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24. (a) Brahmins, Chaubes, Banias and such
higher castes eat bhang considerably, mixing it
with sweetmeats, etc.
(b) The same castes drink bhang mixed in
milk, sugared water, and medicinal preparations,
far more than they eat it.
25. The use of all three drugs is greatly on the
increase in comparison with the population. The
reason is that in spite of license fees they can
now be sold far more cheaply than before in
comparison with spirits and opium, owing to the
introduction of the railway. Opium and spirits
are produced on the spot. Hemp drugs come
from a distance, and therefore have been greatly
cheapened by railways.
26. (a) About one-half.
(b) About one-half.
(c) and (d) May almost be neglected.
In the case of all these drugs, when a man
once begins consumption, he usually acquires the
habit. Old people are usually moderate consu-
mers ; young often excessive.
27. In the case of bhang Brahmins (Chaubes)
are often excessive consumers. They are addicted
to wrestling, and consider that pahilwans acquire
great strength by the use of the drug. Fakirs
and lower castes already mentioned are excessive
consumers of ganja (much less of charas).
Fakirs take ganja deliberately with the intention
of doing away with their desire towards women,
as it is thought disgraceful for a fakir to have
sexual intercourse. Bhangis, Chamars, etc., con-
sume ganja chiefly for love of excitement, and
greatly to keep out the cold in winter.
28. (a) Ganja ½ tola.
Bhang 2½ tolas.
Charas 1/6 tola.
(b) Ganja 2 tolas.
Bhang 1 chittack.
(haras ½ tola.
29. (a) Ganja — smoked with tobacco.
Charas—
ditto.
Bhang eaten with pepper and sugar, drunk
with milk, or with pounded sugar and almonds
and water.
The object of these admixtures is to take away
the disagreeable taste of the drug when consumed
alone. Dhatura is not so used. I know of no
such special preparation.
30. The consumption of all three drugs is prac-
tised almost exclusively in company, and very
little in solitude. It is exclusively confined to
the male sex, except in the case of prostitutes,
who take it occasionally. It is mainly confined
to persons over 30 years of age. It is unusual
for children to consume them.
31. Ganja and charas are at first unpleasant to
smoke, and require some deliberation before the
habit is formed ; very difficult to break off.
Bhang is not unpleasant, and the habit of eating
it is easily formed. It is perfectly easy to leave
off. There is a tendency in all three cases for
the habit to develop, but especially in that of
charas,
32. The custom of the fakirs to reduce their
desire towards women by consumption of ganja.
At the time of the Holi all classes of Hindus
consume bhang, and even women do so to a great
extent. In no case is this use of the drug re-
garded as essential. The fakirs consume exces-
sively, as do all classes at the time of the Holi.
In the case of fakirs a very injurious habit is
formed. The Holi has no such effect.
33. Ganja and charas are considered exces-
sively injurious by every class of the community,
by none more so than by the consumers them-
selves. Musalmans think far worse of the con-
sumption of all three drugs than do the Hindus.
The Hindus do not think the use of bhang very
injurious. The use of ganja and charas is
generally in disrepute among Hindus, because it
is prevalent among the inferior castes, and also
because it is hard to give up.
34. It would be a serious privation to the
consumers of ganja and charas to forego it.
They take it largely to keep out the cold in
winter. If they were to give it up, they would
feel the cold, and would be quite unable to digest
their food. Bhang, too, is really difficult to give
up, and would have the same effects on the diges-
tion. Three-quarters of the population would
suffer in this way.
35. It would be feasible to prohibit the use of
all these drugs in the southern districts, where
they are not produced ; but the drug would
almost certainly be illicitly consumed if possible.
The only way the prohibition could be enforced
would be to strictly prohibit the gathering and
cultivation in the districts where the plant is
grown for drugs and to prevent importation from
Kabul. There would be serious discontent among
the consumers, but probably not enough to
amount to a political danger. The prohibition
would be followed (a) by an increase in the con-
sumption of tari, (b) by an immense increase in
the consumption of opium, madak, and chandu.
36. No ; the contrary is certainly the case.
37. The effect of charas smoking is to dry up
the blood, blacken the skin, make the sight dim,
and heat the brain. It also diminishes the
sexual powers, and the appetite. Ganja smoking
chiefly weakens the lungs, producing cough, and
in the end consumption. Sufferers have come to
me for medicine, and I have invariably noticed
these effects.
38. Flat ganja is more heating to the brain
than the other sorts, and more liable to produce
madness. It intoxicates much more quickly.
Chur is much weaker than round ganja, and has
less marked effects.
39. No preparation known to me is both
smoked and eaten.
40. Practice of Misrani School of doctors —
(i) Bhang is given as a sedative and
soporific to sufferers from insomnia.
(ii) It is also pounded up and rubbed on the
soles of fever patients, having the effect
of stopping the fever.
(iii) It is given for aiding digestion of sick
cattle.
Ganja rubbed in for rheumatism, being pounded
with oil. Any part of the body, which has matter
inside it is held over ganja smoke, and the matter
comes out. Charas is not used medicinally. I
belong to the Misrani School of doctors.
41. (a) The moderate use of bhang is often
beneficial for digestion.
(b) Bhang is good in this case also.
(c) Bhang is also good for keeping off fever.
The Chaube pahilwans use bhang to give
themselves strength for wrestling.