125
70. The Nizam's territory and the Hyderabad
Assigned Districts are contiguous to the Chanda
District, as also Bastar close to Sironcha, which
latter is a tahsil of the Chanda District. In these
places the restrictions on the cultivation, sale, and
price of ganja are not so stringent as in the
British territory, and there is great possibility of
its being smuggled into these provinces.
67. Evidence of the REV. A. G. DANIELSSON, Missionary, Chhindwara.
29. Many mix ganja with tobacco for smoking.
A sweetmeat or drug is made of the extract of
hemp mixed with sugar and is called majum. I
am told it is often served to guests at social gather
- i n g s a f t e r t h e m e a l , a n d t h a t i t c a u s e s a p l e a s a n t
intoxication.
32. Many Hindus smoke ganja, because their
god Mahadeo was in the habit of smoking it.
35. (a) Yes.
(b) Of course those addicted to it would try to
get it.
(c) By forbidding the sale of them except for
medicinal uses.
45. Yes, it produces bronchitis, asthma and
cough owing to that smoking of ganja consolidates
the lungs. It seems to weaken the intellect and
make the consumers very dull.
49. Yes.
68. Evidence of the REV. O. LOHR,* Medical Missionary, Bisrampur, Raipur
District.
1. I have resided in the country as a missionary
from 1849 to 1857 in Chota Nagpur, and from
1868 up to date in Chattisgarh. I have practised
medicine all these years, and have occasionally
made enquiries among the people about the use of
drugs.
2. As far as my experience goes, the only form
of this narcotic used is ganja in these parts.
Bhang is occasionally used as an exception by
foreigners from the North-West Provinces. I
have never come across any person using charas.
I shall speak only of my acquaintance with this
narcotic in Chattisgarh, as my knowledge of the
use of it in Chota Nagpur is too remote to be of
any certainty.
3. I have never come across any instance in the
Raipur and Bilaspur districts (which are the only
ones I have knowledge of), where I have seen the
plant growing spontaneously.
4. The plant is only known under the name of
ganja.
5. Not having seen the wild plant growing
anywhere, I cannot tell.
6. See question 5.
7. Not at present. About 20 years ago, I used
to see it growing in the gardens of Gonds. There
is scarcely any grown now. Formerly it was
cultivated for ganja alone being produced. I
have seen it in both the Raipur and Bilaspur dis
- t r i c t s t o a v e r y s m a l l e x t e n t ; b u t I b e l i e v e t h a t
now it is hardly grown at all on account of its
cultivation having been since prohibited.
8. See question 7.
9. As far as I know, no particular care was
taken for its cultivation, and there were about 10
or 15 plants in the gardens where I saw it grown,
seemingly only for the use of the owner.
10. See question 7.
11 and 12. I do no know.
13. It is prohibited entirely. I cannot tell
(last question).
14. Not to my knowledge.
15. I have no knowledge regarding these
matters.
16. In the few cases I knew of, the ganja was
prepared by the consumer for his own use. This
was years ago.
17. By Gonds formerly, None is made now.
18. I do not know.
19. I have no acquaintance with charas or
bhang. I can only speak of ganja. Ganja is
in these parts only used for smoking. Bhang is
used by the high caste people, I believe. I can
only give evidence regarding ganja.
20. Foremost are the Gonds and bairagis,
Rawats or Gwalas, and Pankas; in a smaller
degree, Telis and Kurmis; and in a still less
degree, all other classes, even Muhammadans.
The only exception are the Chamars, amongst
whom only one per cent. (about) indulge in the
drug. All over the districts.
21. The flat kind, locally called "kalli," is in
- v a r i a b l y u s e d , a n d w i t h i t t h e c h u r o r b r o k e n
ganja.
22. Charas is not used to any extent.
23. No.
24. Bhang is, I believe, used by the up-country
Brahmins and Banias chiefly as an aid to diges
- t i o n ; b u t o n l y t o a s m a l l e x t e n t .
25. The use of ganja is, I think, on the increase.
I can give no reason for the increase, unless it be
the increased prosperity of the people and greater
facilities for obtaining it.
26. The cases I have come across were and are
chiefly habitual moderate consumers; there were a
few habitual excessive consumers, and very few of
the other two classes.
27. The persons indulging in the drug (ganja)
are mostly such as lead an idle life, like bairagis,
Gonds, beggars, and Rawats, who follow cattle
and dance a great deal.
28. A moderate habitual consumer will use
from 1 pice to 1 anna's worth a day, and habitual
excessive consumers will use up to 4 annas worth
a day.
29. Tobacco is sometimes mixed and smoked
with ganja. I have come across no cases of
dhatura being so used. I do not know of any
preparation such as bhang massala.
30. Ganja is smoked about here in the same
way as tobacco is, and only by male adults. It
is not usual for children to use it. It is used more
by middle-aged men than by others.
* Invited to attend at a sitting of the Commission for oral examination, but failed to appear.