54
5. A moist climate, rich, well-drained light soil,
and rainfall of over 60 inches, and an elevation of
from 2,500 to 7,000 feet above sea level are neces-
sary for the growth of wild hemp.
6. As far as I have seen it, it is dense.
7. Only in one place in the north of the Nimar
district have I seen it cultivated, where it was
grown for the 'production of ganja, and also for
the use of its fibre. It was grown in one small
patch a little over an acre in extent.
10. Where seen cultivated by me, it was culti-
vated by the ordinary agricultural cultivator.
13. It could be largely cultivated in this district.
14. In this district, as far as I am able to
ascertain, ganja, charas and bhang are obtained
ready-made.
15. The preparations for smoking (A)
are—ganja, is taken in the hand and sifted of all small
pieces of woody material ; it is then rubbed in the
palm of the hand, undergoing a sort of washing
twice and thrice ; the. remnant is then taken and
mixed with a quantity of tobacco according to the
liking of the smoker ; it is then smoked. (B)
Ganja and bhang are both eaten. Ganja is eaten
by the Goads only medicinally for diarrhœa or
pain in the stomach ; it is mixed with a small quan-
tity of gur and onion ; then wrapped up in flour
and roasted in the fire; it is then taken out and
made into pills and given to the sufferer. In the
case of bhang it is eaten as a sedative and narcotic
mixed with sugar or gur, and by the higher classes
in the district it is eaten as majum. (C) Drink-
ing.—Ganja and bhang are both drunk as an
intoxicating drink. It is mixed with either milk
or water flavoured with gur or sugar. The drink
is given to friends either on the occasion of a
festival, marriage, or other happy occasion.
16. Where grown, bhang is prepared by people
in their own houses. Yes, it can be prepared from
the hemp plant wherever grown. Yes, I have
seen ganja prepared from the wild plant.
18. Ganja and bhang both deteriorate on being
kept. No, it does not quite lose its effect, but is
liable to the attacks of a small beetle. Damp and
insects are the causes of deterioration. With
ordinary care it will last four years. It should be
kept dry and in a well closed bag or tin.
19. Ganja is issued only for smoking. It is also
used medicinally by the Goads and Dhimars in
the wild portions of the district.
20. For regular smoking ganja is not largely
used by the Marias and other tribes in the isolated
portions of the district, and only about 2 per cent.
6
of the men smoke ganja. Coming farther north,
and taking a line from Chanda to Mul and then
on to Chamursi in the south, and from Moharli
to Brahmapuri in the north, the percentage of
ganja smokers increases to about 8 per cent.,
while north and west of the Moharli-Brahmapuri
line it increases to about 10 per cent. of the male
population.
21. The kind of ganja most largely used in the
north of the district is flat, while the poorer classes
utilise the " chur" or dust ganja largely.
23. Bhang is used for smoking only as a substi-
tute when the supply of ganja has run short. It
is only used by the Gonds and Muhammadans in
the centre and south of the district, and only to a
small extent.
24. The lower class of Muhammadans, the
Gonds, and some of the well-to-do Hindus in the
district who are prevented from taking liquor are
given to drinking bhang ; it is eaten to a less
extent. All round only about 2 per cent. drink
and eat bhang.
25. The smoking of ganja is on the increase
among the Gonds, and this is due simply to the
force of example.
26. The consumers in this district are habi-
tuals. The average percentage of habitual mo-
derate consumers is about 5⅔ per cent., while the
percentage of habitual excessive consumers is
about 1 per cent.
27. From the Gonds and lower Muhammadans.
The habits of life of these men are more or less
active. There is nothing very particular that
leads to the smoking of ganja.
28. (a) For habitual moderate consumers about
half a tola a day, costing a little over two pice, is
the allowance.
(b) For habitual excessive consumers about
2 tolas a day, costing two-and-a-half annas, is the
allowance.
29. Nux vomica seed powered and dhatura seed
are exceptionally mixed with ganja to increase its
intoxicating powers. The following is the
"bhang massala" prepared here :—Pepper, al-
mond, cardamoms, cloves, milk, sugar, and aniseed.
30. The consumption is almost solely practised
in company, and only in the case of about 5 per
cent. of the smokers in solitude. It is confined to
the male sex only, and from the age of 20 and
upwards. No, it is not usual for children to
consume any of these drugs.
31. The habit of consuming these drugs is
moderately easily formed and difficult to break off.
Yes, there is a tendency for the moderate habit to
develop into the excessive.
32. During the Holi festival and Shioratri, the
Hindus in Chanda, Warora, and other large villages
drink bhang. Besides these, the mendicant fol-
lowers of Shiva smoke ganja daily. The custom
of drinking bhang during the Holi festival is a
social one, that of Shioratri a religious one, when
people fast in honour of Shiva.
It is regarded as
essential only in the Shioratri festival. It is
generally temperate. It is not likely to lead to
the formation of the habit, or otherwise injurious.
33. The consumer of any one of the drugs is
regarded as an inferior lot by the general well-to-
do Hindus and Muhammadans; whereas among
the Gonds and other regular agricultural castes in
the district, the consumer is not taken notice of,
No, there is no public opinion in regard to the
practice. The use of the narcotic is not generally
in disrepute. There is no custom of worshipping
the hemp plant here.
34. No, it would not be a serious privation to
consumers to forego these drugs, except that it.
would make them take to liquor, which perhaps
would be worse.
35. It would be difficult to prohibit the use of
these drugs. Yes, I think the drug would be
consumed illicitly. Prohibition could be enforced
by very stringent measures. Yes, the prohibition
would occasion serious discontent, inasmuch as the
mendicants of Shiva and others of their class
would raise a cry, and then the lower classes who
consume liquor would at once get the fright on
board that Government having stopped ganja
smoking would the next thing stop their liquor.
Yes, the prohibition would largely be followed' by
a recourse to alcoholic stimulants.