52
59. People would prefer home grown ganja to
Khandwa. I think too many ganja shops are
allowed. Two shops are enough for Samhalpur
town. For the district I don't know how many
are required, If there were fewer shops, I think
it would lessen the number of consumers. Coun-
try ganja is more intoxicating than Khandwa;
therefore, people would use less and would be
better. I think country ganja is less injurious
than Khandwa ganja. I am told that the latter
produces headache and belly-ache, which the for-
mer does not.
62. I do not know.
63. As regards the retail vend of ganja it
should be fixed that the retail amount to be sold
should be 4 tolas. I think Government should
manage the sale of ganja themselves. If they
farm it out to several people it is a motive to the
farmers to push the sale. It should only be sold
to those who are known to be consumers. The
excessive consumers would have to be licensed
Other moderate consumers might purchase with-
out a license. Shops should only he opened with
the approval of the local punchayets—I mean
the Local Boards and Municipalities.
65. Yes.
66. Yes. Round should be taxed most, and
broken least according to strength, I cannot say
what rates would suit.
67. See 59, 63. I have nothing more to sug-
gest. Government should only realize actual
charges, not profit, in order that it should be
cheaper. I think it a good thing for hemp to be
cheap, because people waste more money other-
wise.
69. See 63.
70. I do not think there is much smuggling in
the district. A little is done from Native States
by jungle people.
25. Evidence of UMA CHURN MUKERJEE, Brahmin, Government Clerk, Jabalpur.
33. Social Hindus regard ganja as "a good
electrical herbage giving a nice vigour in the
body and sanctity in the mind." I do not think
the habit of smoking it is regarded with disappro-
bation.
44. I am 40 to 47 years old. I have smoked
ganja for about twenty years. I used to smoke half
a tolas in the day. Now I smoke up 2 tolas per
diem. I smoke in the morning and evening. My
experience is that it gives vigour to the body and
mind. It also gives appetite. The effects last
10 or 15 minutes. It cures bronchitis and asthma.
I have myself cured some patients with it. I
think that ganja has no evil effects. I can leave
it off for a time without difficulty or incon-
venience.
45. I have never found ganja smoking stand
in the way of my work, and 1 have never had to
take sick leave on account of ill-health. I never
heard of anybody going mad from ganja smoking,
or committing violent crime in consequence of it.
49. I am not aware that ganja is used as an
aphrodisiac, nor that it tends to produce impo-
tence.
60. I do not think ganja should be abolished,
nor the tax raised.
Oral evidence.
Question 44.—I do not often smoke as much
as 2 tolas a day. I generally smoke one chillum
in the morning and one in the evening. I can
forego my pipe, if necessary, for a day. I experi-
ence the same feelings from tola ganja as 1 do
from 2 tolas. I have met jogis and fakirs who
smoke as much as 6 or 8 tolas in the day. Excess
of ganja does not do the same mischief as excess
in opium and liquor ; but it does some harm. Ex-
cessive smoking makes the headache badly. Some
12 or 13 years ago, I experienced such headache.
My constitution has now changed, and I do not
feel that effect. I never exceed 2 toles now; but
I can do so if companionship requires it. I began
to smoke at 15 years of age. 1 have intermitted
the habit ; but smoked regularly the last 16 years
or so. I learnt the habit in companionship with
theatrical youths, I am a Gond Brahmin. At
first ganja intoxicated me, and then it began to
refresh me. I never was rendered insensible by
ganja. When I first drank bhang, I could not
hear the barking of a dog. The intoxication never
caused me trouble. About 75 per cent, of the
people of the Central Provinces smoke ganja. In
Bengal the number of smokers is comparatively
small. I have cured chronic dysentery and asthma,
and some epidemic attacks with the drugs. The
Bavas administer the drug also. I only mixed
tobacco with the ganja. Rich people wash the
drug in rose water and similar perfumes. They
say fakirs and jogis mix dbatura with the drug.
Many of them do so ; less than ⅛th of them—
perhaps 5 or 10 per cent. I have used dhatura.
It is irritating. It did not make me insensible.
There was irritation of the mouth, throat, and
chest. I have only used it two or three times.
I have smoked other vegetables, a fine leaf like
grass which is very intoxicating called gurkha
ganja. The weed was discovered by the Gurkhas,
hence the name. The seed of shial kanta is also
used. It is as intoxicating as opium. I have tried
bachnag (aconite), chewing a minute piece of the
root, not smoking it with ganja. (Describes a piece
as big as a small pea.) It causes tingling of the
tingling
tongue. The spasmodic effect is like that of nux
vomica, causing convulsive movements of the
limbs. I can subsist without food for some days
on ganja and betelnut mixed with a little bhang.
Jogis can do more remarkable things by the same
means. It is possible that some people of inferior
intellect may have been driven mad by ganja.
Their phrenological and physiological characters
may have been abnormal. I have seen no one go
mad from. ganja. Ganja cures madness. Ganja
excites energy. A man who has fixed his mind
on murder or other crime will be diverted from his
purpose by ganja. It rouses the mind, but not
the body. I am a clerk on Rs. 80 in the Com-
missioner's office. I have been 19 years in the
same post. I am a copying clerk. I have had
serious illness. I was two years ago intoxicated
by a dose of wine given me by friends. I was
taken to the hospital and cured. I drank wine
first at Calcutta. The effects of ganja following
. on a drink of wine was to reduce the intoxication
of the wine, and replace it by a pleasing frame of
mind. I have not taught my son to smoke ganja,
because he is only 13 years old. I took ganja to
help me to write this paper, which I have pro-
duced. Ganja helps me in my work. I am a re-