhang is never used for
smoking.
24. In this province people generally drink
bhang. They eat it in the form of majum.
25. The use of ganja and bhang is on the in-
crease in this province. The reason is that the
shops selling them being very numerous, and at
very small distances, these things (ganja and
bhang) can be had everywhere, and at every time
without any pains. Charas is not sold in this
province, and, therefore, it is used by few. The
shops selling ganja and bhang, which are placed
in almost every village, being always in their
view, leads them more to their use.
26. In this province, of the consumers of ganja,
the bulk is of the excessive consumers; and of
the consumers of bhang, the bulk is of moderate
consumers and occasional excessive consumers.
27. The excessive consumers of ganja in this
province are mainly taken from the low classes of
the people, who are labourers, sadhus and fakirs
(a sort of beggars and devotees). The labourers
are led to the practice of consuming ganja, be-
cause in its intoxication they find some relief from
fatigue, and under its influence they can with-
stand hard labour. The sadhus and fakirs use
ganja, because, firstly, influenced by its intoxica-
tion they are better able to meditate deeply on
their deity, and, secondly, by the use of ganja they
can destroy their appetites for sexual indulgence,
which is the great control required in a sadhu.
Moderate consumers of bhang are mostly from
the upper classes of the Hindus. They use it for
luxurious indulgences, because they are prohibited
from using liquors by their religious restrictions.
And the occasional and excessive consumers of
bhang are the same moderate consumers and
others also, who on some festivals consume it ex-
cessively. Most of the rich persons use it mo-
derately in any syrup as a cold drink.
28. The average allowance and cost of ganja
per diem to habitual excessive consumers is one
tola, worth 2 annas.
29. Ordinarily, dried leaves of tobacco are al-
ways mixed with ganja in order to make it stronger;
dhatura seed is also seldom mixed with ganja
and bhang to make them strongly effective.
30. The consumption of ganja and charas is
practised more in company than in solitude. The
habitual, moderate consumption of bhang is prac-
tised more in solitude. But the excessive, occa-
sional consumption of bhang is practised often in
company. These things are mainly confined to
males of riper age. It is not usual for children
to consume any of these drugs.
31. Yes ; the habit of consuming any of these
drugs is easily formed. Yes, when once formed,
it is difficult to break off all at once. Yes, ganja
and charas have this tendency, to a great extent,
for the moderate habit to develop into the exces-
sive. Bhang has also this tendency, but to a
small extent, and for those only who indulge in
its use very much, and who habitually use it for
the sake of intoxication. But this tendency of
bhang has no effect on those who use it as a cold
drink in the hot weather.
32. There is a festival Shivaratri among the
Hindus, in which there is a custom that the
Hindus offer bhang to their god Shiva, and then
they also drink it as a persad. The use of bhang
in connection with the above-mentioned festival
is not very essential : it is a mere custom which
can be done away with very easily. It is gene-
rally temperate. It is not likely to lead to the
formation of the habit.