448
44. Evidence of HOSPITAL ASSISTANT KARM ELAHI, Lwatic Asylum, Lahore.
1. By practice of twenty-five years, out of which
for thirteen years I have had charge of the Civil
Hospital at Jhelum, with a population of 16,000
souls.
2. The definitions given in the body of question
are accepted in this province. The three narcotic
articles—bhang, ganja and charas, are the only va-
rieties obtained and used in this province; their
names are also the same. Patti of course is not
known here. Bhang, amongst Hindus and Sikhs,
is called buti or sukha. Charas has also a techni-
cal name of soota. Ganja is known by this name ;
but is rarely obtained and used in this province.
3. The hemp plant grows spontaneously in the
northern and south-western districts of the Punjab,
but in the district of Gurdaspur it grows in
abundance.
4. Amongst Sikhs the plant is known by the
name of sukha, and amongst Hindus and Musal-
mans by bhang or buti, and these different names
refer exactly to the same plant.
5. The soft, sandy and damp, well-manured soils
in hilly districts above the sea-level are considered
favourable for the growth of the wild hemp.
6. In some localities its growth is found dense,
while in others scattered, but it generally depends
on the condition of the soil.
7. As far as the undersigned knows, the hemp
plants are not cultivated in this province with re-
gards the objects asked for in the question.
8. As the extensive area of the uncultivated land
is day by day prepared and used for other purposes,
the area for the spontaneous growth of hemp plants
is gradually decreasing.
9. As the plants generally grow spontaneously,
the method for its cultivation is not known.
10. As the cultivation is not known, consequent-
ly the cultivating classes cannot be specified.
11 and 12. No.
13. The cultivation of the hemp plant is not re-
stricted in this province, but its cultivation is not
common to any of the districts. The soils describ-
ed in question No. 5 are generally considered
favourable for its spontaneous growth. It can
hardly be said that any part of this province is
impossible for its cultivation.
14. Any of the objects asked for in the question
is not prepared in this province.
15. Ganja and charas are not prepared either
from the cultivated or the wild plant respectively.
Ganja is rarely used in this country. Charas is
used only for smoking in huka, while some tobac-
co is placed underneath and above. Bhang is com-
monly used for drinking.
It is reduced into a
pulp, with the addition of a few black peppers and a
little common salt for eating, with admixture of
some water for drinking. Sweetmeat and small
salty cakes are also prepared from bhang and sold
in-bazar.
16. At the time of seedling the plants are cut in
the land where they grow and then made into small
bundles and dried in the sun, and then, after a good
shake, the tender stems and leaves, etc., are obtained
for the use as bhang. Charas and ganja both are
never prepared in this province from the wild plants
wherever they grow.
17. Neither prepared in this province, nor there
are special classes for its preparation.
18. Only bhang and charas are stored, and if
kept in the dry places, they can fully retain their
narcotic properties for two years. As long as they
are kept apart from the moisture they are fit for
use, but the undersigned does not know for how
long they can preserve their essential properties.
19. Ganja and charas are generally used for
smoking, and the latter in rare cases is eaten as a
mumsik and only for sexual enjoyments.
20. Ganja is rarely used in this province. Charas
is used by smoking in towns, and in rare cases in
the villages. In smoking charas, sadhus and fakirs,
of both Hindu and Musalman classes, stand first in
common, and inferior classes of both the communi-
ties come next. It is rarely used by the well-to-do
persons and respectable families. The proportion of
charas smokers between both the classes, i. e., Hin-
dus and Musalmans, is as three to two respectively.
The probable estimate, in average of charas smokers,
the undersigned thinks, would be five per thousand
to the town population of this province.
21. Not known by the undersigned.
22. Charas used in this province is imported
from foreign countries, i.e., from Thibet, Kashmir,
and Yarkand.
23. Bhang is never seen or heard to have ever
been used for smoking.
24. Bhang is eaten only by those who use it in
excess, as their stomach cannot hold the mixture as
to fulfil their wants ; secondly, who cannot get
time to prepare its mixture by rubbing and sifting,
and so on. They get the required quantity of
bhang for 24 hours reduced into pulp and eat out
of it as many times as they require it during the
course of day and night. It is commonly used for
drinking purposes both in towns and villages. As
for its use, the Sikhs stand first, the Hindus se-
cond, and the Musalmans third. It is used gener-
ally by all the classes of Sikhs, and Hindus of
middle and inferior classes, and amongst Musal-
mans, generally the mean and inferior classes. The
probable proportion in average of bhang consumers
of all classes is about five per cent.
25. The number of bhang and charas consumers
is generally decreasing, as to the following rea-
sons : (1) the area for the growth of the hemp
plant is decreasing; (2) the use of liquors increas-
ing ; (3) education and civilization of the people
being in progress ; (4) poverty of the mean and
inferior classes of all the communities.
26. Statement showing the probable number in
average of bhang and charas consumers to
10.000 of population.
Drugs in use.
Bhang
....
Charas
....
HABITUAL CONSU-
MESS
Excessive.
10
6
Moderate.
90
40
Total.
100
45
OCCASIONAL COM-
SUMERS.
Excessive,
60
1
Moderate.
350
4
Total.
400
6
TOTAL.
600
60
27. Sadhus, jogis and fakirs are generally in the
habit of using these drugs in excess. (1) They re-
main in such societies. (2) They keep apart from
wordly concerns, so they spend their surplus money
and time in using such things. (3) By the influ-
ence of these drugs they remain in their own
thoughts. Some of the Sikhs and middle
classes