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give up the habit as in case of charas and ganja. Yes, I
in case of all these drugs, the habit has a tendency to
develop into the excessive.
32. (a) On occasions of Holi and Shivaratri
bhang mixed with milk and sugar is drunk, and is
also offered to the god Shiva or Mahadevji. This
mixture is known as dudhiya. Bhang mixed with
sugar is made into cake6 known as majum or majun.
In Holi festivals it is a custom for persons to offer
majun to their friends who go to see them.
(b) The use of bhang is not essential, religiously
or socially. There are lots of people who never use
bhang on such occasions, and whose omission to use
it is not considered a violation of any religious or
social law or custom. The use of bhang on such
occasions is generally moderate, and is not likely to
form a habit or to be otherwise injurious.
33. (a) Generally the consumption of bhang is
not regarded to be as bad as that of ganja and
charas. In the eyes of the Hindu public bhang
possesses many good qualities, and with most of
its consumers its intoxicating effect is only a second-
ary object, the chief object being to aid the diges-
tion and increase the appetite. A Sanskrit name is
given to it which shows how the Hindu public
think of it. The name is " udar manjani," i.e.,
stomach-clearer. Muhammadans regard the use of
bhang as religously prohibited.
(b) It can be said that there is such a public opin-
ion. The Hindus think that the use of any of
these drugs is neither socially nor religiously very
essential. The use of ganja and charas is generally
in disrepute. The reason is that their consumers
are mostly men of low position in society, such men
from whom society derives no good. On the other
hand, they take to gambling and thieving when
they are in want of money for smoking purposes.
(c) Hemp plant is not worshipped in this part
of the country.
34. To the Nagas and other sadhus it would
indeed be a serious privation to give up ganja and
charas. The reason is that from habitual use they
have become so much addicted to it that it has be-
come a sort of diet to them, and helps them in
bearing the inclemencies of the weather. The habi-
tual excessive consumers of bhang will also feel a
privation by giving it up. They have been using it
for so long a time and have become so much used to
it that they can pass a day or two without food, but
not without the drink.
35. (a) It is neither feasible nor advisable to
absolutely prohibit the use of any of the drugs.
(b) In case of absolute prohibition the drugs
will be consumed illicitly.
(d) and (e) The prohibition would undoubtedly
occasion serious discontent among the consumers,
and it is likely that the Nagas, bairagis and simi-
lar classes of consumers, whose number is legion,
and who are notoriously fearless of death or of evil
consequences of disturbances, will get poisoned to-
wards the Government, and they may in time seek
an opportunity of causing serious political disturban-
ces in this country.
(f) The prohibition would, moreover, lead to
greater consumption of wine and opium.
36. Yes ; there is reason for thinking that alco-
hol is being used to a certain extent for bhang.
The causes of change, I think, are, 1stly, that
education advances, ideas become refined, and the
people are giving up coarser things and adopting
those more refined. It is this general progress of
things that make men, at least those for whom
use of liquor is no religious prohibition, change
their drink and adopt the drink of the civilised
world; 2ndly, it is becoming easier and easier every
day to obtain the liquor even in the villages ; 3rdly,
that the liquor does not entail those preliminary
precesses which must be undergone before bhang is
ready for drink. The proof is found in the increas-
ing sale of liquor and also in the fact that many
men are found drinking liquor who depended upon
bhang as their only stimulant.
39. Smoking is more injurious than drinking or
eating. The reason is that smoking brings about an
immediate intoxication, and seriously and directly
affects the brain and the lungs.
40. In the Ayur-Vedic system of treatment
bhang is regarded to possess many medicinal quali-
ties. Bhang is largely used in the treatment of
cattle disease.
41. (a) Moderate use of bhang is beneficial as a
food accessory.
(b) Ganja and charas smokers say that they
give them staying-power under severe exertions and
exposure, and alleviate fatigue.
(c) In unhealthy tracts, use of bhang is benefi-
cial. In malarious places ganja and charas are
known to keep off fever.
(d) Bhang is beneficial for piles. Hindus, even
of high caste, use bhang for purposes mentioned
in (a).
43. Generally moderate consumers of charas and
ganja are not offensive, but they are troublesome
to the neighbourhood where they have got smoking
dens where they meet to smoke.
44. All are refreshing; ganja and charas produce
slight immediate intoxication on habitual moderate
consumers ; ganja and charas both give a sort of
temporary satisfaction, and thus as it were allays
hunger for the time being. Their immediate effect
is not to produce appetite ; the effect of ganja and
charas lasts for about three hours. After-effects
are—In case of bhang a sort of fatigue is felt, and
in ganja and charas headache and laziness follow.
In habitual moderate consumers the want of subse-
quent gratifications does produce a longing for the
drug they are given to, and make them feel some
bodily uneasiness.
45. Consumers of bhang are generally stout and
of phlegmatic temperament, and those of ganja and
charas are generally thin and lean, except in those
cases in which they get very rich food. All these
drugs weaken the intellect more or less. By itself
the moderate habitual use of any of these drugs
does not produce any bad effect on morality. It
impairs the constitution in the end. The use of
ganja and charas does cause the loss of appetite
while that of bhang increases the appetite by in-
juring the digestion ; that is to say, that if the
drug is not taken, the stomach will not do its work
as in an average man who does not take it. None
of them causes dysentery, but ganja and charas do
cause bronchitis and asthma. It does induce lazi-
ness, but not habits of immorality and debauchery.
46. The excessive habitual use of any of these
drugs produce the same effects as have been de-
scribed in answer to 45th question, with this
difference, that the excess would impair the moral
sense as well. The excessive use of ganja and
charas produces insanity, asthma, phthisis and
other cognate diseases. The evil effects, physical,
mental and moral, are brought about much sooner
by their excessive use than by moderate use of the
same drugs.
47. No. It does not appear to be hereditary.
The male children are likely to follow the example