412
39. Bhang drinking is better than eating. If
eaten, it withers brain more than if drunk.
40. Yes. Hakims use bhang in its medicinal
qualities. Bhang is also used in the treatment of
cattle.
41. No opinion about ganja or charas.
(a) Bhang is neither accessory nor digestive.
Only makes young drinker eat too much, but
when the effect is past the stomach is felt to
have been overworked.
(b) Bhang drinker is not fit to undergo severe
exertion or exposure. It does not alleviate fati-
gue, but to a certain extent it makes forget
fatigue.
(c) Bhang is certainly considered so,
(d) Not known.
All classes of natives consider it for (c).
Moderate occasional use of bhang is considered
beneficial in malarious and unhealthy tracts.
42. Moderate use of of bhang by poor people is
harmless. Man is fond of intoxication and
nothing can be had cheaper than bhang.
43. Yes, they are.
44 It (bhang) refreshes him. It intoxicates
him, makes him eat. He feels appetite only when
drinks. Effect lasts well for six hours. If he
does not drink in proper time, life is burden to
him. He is longing and uneasy until he drinks.
No opinion about ganja or charas.
45. No opinion about ganja or charas.
(b) It (bhang) impairs constitution. Makes
man uervous.
(c) and (d) No.
(c) No, not moral sense. Induces laziness,
but not habits of immorality or debauchery.
(f) Does not deaden intellect or produce insani-
ty as far as people believe in it. Doctors may
have different opinion.
46. Same remarks as above. Habitual is more
nervous and more laziness in him.
47. No. No effect upon children.
48. In my own village in Amritsar district
there were two habitual excessive drinkers—Mohan
Singh and Ladha Singh. Their fathers never
drank bhang, and none of their sons drinks bhang
now. The youngest son of Mohan Sing was born
when he was a great drinker.
49. Prostitutes do not use bhang (told by Masa-
mat Nikro, previously a prostitute and now a
fakirni). Dais use bhang to set the womb of
woman right.
50. Bhang is not used excessively in this
way.
56. The effect of bhang is the same. Only
taste is better on account of admixture of other
ingredients. Dhatura admixture is used simply
to stupefy victims. It is not used as a mere in-
toxicating drug.
57. No opinion about ganja or charas can be
had here.
58. The present system in respect of bhang is
working well. It is not worth improvement,
though improvement can be effected.
59. Government bhang-growing tracts may be
brought under wood jungle system, charging say
an anna a maund. Private wild hemp-growing
tracts may be taxed, and owners required to sell
either to licensed contractors or burn it. Culti-
vation of bhang may be brought under poppy
system. This will not be prohibitive. It will
restrict the use of bhang.
60. No ganja is produced in the Jhang district.
61. No charas is produced here.
62. See answer to question 59.
63. and 64. No objection.
65. See answer to question 59.
66. No opinion.
67. No objections about bhang.
68. No shops or houses of this kind in the
Jhang district.
69. No such shops here.
70. None in the Jhang district.
25. Evidence of KHAN BAHADUR MUHAMMAD IKRIMULLA KHAN , Rais and
Honorary Extra Assistant Commissioner, Delhi.
1. My information, opinions and statements
are based on careful inquiry and personal acquaint-
-ance with bhang and charas consumers, as also
what 1 have seen of them.
20. Kahars, chamars, sweepers or khakrobs,
khutbunas, khatiks, saises, of the lower classes,
and Brahmans, jogis, bairagis, sadhus, and Hindu
fakirs, as also a few persons of the other Hindu
sects smoke charas. Among the Muhammadans
takvadar and rasulshahi fakirs, etc., may be classed
as charas smokers. Four or five per cent. would
be a probable proportion. Particular localities can
hardly be defined where the practice of smoking
charas is confined.
23. So far as I know, bhang is never used for
smoking.
24. Among the better classes of the Hindus,
Brahmans, banyas, janharis (jewellers), sadhus,
gosains, and other fakirs; and of the lower classes,
tambolis, telis, sunars (gold and silver smiths),
etc., etc., use bhang. Among the Muhammadans,
takyadar fakirs, naqqarchis and marasis, etc.,
also use bhang. The respectable classes of the
Muhammadans, however, rarely use it.
Out of the bhang consumers 80 per cent. drink,
and 20 per cent. eat bhang in different forms.
I cannot name particular localities, as the use
of bhang is more or less pretty general all over in
these parts.
25. Charas seems to hold its own if it is not on
the increase. Bhang seems to have a slight tend-
ency towards decrease, as alcoholic drinks are
becoming somewhat fashionable with the youth
of the present age.
26. Out of 100 bhang consumers—
(a) Approximately 45
(b)
Ditto
15
(c)
Ditto
38. These
mostly
use
bhang in the hot weather.
(d) Approximately 2