406
18. Both bhang and charas deteriorate and
absolutely lose their effects by long keeping. The
former keeps good for three years, and the latter
for four years with ordinary care. Charas dete-
riorates by exposure to the sun, dew and rain.
Bhang deteriorates by damp. In order to prevent
its deterioration, charas is generally kept in a
place protected from excessive heat, dew and
rain. Bhang is generally kept in safe places after
being put into bags or vessels.
19. Charas is only smoked.
20. Charas smoking prevails among different
orders of Hindu beggars such as jogis, sanyases,
oudasis, bairagis, nirmalas, suthras, etc., and
among Muhammadan sects such as rind, malang,
etc. Common people also smoke it to some
extent. The fakirs live in different parts of the
Punjab, but their exact proportion cannot be
stated.
22. Foreign charas is the one smoked in the
Punjab. It is imported from Kashghar, Ladakh
and Yarkand.
23. Bhang is never smoked.
24. Among Hindus bhang is specially drunk
by the following classes:—Worshippers of god
Shiva, Brahmins living on alms, dákonts (inferior
class of Brahmins), Sikhs, especially nihangs and
dharamsalias. It is also drunk by other people.
Among Muhammadans it is drunk by Pathans
and fakirs and other than sufis, and also by some
Others. Such people live in different parts of
the province and their proportion is 5 per cent.
among Hindus and 2 per cent. among Muhamma-
dans.
25. The consumption of charas and bhang is on
the increase.
27. Fakirs take to charas smoking when they
are living in solitude and when they desire to
relieve themselves from anxieties and worldly
concerns, to which one becomes indifferent under
intoxication. Other people contract the habit by
associating with fakirs or other charas smokers.
People often take to charas smoking in order to
get over their sorrows.
29. Black pepper and poppy seeds are ordinarily
mixed with bhang, while admixture of almonds,
seeds of cucumber and sugar or sugarcandy is
exceptional. Excessive consumers mix dhatura
with bhang, the reason being that the usual
dose of bhang does" not produce enough intoxica-
tion and the admixture of dhatura makes it
stronger to gratify them.
30. The consumption of bhang and charas is
practised in solitude as well as in company. Both
the drugs are consumed by men after they are of
mature age. Prostitutes and female beggars also
use the drugs. It is very rare among children
to consume the drugs.
31. The habit of using all sorts of intoxicants is
easily formed by associating with the consumers,
but it is difficult to break it off. There is cer-
tainly a tendency for the moderate habit to devel-
op into the excessive.
32. The Hindus observe fasting on the Shiva-
ratri, which comes off annually during the month
of Phagan (= February). On that day the wor-
shippers of Shiva, as also other Hindus who are
occasional consumers of bhang, drink it in excess.
It is considered essential to drink it on that day.
The custom prevails only among those persons
who are already accustomed to the drug. Such
use is not likely to prove injurious in any way.
33. As far as I know, public opinion does not
favour the consumption of any of these drugs,
either morally or religiously. With the exception
of fakirs, the practice is regarded with disfavour
among the people, the reason being that the
excessive consumers of all these drugs are gener-
ally weak, both physically and morally. The
custom of worshipping hemp does not prevail here
at all.
34. It would he a serious privation to both
moderate and excessive consumers to forego the
practice. There are many persons who smoke
charas day and night. Such consumers do not
care much if they fail to get food and water for
two days, but if the drug is not procurable any
day, they are put to great sufferings. The pro-
portion of such consumers may be estimated at
about 3 per cent. The consumers of bhang do
not feel so much if the drug is not procurable.
35. The prohibition is feasible if the consump-
tion of these drugs is declared to be a crime. Such
a prohibition would cause great discontent among
the consumers, but would not lead to any political
danger. In the event of prohibition being en-
forced, the drugs will be illicitly consumed, or
the people will, in all probability, take to drink-
ing.
36. As far as I know alcohol is not substituted
to any great extent for these drugs. The reason
is that the consumers prefer these stimulants to
alcohol.
37. As ganja smoking does not prevail in the
Punjab, I am unable to explain the difference
between this drug and charas.
39. In this province charas is not used either
for eating or drinking, nor is bhang smoked, con-
sequently no comparison can be made between
their effects.
40. Native physicians prescribe bhang in the
treatment of the following diseases:—
(1)
(2)
(3)
(1)
(1)
(2)
(1)
(2)
Pain in the kidney
Pneumonia
Rheumatic pain
For fomentation.
Pressure in the brain—as snuff.
Pain in the ear
Destruction of lice
Diarrhœa
As an aphrodisisac
Oil.
To be taken as a
drink.
Veterinary doctors and attars (native druggists)
also use it in the treatment of cattle diseases.
41. The moderate use of bhang is both diges-
tive and accessory of food.
Moderate charas
smoking gives staying-power under exposure.
Most fakirs who remain generally naked smoke
the drug for this very purpose. According to the
science of medicine, charas is a sedative and its
constant use almost benumbs the body so that it
is then very little susceptible to the effects of ex-
posure. The proportion of such consumers cannot
be stated.
42. In my opinion the moderate use of bhang
is harmless. For instance, those persons who live
in the Hindu temples and takias (abodes of
Muhammadan fakirs) daily drink bhang without
fail, eat more than the non-consumers, and are
stout and manage their affairs properly. The
practice does not affect their health.
43. The moderate consumers, are certainly in-
offensive to their neighbours.
44. The habitual moderate consumers feel ex.