325
pounded, and mixed with sugar, and then taken.
(2) In the form of majum (a sweetmeat).
Drinkino.—It is cleaned, mixed with pepper,
cardamoms, sonf, and kasni, pounded in water,
strained, and drunk. Sometimes sugar, milk, curd,
and salt are also put into it; sonf and kasni are
mixed in summer, and cloves and javitri in winter.
16. Not prepared generally by the people in
their houses. Can be prepared from the hemp
plant wherever grown.
17. Ganja and charas are not prepared in this
part. Bhang is prepared by drug contractors.
18. The three drugs deteriorate by keeping.
They quite lose their effect in time. With ordinary
care bhang keeps good for one year, and charas and
ganja three years. I can't answer the rest of the
question.
19. Ganja and charas only used for smoking.
20. Ganja and charas are generally used by
people of low castes and low class fakirs and baira-
gis. Proportion about 30 per cent. of male popu-
lation.
21. Flat ganja is preferred for smoking.
22. Foreign charas is chiefly used. It is import-
ed from Bokhara and Yarkhand.
23. No.
24. All classes of people in all localities drink
bhang more or less. About 33 per cent. of the
male population drink, and about 2 per cent. eat
bhang.
25. The use of the three drugs is on the increase,
which may be attributed to (1) increase of popu-
lation, and (2) closing of chandu shops by Gov-
ernment.
28. (a)
.
.
.
(b)
.
.
.
(c)
.
.
.
(d)
.
. .
Charas and
ganja.
Per cent.
20
5
4
1
bhang.
Per cent.
25
5
2
1
27. Fakirs, bairagis, and idlers are generally
habitual excessive consumers. Bad company and
leisure mainly lead to the practice.
28. (a) .
(b)
.
Average allowance per diem.
Charas.
3/4th masha. 3/4th
2 mashas. 2
Ganja.
mashas.
mashas.
Bhang.
6 mashas.
2 tolas.
29. Ingredients ordinarily mixed with bhang
are sonf, pepper, kasni, javitri and cloves. Dha-
tura is exceptionally mixed. The former are used
to lessen the injurious effects of bhang. Dhatura
is used to make it strong. The ingredients men-
tioned above, viz., sonf, pepper, kasni, javitri, and
cloves, as also dry leaves of roses, seeds of cucum-
bers, pumpkins, and melons, form bhang massala.
30. The three drugs are mostly consumed in
company. Consumption is mainly confined to the
male sex. Young people mainly use charas and
ganja. Bhang is consumed both by the young and
the old. Children don't consume any of these
drugs.
31. Habit of consuming these drugs is easily
formed, but difficult to break it off. Tendency in
the case of every drug for the moderate habit to
develop into the excessive.
32. No customs, social or religious, sanction the
use of ganja and charas. Bhang is regarded as the
favourite drink of Siva (deity), and is used on the
occasions of the festivals over which he presides,
e.g., Sheovart, the anniversary of Siva's mar-
riage; but the use of the drugs is not regarded as
essential. It is generally temperate. It is not
likely to lead to the formation of the habit, nor is
otherwise injurious.
33. The consumption of each of these drugs is
generally regarded with disfavour. This is the
feeling of the educated classes. The middle classes
also disapprove of the use of ganja and charas. To
my knowledge hemp plant is nowhere worshipped.
34. It would not be a serious privation to any
class of consumers to forego the consumption of
these drugs. Consumers, when imprisoned, are
forced to give up the drugs, and they leave the jail
in better health. I can't give the probable number
of each class.
35. It is feasible to prohibit the use of ganja
and charas. The importation of charas from Yar-
kand and Bokhara could be prohibited. Similarly
the preparation of ganja could be prohibited under
a special enactment, but there is some danger of
ganja being consumed illicitly. The consumers are
generally low class people, and the prohibition
would occasion serious discontent among them; but
I don't think it would amount to a political danger.
I am of opinion that the prohibition will not lead to
increased consumption of alcoholic stimulants, but
is sure to be followed by greater recourse to bhang.
It is not feasible to prohibit the use of bhang.
36. No. The use of alcohol is more expensive.
37. The effects of charas smoking are—(1) dull
intellect; (2) promotes impotency; (3) impairs
health.
The effects of ganja are—(1) leads to bronchial
diseases; (2) causes same effects as charas, but of
an aggravated character.
38. Flat ganja is stronger than "chur."
39. Charas and ganja are invariably used for
smoking. Bhang is only drunk or eaten.
40. Bhang is prescribed by hakims for the fol-
lowing purposes and diseases:—(1) Piles. (2) Ear
diseases. (3) To remove swelling. (4) To remove
stoppage of urine. (5) Diseases of the uterus.
(6) To produce sleep. It is also given to cattle to
promote appetite.
41. Unable to answer.
42. The use of the drugs is always injurious,
except when prescribed as medicine.
43. Consumers of charas smell, and are offensive-
to their neighbours.
44. Bhang, charas and ganja are refreshing and
produce intoxication: charas and ganja allay hun-
ger, and bhang creates hunger. The effect of cha-
ras and ganja last on the average three hours, and
of bhang five hours. The after-effects are laziness,
dryness, and headache. Yes; the want of subse-
quent gratification produces uneasiness.
45. Charas and ganja impair the constitution by
producing thinness, hollows below the eye, and
paleness. They also cause dullness of intellect and
loss of proper use of senses. These two drugs cause
loss of appetite, bronchitis and asthma. They also
induce laziness, but not habits of immorality or
debauchery. Charas and. ganja produce insanity,
which gradually becomes permanent.
Bhang causes—(1) loss of senses and disorder of
liver; (2) istaska;
(3) impotency; (4) lazi
ness; (5) asthma; (6) dullness of intellect.