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82. Evidence of LALA RAMSAHI AND LALA SITARAM, Abkari Contractors, Nagpur.
19. Charas is used only in smoking, and ganja is
used in smoking as well as in eating and drinking,
but turning it into different form, such as bhang
and majum, in almost all places.
20. Charas is used much in Northern India,
while ganja only is used in Central Provinces and
nearly ¼th of the population is addicted to it.
Sages, people of low caste, and labourers generally
use it (ganja) in the Central Provinces.
21. Chur ganja is more intoxicating, and there-
fore it is liked much for smoking, but it not being
available in Central Provinces, flat ganja, which is
produced here, is used in its place, Chur ganja is
used in Northern India. Round ganja is consi--
dered to be inferior, and therefore not used.
22. Native charas is used generally. In the
Central Provinces it is not used at all.
23. Bhang is not used in smoking.
24. Bhang is generally used in the whole of
India, but it is used much in Marwar and Northern
India. Nearly half of the population must have
been using it in drinking only. In eating it is
rarely used. All classes of people drink it, but
Marwaris and Hindustani Brahmins use it much
in drinking.
25. Day by day all these drugs are used much,
because a man is intoxicated in a very little ex--
pense.
26. Ganja is used by—(a) ⅛th of the popula--
tion, (b) 1/64th of the population, (c)¼th of the
population, (d) 1/64th of the population.
27. People of low castes and labourers are in-
clined to use ganja, under the impression that its
intoxication relieves them from the exhaustion.
Sages use it under the impression that their mind
is direct ed steadily for a long time towards God.
And some debauchees use it for the sake of luxury.
28. (a) In one tola,—that is, in two annas.
(b) In ten tolas,—that is, in Rs. 1-4-0.
29. In ganja : -
(a) Tobacco is ordinarily mixed.
(b) Sages mix dhatura for intoxication.
30. In company ganja, bhang or charas can be
used double the amount of what is used in solitude.
These are confined to male sex only. Children
use them rarely.
31. The habit of using them can be easily
formed. It is not difficult to break off. There
is a tendency of developing the moderate habit
into the excessive.
32. There is neither social nor religious custom
in which any of these three are used.
33. The consumption of each of these is regarded
as a very bad habit. There is no custom of wor--
shipping the hemp plant.
37. Intoxication of charas is of long stay, and
stronger than that of ganja; besides it is more
injurious to health also.
39. The use of the preparation is less injurious
than the use of ganja in its original shape.
40. Ganja and bhang are used in medicine.
They are used in the treatment of cattle disease
also.
41. (a) Yes, if moderately used. Still it proves
more injurious than efficacious.
(b) Yes.
(c) No.
42. The moderate use is harmless, because mod-
erate use is not injurious to health.
43. Yes.
44. It is refreshing with a little intoxication,
which lasts for an hour or so.
58. I am acquainted with the present system of
excise administration in the Central Provinces,
and I do not consider it to be capable of any im--
provement.
60. Ganja is produced in Nimar district only,
and the preparation is sufficiently controlled.
61. Charas is not produced in Central Prov-
inces.
62. It is not produced in Central Provinces.
63. I have no objection, and I think the present
system is exactly as it ought to be.
64. I see no objection.
65. (a) In my opinion the taxation is reasonable
in respect to each other.
(b) In this respect, in my opinion, I think
these drugs should not be double taxed, that
is, by license fees and duty, because these drugs
are given at a certain fixed rate to the contractor,
and if he is ordered to sell dear, then there is
only probability that people will not use them so
much owing to their being dear. And the system
of the Central Provinces should be enforced in
the whole of India.
66. I don't see it necessary that there should be
different rates of taxation for different kinds of
ganja.
67. Yes ; it should be heavily taxed, so that
people should not get it cheap.
68. There are only shops for the sale of ganja
and bhang.
69. Yes ; public opinion is generally taken for
the inconvenience, if they are put to.
83. Evidence of BABU MUNA LALL, Ex-Contractor of Ganja, Jabalpur.
1. I held the ganja contract for the Jabalpur
district from 1879 to 1887, and I have also held
from time to time large labour contracts.
20. I estimate that 50 per cent. of my coolies
use ganja. Amongst respectable persons per-
haps 2 per cent. smoke the drug. Coolies use it
because they work better on it, and fakirs use it
extensively because they can stave off hunger by
its use.
45. I think the habit of smoking ganja, even in
small quantities, is injurious. About one person
in four who smokes, suffers from the disease called
damma (asthma ?).
24. Bhang is little drunk in these parts, because
it is cold in comparison with Delhi, Lucknow and
Meerut. In 1879 I sent for 25 maunds of bhang,
and I did not sell it off for three years.
25. My experience is that less ganja is being
used now-a-days in consequence of its higher price.
The retail dealer gets his ganja at Rs. 3 a seer and