402
48. Not necessarily hereditary.
49. The habitual use of ganja tends to im-
potence in the long run.
50. The stage of impotence is reached earlier.
51. A large proportion of bad characters are
habitual moderate consumers of ganja. The use of
ganja does not result in the commission of crime.
52. A large proportion of bad characters are
habitual moderate consumers of ganja. The use
of ganja does not result in the commission of
crime.
53. No ; I know of no such cases.
54. Ganja mixed with some other drugs or
intoxicants is, I think, so used and not mere
ganja.
55. Any new man taking ganja, if induced to
sleep, can enjoy it soundly, when any crime can
possibly be committed, such as robbery. Raw
ganja, with or without admixture, stupefies man if
taken in, but not by mere smoking. The stupe-
faction by ganja is not complete.
56. I do not know.
57. See answer under 55.
58. It is capable of improvement.
59 and 60. The cultivation of hemp must be
restricted ; any man wishing to cultivate must
obtain the permission of Government to do so,
mentioning the area of laud so cultivated, so that
there may be a public record of such lands and
their extent, and all possible information con
- nected with it for ready reference ; this will put a
stop to the promiscuous growing of hemp in
gardens and backyards also. The ganja harvest
must also be conducted under Government super
-
vision to ascertain the quantity produced in the
country.
62. The cultivation of hemp plant for the
production of bhang should be controlled. This
would be feasible. By raising the tax and keeping
severe supervision of the Government in the
cultivation of the hemp plant.
63. My objection to the system of retail vend is
that all poor people who are lazy vagabonds and
who are in the habit of smoking ganja, etc., can
get the thing to satisfy their pernicious habit for
a pie or for two pies, so, that they may use it for
one day, but if it is to be a wholesale vend, then
there will be an indirect check on the free use of
these.
65. The taxation is reasonable.
68. There are shops licensed for the sale of
ganja. I have nothing special to say on these.
69. It is a matter of formality that is gone
through of consulting the neighbours before the
shop is opened. Public opinion ought to be con-
sidered before opening such shops.
70. I have heard that ganja is imported from
Native States by travellers occasionally and also by
merchants. I think duty is really paid by the
merchants.
176. Evidence of CHODISETTY VENKATARATNUM, Merchant,
Coconada, Godavari
District.
1. I had this information by consulting several
experienced native physicians and well-known
consumers of these hemp drugs.
2. Out of these three narcotic articles which are
obtained from hemp, only two are in use in these
parts of the country, viz ., ganja and bhang. The
female hemp plant is far superior to the male one.
This plant is generally cultivated in the plains.
Charas is not generally known to the people of
Southern India, and it is in common use in Northern
India.
Ganja, consisting of the dried flowering tops of
cultivated female hemp plants which have become
coated with resin is generally known by the name
of kally. Flat ganja is in common use in these
parts of the country. Round ganja and broken
ganja are not known to this part.
Only two varieties of the hemp drugs, viz ., ganja
and bhang, may be accepted to our province.
3. Spontaneous growth of these hemp plants is
generally to be seen in the hilly tracts of Northern
Circars. It is abundant, especially in the district
of Ganjam.
4. It is generally known by the name of ganja.
It exactly refers to the same plant.
5. It is necessary to the growth of the wild
hemp that the climate should be cold. The fall of
the rain and snow must be very frequent. The
soil must be fertile. Elevation is not so very
essential for its growth.
6. The growth of the wild hemp is ordinarily
scattered. If the growth is dense, it is scarce that
the plant bears the flowering-tops coated with
resin, which is the essential part of this plant.
7. The districts of Kristna and Ganjam have
cultivation of this plant to a certain extent. The
seeds are not used in preparing bhang. These seeds
are used for medicine.
8. As far as the knowledge of my information
goes, I see neither increase nor decrease in the
area under such cultivation.
9. The soil is manured before the seeds are
sown. These little plants, after they have grown
to the height of six inches, are taken away and
transplanted in a different manured soil, at a
distance of three or four feet from each other,
either singly or doubly.
10. They do not form a special class. They are
of the same classes as other agricultural culti-
vators.
11. No such restriction is necessary.
12. The hilly tracts of Northern Circars have
this practice in general. In all cases where the
cultivation of this plant is made, the male plant
is extirpated with no exceptions.
13. The cultivation of this hemp plant is
restricted to the districts of Kristna, Ganjam, and
Vizag. It is restricted to these districts, because
there are people acquainted with this cultivation
in those parts. The cultivation of this plant
would be impossible to the parts where the soil is
fruitless.
14. Ganja and bhang are prepared in our
province or in our part to some extent. Charas is
not at all known to our part.
15. There is no difference between the prepara-
tion of the cultivated and wild plant. Ganja is
used for smoking. The process of preparation for
smoking is this:— The flat ganja, that is, the
agglutinated dried leaves of the hemp plant, is