361
under the influence of ganja and liquor. The
violent people are generally those who take both
ganja and liquor.
59. I think the control of the hemp drugs is
part of a very much larger question, viz ., the
restriction by Government of all poisonous drugs
in the Indian bazars. I think Government
ought to prohibit the use of ganja except for
medicinal purposes. I think ganja is very much
worse than alcohol, because the five men whom I
have mentioned above presented a much worse
appearance the morning after a bout of smoking
ganja than the drinker does after indulgence in
his liquor.
148. Evidence of the REV. W. H. CAMPBELL, Missionary, London Missionary
Society, Cuddapah.
1. I have lived in the Cuddapah District for
nine years and have spent the greater part of my
time in going from village to village visiting and
teaching the people. I have come into personal
contact with all classes of society, and have not only
seen a good deal of the effects of the hemp drugs,
but have made very careful inquiries about them
of consumers and of others.
2. Yes. The name bhang is commonly applied
to all the various productions of the hemp plant
by the Telugu people. Muhammadans distin-
guish between ganja and bhang, but only a few of
them know the word charas, as the drug is not
commonly used here. The ganja produced and
used in this district is broken ganja, and it is
spoken of simply as ganja or bhang. Flat ganja
is sometimes imported, but it is not, so far as
I h a v e b e e n a b l e t o a s c e r t a i n , d i s t i n g u i s h e d b y a n y
special name.
3. I can only speak of the Cuddapah District.
I have never met with the wild plant here, nor,
though I have made special inquiries, have I ever
heard of its occurrence.
7. The hemp plant is cultivated in almost every
part of this district for the production of ganja.
Charas is not produced in the district, and, al-
though bhang is sometimes used, the plant cannot
be said to be grown for its production. The plant
is never grown here for the sake of the fibre or
seeds. The cultivation for the production of
ganja is pretty extensive. In addition to the
growth for sale, the plant is grown for private use
in almost every village. Consumers rear a few
plants in a garden or back yard, and gather and
preserve the ganja for themselves.
8. I cannot give a direct answer, but refer to
question 25 where I shall deal with the consump-
tion of ganja.
9. Hemp is grown in gardens watered by irri-
gation from channels or wells. It is a five months'
crop. As the plants begin to flower a careful
inspection is made and all the male flowers are
destroyed. When the female plants are in full
flower, the leaves are removed and the stems with
the flowering tops are cut, tied in bundles and
taken to market.
10. In this district hemp is cultivated by all
classes.
13. In this district the cultivation of hemp is
unrestricted. I have found the plant in almost
every part of the district, but it grows best in the
higher ground. It can be cultivated anywhere
in the district.
14. Ganja, is prepared in large quantities in this
district, but production of charas is unknown.
In the few cases in which charas is known and
used, it is specially procured from Madras. Bhang
can hardly be said to be produced, as it is rarely
used and is not commonly sold.
vol. vi.
15. After the flower heads have been separated
from the stem, they are carefully and repeatedly
washed until the water comes away without any
discolouration. The heads are then crushed to-
gether and sold in this broken state. The flat
ganja is not produced here.
(b) For eating ganja is mixed with treacle and
sold in mass. When used in curry the ordinary
broken ganja is used.
(c) For drinking the ordinary ganja is made
into a powder.
16. Where bhang is used it is prepared by the
people in their own houses.
17. There is no particular class concerned in
the preparation of the drug. It is prepared either
by cultivators or by consumers.
18. Ganja does not deteriorate by keeping.
The people say it will keep for any length of time,
if preserved from damp. If damp attacks it, it
becomes mouldy and loses its strength. As there
is a very considerable illicit sale of ganja, Gov-
ernment statistics will hardly show the real
extent of the trade.
19. Ganja is used for eating and drinking as
well as for smoking.
(1)It is powdered, mixed with water, and drunk.
(2) It is mixed with treacle (jaggery) and eaten.
This is common among the Kshatriyas and
other higher classes, who would not like to be
seen smoking the drug.
(3) It is put into curry, especially brain
curry. This is common at funeral ceremonies
amongst various Sudra castes.
(4) It is pounded and pressed into meat, es-
pecially such pieces as the heart or liver, and
the whole is roasted and eaten. Though smok-
ing is the principal form of consumption,
devotees of the drug like to use it in every pos-
sible way.
20. Ganja is used not in one locality, but gen-
erally throughout the district. It is, I think,
more freely used in the black-cotton soil talukas
than in any other part. It is very largely used
by Muhammadans. All classes of Sudras, agri-
cultural and artisan, use it ; so do the low classes,
such as Waddes, Mala and Madigas. Its use is
almost universal among the wandering classes,
such as fakirs and beggars.
21. Chur or broken ganja is the kind commonly
used. The flat ganja is imported, but the people
prefer the other. Some smokers say that the flat
is too heating.
22. Charas is not sold here. What is used is
procured from Madras by consumers.
3c