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102. Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON AMAR NATH DAS, Kayasth, Jaunpur.
2. In this province two varieties, one generally
known as flat, called baluchur, and the other chur
or broken ganja.
3. Hemp plant grows spontaneously in My-
mensing, Bengal.
19. Ganja and charas used only for smoking.
*20. Ganja smoked by the low caste people as
Kahar, Ahir, Chamar, etc., especially by those
who have taken oath not to touch liquor or
meat, popularly known as vakt, and by wandering
fakirs. Charas not so much used in North-West-
ern Provinces as in Bengal and Punjab.
21. Flat and round varieties preferred, and
chur is taken to be more or less adulterated.
23. Bhang never used for smoking.
24. Respectable and high caste Hindus drink
bhang and sometimes eat it in the form of majum.
(Bhang pounded very fine afterwards mixed with
syrup.)
25. Use of bhang is on the decrease, as portion
of the respectable people have taken to drinking
liquors.
26. Wandering fakirs, both Hindu and Muham-
madan, are habitual excessive consumers. Low
caste Hindus, Kahars, Ahirs, and Chamars are
moderate consumers of ganja and charas.
28. The habitual moderate consumers of ganja
generally use half a pice or a pice worth of the
drug in smoking.
29. Bhang is generally mixed with black pep-
per; and it is the better class, who, to give it
flavour and taste, mix it with sweet almonds, car-
damons, cucumber seeds, rose petals, sugar and
milk.
30. On the occasion of Holi and Dasahara
bhang, in the shape of majum and ganja, and charas
are consumed in company. During every festivity
bhang and ganja are freely distributed among
guests and dependants. The practice is mainly
confined to the male sex; children do drink bhang
occasionally in company with their father or
guardian in a very moderate quantity.
31. Habit of consuming these drugs easily
formed, not so difficult to break off as that of
opium.
32. During Holi festival almost every Hindu
who will not drink liquor will eat bhang in
some shape or other. In Bengal, on last day of
Dasahara, every Hindu, rich or poor, will drink
bhang.
The- custom is regarded as essential.
Moreover, during every festive occasion, those who
will not drink wine will eat some bhang. As a
rule the drug is used temperately. The custom of
smoking ganja and charas is mostly prevalent
among the low caste Hindus. Repeated use may
lead to the formation of the habit.
34. It would be a serious privation to Kahars,
Ahirs, and Chamars to forego the smoking the
ganja. I believe the majority of low caste Hindu
males smoke the ganja.
35. There is every probability that bhang and
ganja will be consumed illicitly if prohibited. The
consumers will be discontented, and the prohibition
will lead the consumers to have recourse to opium
or liquors.
36. The well-to-do has to a certain extent sub-
stituted alcoholic stimulants for bhang. Wine-
drinking is recognised as more fashionable.
40. Native baids do prescribe the use of bhang
on account of its medicinal qualities.
41. Moderate use of bhang increases appetite
and is extensively used as a digestive by Hindus.
The low caste people use ganja and charas to al-
leviate fatigue, and the dooly-bearer cannot do
without the ganja.
42. I believe the moderate use of the drugs to be
quite harmless. I have been practising as a phy-
sician for the last seventeen years, and have not
come across a single case of illness brought on by
the moderate use of bhang ganja, or charas.
43. Certainly inoffensive to their neighbours.
44. The consumers of bhang assert that the use
of the drugs produces slight intoxication, and it
refreshes and creates appetite; they feel no uneasi-
ness afterwards. If the dose is excessive, they feel
thirsty and dryness of the throat and mental hallu-
cination.
45. (a) to (d) No.
(e) May induce laziness.
(f) No.
46. Habitual excessive use of any of these
drugs deadens the intellect. One can always make
out an excessive ganja smoker by his stupid look
and slow ways. The excessive use sometimes
produces insanity.
47. No.
49. No; the drug is seldom used as an aphro-
disiac; the use of hemp in excess does produce
impotence.
52. Bad characters do often use these drugs in
excess.
53. No.
54. No.
55. Bhang is used as a cover to administer dha-
tura for criminal purposes,
103. Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON MOHENDRA NATH OHDEDAR, Allahabad.
1. I know and have seen a large number of people
who use the hemp drugs. Many of them I have at-
tended professionally during the last fourteen years.
2. Bhang is known as bhang or sabzi. Ganja
is called ganja, and that generally offered for sale
is of the flat variety. Charas is called charas.
19. As far as I know, ganja and charas are
used only for smoking.
20. Ganja and charas are used in moderation
by the lower class people, especially labourers, such
as those who work in the fields, Kahars, etc. In
excess they are used by vagabonds and bad mashes,
people who have no work and hang about the
ganja shops in the day and spend their nights in
gambling and thieving. Sanyasis and fakirs also
use these drugs in excess to protect themselves
against the inclemencies of the weather.
23. I have never heard bhang being used in
this way.