409
34. To habitual excessive consumers, such as
fakirs and suthras, etc., it would be a serious
privation to forego the use of charas and bhang,
but the percentage of such persons is very low.
35. It would be feasible to prohibit the use of
charas. There is very little fear of charas being
used illicitly, if its import is stopped, as it is not
a product of the country. Its prohibition may be
enforced by making the import and sale of this
drug an offence. It will certainly incur discontent
among excessive consumers; but there is no
political danger involved in its prohibition, as
its consumers have not the sympathy of the gener-
al population, and their number is also small.
There is no fear that its consumers would have
recourse to the use of liquor, because they are, as
a rule, incapable of finding funds for the purchase
of costly liquor; but it is quite probable that they
will have recourse to the excessive use of bhang.
It wouldnot be feasible to prohibit the use of
bhang, as it is used by a much larger population
and by a better class of people, and is not looked
down upon so much. Moreover, it is a sponta-
neous product of the country, and the prohibi-
tion would be difficult to enforce.
36. No.
37 to 39. Not known.
40. Hindi and Unani doctors prescribe bhang
for medicinal purposes.
41. Charas is never, but bhang in certain cases
is beneficial.
(a) Bhang is considered as an incentive to
appetite.
(4) No.
(c) Yes.
(d) Not known.
Moderate occasional use of bhang is referred to
in the above answer.
42. Moderate use of bhang is harmless. The
experience of the witness about moderate consum-
ers of different stations of life and society con-
firms this opinion.
43. Moderate consumers are certainly inoffen-
sive to their neighbours.
44. To a habitual consumer of bhang a particu-
lar thirst and restlessness begin to trouble just
before the appointed time, and when he has taken
it, the thirst and uneasiness give way to a sort of
relief, and by degrees he begins to feel an intoxi-
cation; consequently it is refreshing to him. It
increases hunger. The effect lasts from three to
five hours, according to the fineness in grounding
the bhang. Inasmuch as it creates a sharper
appetite, and if the consumer eats to satisfy it, he
feels indigestion. The want of subsequent grati-
fication produces' longing and uneasiness.
Charas smoking results in immediate intoxica-
tion. It is refreshing. It allays hunger. Its
effect does not last more than two hours. Its
after-effect is to create lethargy. Certainly the
want of subsequent gratification produces longing
and uneasiness.
45. The habitual moderate use of bhang and
charas produces noxious effects physically and
mentally, but not morally. Charas emaciates the
body. Bhang and charas injure the digestion;
the latter to a greater extent. Both of them
create laziness, but not immorality or dabauchery.
Charas produces insanity and weakens the
intellect.
vol. v.
46. In case of habitual excessive use of any of
these drugs the results are more serious, and in
case of charas it invariably results in insanity.
47 and 48. No.
61. A large proportion of bad characters are
habitual moderate consumers of charas. Moder-
ate use of these drugs (bhang and charas) has no
connection with crime.
52. Excessive use of bhang and charas decreas-
es power to commit crime.
58. No.
54. No.
55. Sometimes criminals induce their victims
to partake bhang with dhatura seeds in order to
stupefy them, but not bhang and charas separate-
ly. Bhang alone can induce complete stupefac-
tion.
56. The admixture of sweet with hemp increas-
es intoxication and that of almond and melon
seeds and milk abates it. Excessive consumers
of bhang sometimes mix dhatura for personal
consumption to heighten its effect, and some
criminals administer it with bhang to stupefy
their victims in order to facilitate their crime.
57. Not known.
5S. Excise administration in regard to bhang is
working well; but in respect to charas it is capa-
ble of improvement.
59. If import duty were levied on charas it
can be borne without difficulty, as it is cheap
already.
60. No.
61. No.
62. As bhang grows spontaneously, it is not
feasible to control its production.
68. There are no wholesale licenses for the
vend of bhang and charas in this province.
This should be introduced in order to distin-
guish between retail and wholesale vendors.
64. As far as I know, there is no such ob-
jection.
65. There is no taxation for bhang and charas
separately to allow of any comparison thereof
being made with each other, or other alcohol and
intoxicants.
66. Not known.
67. No, as far as I understand.
68. No such houses or shops exist in this pro-
vince.
69. The wishes of the people are never con-
sulted before opening a shop in any locality; but
the people should be consulted.
70. Bhang and charas being nearly equally
cheap everywhere, they are not smuggled into
this province. Bhang being the product of the
country may escape duty, but to a very small
extent.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I have been twenty-two years in
the Government service as Naib Tahsildar, Tahsil-
dar, Munsif, and Extra Assistant Commissioner,
and served mostly in the districts north-west of
Lahore.
Question 3.—I have only seen the plants grow-
ing in Rawal Pindi and have heard of it in the
other districts. It grows near the city of Rawal
Pindi; that is the only place I have seen it. It
3 K