212
146. Evidence of HAKIM MOHAMED NAZIR HUSSEIN, Shiah, Native Physician,
Lucknow.
19. Ganja and charas are smoken only in a
chillum.
20. Ganja is used by Kahars, whether Hindus
or Muhamadans, Koris, Chamars, Lodhs, Murasis,
Ahirs and other low castes. Superior classes of
Hindus and Muhammadans, such, for example,
as belong to the Bakkal (Bania), Rustogis,
Kashmiris, and other similar castes, use charas.
23. Bhang is not smoken in chillum.
24. Generally Muhammadans, Banias, mostly
Brahmans, Murasis, Khatris, and almost all the
Hindu sects or castes, drink it. Some, however,
take it after mixing with it certain ingredients.
33. Civilized nations regard the use of each or
any of these drugs to be bad. In my opinion
there is no religious or national custom regarding
the use of these things. Rather their excessive
use earns notoriety generally, because under their
influence one commits such ungentlemanly and
unbecoming acts as one is apt to do in a state of
senselessness.
85. If the use of this is prohibited, the natural
consequence will be that men will resort to
alcoholic drinks or other intoxicating things in-
stead.
37. The effect of smoking charas is more in"
jurious than that of ganja. We find paleness of
the face or thinness of the body more in men who
take to charas than in those who take to ganja.
40. In India bhang is used as medicine for
most of the bodily diseases of men in general.
Its use is not restricted to the adherents of any
particular creed. It is given to the cattle also.
41. These things when used in moderate
quantities, are useful at first, but their ultimate
effect is rather injurious.
(3a) Bhang helps in the digestion of food at
first, but afterwards proves injurious. Its ex-
cessive use causes loss of sight.
(b) The wearisomeness due to hard labour is
less felt by taking bhang owing to its stimulating
effect.
(c) None of the three drugs is a cure for fever
or other epidemics. They are used through
habit only.
42. It is not beneficial, but rather injurious
(vide reasons given above). Besides it causes
dullness of the brain, loss or weakness of the *
sight, insanity, melancholia, impotency, thinness
of semen, weakness of digestion, less formation
of blood, bad smell from mouth, etc.
43. Cause very little trouble, if at all.
44. Those who use it begin to feel its intoxica-
tion a little while after. Its intoxication is re-
freshing and useful in mitigating the sensation
of pain or uneasiness. The effect of bhang lasts
for 3 or 4 hours.
45. Habitual excessive use is injurious to the
physical, social and moral state of man. Its use
renders the body dry and lean, and results in the
less formation of blood and loss of appetite ; if
used in excessive quantities, it will bring on cough,
asthma, misanthropy, dullness and inactivity. It
excites the desire for sexual intercourse, and con-
siderably tells upon intellectual powers, so much
so that excess of its use often brings on insanity,
which is some time after rendered hopelessly in-
curable.
49. At first these drugs appear to be tonic, and
prostitutes are known to take them merely for the
sake of intoxication ; but ultimately they prove
injurious, and cause thinness of semen.
51. Generally these men don't commit any
serious offences, but its use is the result of vaga-
bondish life.
53. Excessive use of these substances does not
lead to the commission of serious offences, nor
produces the homicidal mania.
54. The use of these drugs does not fortify one
to commit any premeditated crime.
55. An offender simply with a view to carry
out his evil intentions cannot make his victim
totally senseless merely by means of these drugs,
unless he mixes with them some other substance
stronger in effect than these.
57. Ganja and charas are only smoken in a
chillum ; they are never used in any other way.
147. Evidence of BULDEO SAHAI, Brahmin, Hakim, Meerut.
1. As I have had occasions of treating
several patients deeply under the influence of
bhang and charas, and I have also seen persons
who are addicted to the use of these drugs, I reply
the questions set regarding these two drugs only.
As regards ganja, which is neither cultivated here
nor the residents of this place ever use it, I have
no knowledge of it whatsoever.
2. Following are the different names applied to
bhang—bhang, bang, subzi, patti, bijia, thandai,
and pinka. Thundai is a common name in use
here. The term siddhi, also sometimes applied for
it, is never used here.
The only other name for charas, as far I know, is
sulfa.
19. Charas, besides being used in a huka, is
sometimes administered with other intoxicating
drugs.
23. I have never seen or heard any body using
bhang in a huka.
28. Moderately bhang is used from one to three
mashas individually, and on an average they use
about 3½ mashas daily. As charas in generally
used in a company, it is difficult to say exactly
what quantity is consumed daily by each person,
but moderately it is used in a chillum once or
twice. Habitual consumers of bhang, and those
who use too much of it, never consume more than
a chatak or two daily ; similarly, excessive con
sumers of charas never use more than 20 or 25
chillums a day—of course never consuming each
chillum more than once or twice.
29. Bhang is generally used with black pepper
and aniseed ; and some persons very fond of it mix
it with small cardamoms,kewra,almonds,rose water
and sugar. Persons addicted too much to its use
sometimes mix it with dhatura seeds, opium, and
arsenic. I have never heard or seen any body
using it with nux-vomica and betel-nut in these
districts. The object of these admixtures is simp-
ly to produce excessive intoxication. Tobacco