117
42. Moderate use said to be beneficial and harm-
less.
44. The immediate effects are said to be refresh-
ing, does not produce intoxication in moderate
doses, does allay hunger, produce appetite; effects
last about three hours; thirst, dryness of tongue.
The want produces mentia, longing and uneasiness.
45. Those who habitually smoke ganja or charas
suffer from chest affections, emaciation and want
of energy. The effects of bhang are said not
to impair the constitution. Ganja and charas-
smoking weaken and lessen digestion and loss of
appetite; said also to cause dysentery, bronchitis,
and asthma. Impairs moral sense, said to tend
to laziness, debauchery, and immorality. I have
seen a number of cases of more or less pronounced
insanity said to be due to excessive use of ganja :
some of the cases are permanent, others subside
or are capable of cure or alleviation.
46. The excessive use of charas also tends to
insanity.
47. It does not appear to be an hereditary habit
and does not specially affect the children.
48. Excessive use may be injurious to their
children.
49. Said not to be taken as aphrodisiacs; not
so used by prostitutes. The excessive use is said
to cause impotence.
56. Their use in admixture is not said to be in
any way beneficial.
57. From eating, their effects are more potent
and intoxicating.
78. Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL G. C. HALL, Superintendent, Central
Prison, Naini, Allahabad.
19. I am informed that ganja and charas are
used only for smoking. I know of no other use.
23. Bhang is not used for smoking, but only for
mixing with water or made into sweets or used in
milk and mixed with pepper and drunk. It is used
by the higher classes and specially by Pragwals and
priests of Benares and Muttra.
28. I am informed that the average cost of a
moderate consumer would not exceed two annas a
month, if so much. An excessive consumer would
use as much as two annas a day.
29. Pepper ordinarily. Almonds, cardamoms,
carraway seeds, exceptionally, to make it more
tasty.
Dhatura, etc., not ordinarily used, except in cases
to make it more intoxicating by regular excessive
consumers who have become habituated to the drug.
The spices mentioned above constitute a bhang
massala.
30. Mostly smoked in company ; drunk also in
company as a rule.
Male sex mostly. Adult life - the same rules
apply as with tobacco in European children not
being allowed to use these drugs by their parents.
31. Yes. About the same as smoking tobacco,
not more so than with the tobacco habit.
32. (a) It is a social custom and has no religious
reference, except in few cases of Brahmins worship-
ping the god Shiva, to whom bhang is offered
before use.
(d) Cannot say, but the fact of the combin-
ation of the bhang with milk and other nutritious
articles seems to show that it is not injurious in
any way.
36. No.
37. The effects of smoking ganja and charas are
immediate and evanescent. The effect of bhang is
more lasting and takes longer to develop.
39. Smoking is generally considered the stronger
form of taking the drug. I believe this is due to the
constant repetition of the smoke. I believe with
respect to any supposed tendency to insanity that
the suddenness of the effect of the smoking makes
it more liable to be a cause than the gradual effect
of the bhang-drinking. I have no personal know-
ledge.
40. I believe the baids are fond of prescribing
these drugs in cases of fatigue and pain.
41. (a) Yes; this is what it is used for ostensibly.
(b) Yes; without doubt it has a good effect in
these cases.
(c) Yes.
42. I believe the moderate use of these drugs to
be harmless; my reason for my answer being that
I have seen many moderate consumers who had taken
these drugs for years and not suffered in health in
any way.
44. (b) Said to be refreshing.
(c) Not in moderation.
(d) Allays hunger for a short time.
(e) Creates appetite.
(f) Smoking—the effect lasts about half an
hour. Bhang lasts a very much longer time and is
only taken once or twice a day. (g) No after-effect
in moderation.
45. (b) No; not in moderation.
(c) No.
(d) Not that I am aware of.
(e) No.
(f) No. I should be of opinion that it might
act as an exciting cause of insanity in a predis-
posed patient, if immoderately used.
(g) I am of opinion that the use of the drug
by persons suffering from mental anxiety and brain
disease has not been sufficiently considered.
47 and 48. No.
49. Don't know.
56. The general effect of mixing dhatura, nux
vomica, and opium would be to increase the intoxi-
cating power of the drug. The mixture of cantha-
rides would, I should say, be due to a desire to use
the drug as an aphrodisiac.