300
104. Evidence of Apothecary MUHAMM AD ASADULLA, Ellore, Godavary
District.
1. My information is chiefly from people ad
-dicted to the drug.
2. Yes. Everything applies to this province
with the exception of the word siddhi, which is
unknown in this province. Charas is seldom or
never procurable in these parts.
3. It is never known to grow spontaneously.
It is extensively cultivated in a village called
Daggupadu, a place 32 miles from Guntur, and in
a place called Shamshabad in Hyderabad, and in
Javadi near Madras.
4. In addition to the names mentioned by Dr.
Prain, it is called ' harya tamacu' or green tobacco
and al so ' aushakani but i ' or t he dr ug of t he
theosophist or psychologist.
5. It is never known to grow wild within these
parts.
6. Unknown.
7. Yes.
(a) Yes.
(b) N o .
( c ) Y e s .
(d) For seeds and not for fibre.
In some of the villages of the Godavari and
Kistua districts.
8. It is on the increase, and on account of a
great demand for it the cultivation is also ex
- t e n s i v e .
9. Dr. Prain's remarks on this respect hold
good in this part.
10. They don't form a special class. The
majority of the cultivators of this drug are Muham
- m a d a n s , a l t h o u g h H i n d u s o r C u m m a s a l s o f o l l o w
this example to some extent.
11 and 12. Not known.
13. ( a ) More or less common to all districts.
Cultivation is restricted by taxation.
( b ) Red and clay soil appears to be favourable
to its growth.
( c ) Not known.
14. Daggupadu, Shamshabad, Javadi.
( a) Yes.
(b) No.
( c) Yes.
15. The leaves of ganja are prepared for smok-
- i n g b y r u b b i n g a q u a n t i t y o f i t i n t h e p a l m o f t h e
left hand about a dozen times, and squeezing out
the green colouring matter and juice by mixing it
with a little water. This process is said to deprive
the ganja of its deleterious effects. The one used
for eating and drinking is thus prepared. A
quantity of ganja is first boiled and then ground
in a mortar with water, and strained through
fine muslin. This process is repeated half a dozen
times when it is fit for use. This is mixed with
treacle or milk which go to constitute respectively
majun and bhang of these parts.
16. ( a) Yes.
(c) Unknown.
17. Chiefly Muhammadans.
18. Ganja deteriorates by keeping. It becomes
quite inert if kept for a couple of years. It is
destroyed by a worm peculiar to it. Charas does not.
It keeps good for a considerably long time. The
ordinary method of preservation appears to be to
pack it up closely in a bundle, or the popular way
is to keep it air-tight in a pot and expose it to the
sun now and again.
Income (annual) = About R200.
Import 50 maunds.
Export—Ni l.
19. Yes. No other use known.
20. Musalmans chiefly, and bairagis or hermits,
and native soldiers for keeping off malaria.
21. The flat kind is prepared for smoking.
Not known.
22. Charas is imported chiefly from Hyderabad,
where it is appreciated by the nobles.
23. Yes. Occasionally in the absence of ganja.
24. This is done indiscriminately according to
taste by Hindus and Muhammadans.
25. It is on the increase. Charas is seldom
seen in these parts. Owing probahly to the
struggle for existence which is getting keener
every day.
26. ( a ) Fewer.
(b) More.
(c) Few.
(d) Few.
27. This habit is met with equally among vege
-terians and flesh-eaters, and among people of
itinerant habits such as hermits and soldiers
(native) who undergo hardships incidental to
frequent changes of climate of the worst type
possible.
28. (a) Three drachms: value one anna.
( b ) One ounce: two annas or more.
29. Smokers use tobacco with it; eaters,
aniseed, pepper, dry ginger, rose buds, poppy seeds,
and sugar and milk, and plantains. Dhatura is
never used in these parts. A mixture of dry
ginger, aniseed, pepper, poppy seeds, sugar, plan
-tains and rose buds.
30. ( a ) Seldom in solitude, but frequently in
company.
(b) Very seldom indeed by the female. Usually
from the eighteenth year or the age of adolesence.
(c) No.
31. ( a) to (c) Yes.
32. It is condemned by religion, but sanctioned
by usage. The habit is formed owing to a popular
belief among the people that ganja is remarkably
instrumental in acclimatising an individual to any
climate or breaking him to the vicissitudes of life.
A small beginning invariably leads to the form
-ation of the habit.
33. ( a ) With great disfavour and disrepute, as
it invariably leads to apathy, lethargy and
ascetism, due probably to inanition or perverted
nutrition, as the drug deadens or annihilates the
sensation of hunger, and minimises to a considera
-ble extent the necessaries and much more the
luxuries of life.
(c ) None.
34. Yes. As those addicted to it are generally
poverty-stricken, and some of them are of opinion
by experimenting on themselves that it is a
preventive of Beri Beri and decidedly curative of