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45. (a) Yes, physically, mentally, and morally
too.
(b) Yes.
(c) Does not interfere.
(d) N o.
(e) After reaction sets in, it must induce.
(f) It does deaden the intellect. Produces a
mild form of insanity.
(g) I can't say.
47. Not at all a hereditary habit, but does
affect children's health. As far as my experience
goes, I can confidently testify that the children
of such men are generally very weak and sickly.
49, By enquiry I understand that prostitutes do
indulge in these habits.
51. Yes; the proportion is very large.
53. They do commit very violent crimes.
55. Yes.
58. As there is no authority prohibiting pos-
session and transport without permission, the
excise system or administration does not work
well, and there is no probability of improvement
also, and the people have ample opportunity to
dispose them off.
60. The cultivation of the ganja-bearing plant
is not at all under anv control. I would strongly
propose such a control is quite necessary. Requires
thorough modification.
62. Though there be a strict law prohibiting
the production of hemp plant, I do not think it
will be possible to prevent the production.
Though not publicly but secretly people would
plant.
63. If possible, I would advocate total abolition.
64. Now the existing Government rules do
not prohibit the possession of ganja or any other
drugs by any body. Any body can manufacture
and keep any quantity in stock. There must be
a special law prohibiting the manufacture by all,
and only men who possess a license should be
allowed to manufacture. Any one can transport
it without any trouble, and generally the manu-
facturers sell at their own quarters without license.
There must be a definite law bearing on the
subject.
65. The present tax is not at all reasonable.
66. Yes, certainly there should be different
rates of taxation.
68. There are shops only in two places in this
taluka, but, no sale, as the drugs could be had
at a lower rate at the manufacturers'. These shops
sustain great losses.
69. No, the wishes of the people are not con-
sulted. To consult the local public not necessary.
N.B .—Intoxicating stuff out of hemp, Cannabis
indica is unknown as ganja. Ink my opinion,
founded upon actual observation, it is ganja and
not opium that is doing most mischief in this
country. I believe ganja is more insidious in its
e f f e c t s t h a n o p i u m . V i c t i m s t o g a n j a – s m o k i n g h a v e b e e n f r e q u e n t l y k n o w n t o f a l l i n t o a c h r o n i c
state of mental aberration. Opium, on the con-
trary when used and not abused, represents the poor
man's materia medica, and I have no hesitation in
saying that it has kept alive and in health and
vigour many who, but for its aid, would have
been in their graves long ago. Many regard it as
a panacea for all the ills the flesh is heir to, and
are ready to back it against the contents of a
whole medicine chest It is even considered a
prophylatic against epidemics. Its effects in
these parts are on the whole beneficial. Opium
smoking is unknown here. Even the practice,
when not carried to excess, is hardly more injuri-
ous than the us of tobacco. Opium-smoking
Chinese are more industrious. Ganja is used in
many ways. it is smoked in a chillum, made
into sweetmeats, such as majum and halva, and
sometimes the beverage known as bhang. Imme-
diate effects are said to be indescribable, the
smoker, eater, or drinker, as the case may be,
falling into a blissful state, seeing visions and
dreaming dreams of the most ecstatic nature, and
yet the gradual effects, as mentioned above, are
said to be very mischievous, as must be expected
after such unusual mental excitement.
Oral evidence.
1. I have been years in the Cuddapab District.
I have itinerated in two talukas of the district out
of eleven, and in one taluka of the Kurnool district.
I began to make enquiries a month or two ago
before receiving the list of questions, and I spent
about a mouth upon them. The majority of the
eaters and smokers are Muhammadans. My resid-
ence was of necessary in their quarters, because
I was not allowed to live among my Hindu caste-
fellows. My chief informer was a Muhammadan
carpenter who lived next door to me; but I
enquired of others whom I suspected from their
appearances to be users of the hemp drugs, though
they did not admit it. The Muhammadan smokes
and drinks the hemp drugs, takes opium, and
drinks arrack also.
45. My answer relates to the moderate as
well as the excessive use. I have some actual
knowledge as well as a general impression on the
subject. I did distinguish in my enquiries between
the moderate and excessive use, though it does not
appear in my answers. I should now attribute
the bad effects described in this answer to the
excessive and not to the moderate use. Moder-
ate consumers do not become insane ; but they
are not capable of doing work. They wander
about and do not show attachment to their families.
The moderate use generally ends in the excessive
use. I have seen some 20 consumers, who are
idlers, and always ready to smoke and drink; and
these are the people from whom my impressions of
the effects of moderate use are derived. These
persons frequent a building attached to a mosque
in Badvel, and their drink is " paraka" a mild
intoxicant prepared with a small quantity of ganja.
I could recognise a moderate smoker of ganja,
even though I did not see him smoke, by the
redness of his eyes and a certain stiffness of gait.
I cannot say what quantity of ganja or Chang
represents moderate consumption.
47. The consumers of the hemp drugs generally
have no issue. My impression that the children
of consumers are weak and sick, is general ; but its
is also basėd on observation of particular cases, for
I have noticed that excessive smokers either have
no issue or weakly children. I have not made
similar observation regarding moderate smokers.
The only moderate smokers I know are those
I have mentioned under question 1. I can only
recall one excessive smoker, and I have known him
for 3 years. He had three children, who are all
weakand sickly. They are all three grown up.
Three children were born, etc., people say, before the
father smoked excessively. He is now about