357
Kahars, Murao and other low castes use them
extensively.
22. Foreign charas used. It is imported from
Punjab and Kabul and is sold here.
28. Bhang is not smoked here.
24. Not restricted to particular classes. The
Hindus and Brahmins use it extensively, and con-
sider its use very useful.
25. Ganja, bhang and charas are on the increase.
Now the Muhammadans have also adopted it.
The number of smokers and users of bhang is al-
ways increasing.
30. Respectable people and those who are reli-
giously forbidden to use ganja, bhang, charas use
it privately and secretly. Generally they form
parties of 10 or 15. Boys do not use it.
31. The habit is easily formed. When the
habit is once acquired it is very troublesome to
give it up ; but when they do give it up, they do
not become ill. Generally they do not use it in
travel and feel no ill consequences.
32. No religious or other custom exists as to
its use. Bhang is regarded by the Hindus as
something auspicious. In Holi festival they use
sweetmeats containing bhang. Charas and ganja
are not necessary for the festival, and the use is
generally moderate.
33. All these three articles are regarded as very
bad. Those very persons who use them prohibit
their consumption by others. A few Hindu castes
regard bhang as auspicious, but the general public
regards bhang and charas or any intoxicating
articles with shame. Sons of respectable people
ruin themselves and become unfit for any work.
They daily lose their strength, and lose all idea of
respectability and honour. They devote some
attention to their food, but pay no attention to
their wives, families and children. The plant
patsan or flax is not worshipped. Only a few
Hindu tribes regard bhang as auspicious.
34. A little trouble may be experienced when
habit is contracted, but no harm whatever is
caused to health. 1 have seen that consumers of
bhang, charas, etc., discontinued their use, and for
about one or two days they felt some uneasiness,
but after that time their countenance brightened
and they became healthy and robust.
35. It is quite possible that these articles could
be entirely prohibited. A time may be fixed and
a notification issued that after such and such date
no sale of these articles would take place, and that
the consumers should at once give up their habit.
It is most probable that people would not use
them secretly ; but it is also probable that a few
tribes of Hindus would secretly use bhang. The
consumers will express no great dissatisfaction,
and those who have a little common sense will
thank the Government. And, of course, there is
no danger possible to the administration. Those
who are given to intoxication can use intoxicating
drinks for the time. And intoxicating drinks is a
hundred times better than these drugs.
36. Some people have even now given up the
use of these articles and begun intoxicating drinks.
Those who want to leave this habit do it by means
of intoxicating drinks, and these do not feel any
trouble. And then gradually they give up the
intoxicating drink itself.
40. Bhang is sometimes prescribed by Yunani
practitioners simply for intoxicating properties.
Bhang is also sometimes used for cattle disease.
The Yunani doctors use smoke of bhang in case of
piles.
41. (a) Charas and ganja neither promote diges-
tion nor add to nutriment. Bhang produces
hunger.
(b) After hard toil, trouble or exhaustion people
generally use bhang.
(c) These articles are never used here for the
purposes mentioned.
42. In my opinion all these articles are injurious
to a very high degree. People have died while
smoking charas and ganja. They lose strength
and their blood dries up. They lose all their
energies.
43. The neighbours are always in trouble. The
strong smell of charas and ganja is very offensive
to the neighbours. Its smell sometimes brings on
vomiting. Even after smoking these articles the
smoker carries the smell with him, which is offen-
sive to the person with whom the smoker sits.
Salivation or intense flow of saliva from his mouth
takes place, and his face becomes languid.
44. An unaccustomed person gets intoxicated
the moment he smokes. One who uses bhang gets
intoxicated after some time. As bhang is intoxi-
cating, the user does not feel any trouble for the
time being. Bhang causes some appetite. Ganja
and charas leave their intoxicating effects for an
hour or half: an hour, but the bhang intoxication
lasts for some time. If nourishing food is not
obtainable, those who use bhang, charas and ganja
grow pale and weakly day by day. If they get
nourishing food the strength is sustained for a
time, after which the man becomes very weak.
The effect of all these three articles is highly in-
jurious to body and mind.
45. The smoker of charas and ganja loses
strength daily and he gets asthma. He is always
subject to attacks of cough. His sense of hospi-
tality and social qualities leaves him. He is
enervated, wants ease and luxury, and is idle. He
is unsocial and dull. His brain becomes very
weak. When the brain becomes weak it leads to
insanity.
46. As the effect of bad company is always bad,
those who keep company of ganja and charas
smokers always fall a victim to them and learn
the habit. The ganja and charas smoker knows
that he is looked down upon by society. So his
aim and ambition is to convert all men to his
brotherhood and learn the vice. He thinks that
if all men learn this vice he will not be looked
down upon with shame and contempt. Thus the
number of smokers is always increasing.
47. The habit is not necessarily hereditary,
But if children see their parents indulging in this
vice they always learn it and practise it them-
selves. This is verified by practice. Thus it be-
comes hereditary.
48. This has been replied to in No. (46).
49. Prostitutes use it for its astringent qualities,
so that they may be able to sustain their strength
for some hours at a time. (In filthy language, to
prevent quick discharges, to prolong dalliance.)
None of these articles are stimulating. In this
way the use is still more injurious. Stimulation
depends upon blood, and as they reduce blood, it
follows that there is no stimulation.
51. Bad characters use bhang, charas and
ganja generally, and their resources are generally
limited. They invent many ways to procure
money by illegal means when their income fails
them. In this way crimes are increased.
53. By excessive use a man loses his sense of
right and wrong. In a state of intoxication they