396
29. Vide answer to question 15, Chapter III.
Dhatura is not used as an admixture.
30. It is practised to a large extent in company
rather than in solitude. It is mainly confined to
the male sex during middle age. It is not usual
for children to consume these drugs.
31. The habit is easily formed and difficult to
break off. There is a tendency in these drugs for
the moderate habit to develop into the excessive.
32. It is said that the Koran (a religious book)
prohibits the consumption of these drugs. Even
the Hindu Shastras regard the use of intoxicating
drugs as sinful. The consumption of these drugs
is not recommended either socially or religiously.
33. The consumption of each of these drugs is
generally regarded with disrepute, socially and
religiously. It is due to a natural tendency to
look with abhorrence on all things evil and ruinous.
There is no custom, as far as I am aware, of wor-
shipping the hemp plant.
37. The effects of charas smoking are different
from ganja smoking, being much stronger owing
to the active narcotic principle.
38. Cannot say.
39. The drinking and eating of bhang is less
injurious than the smoking of ganja or charas,
because the active principle of the former loses
much of its effects in the course of preparation,
whereas ganja and charas are smoked in its raw
state.
40. It is never prescribed on account of its
medicinal qualities by any school of native doctors,
as far as I know. They are never used in the
treatment of cattle disease.
43. Moderate consumers also are quarrelsome
to their neighbours.
53. The excessive indulgence sometimes lead to
violent actions.
54. Criminals are said to use these drugs to
fortify themselves to commit premeditated offen-
ces.
68. Ganja is sold in a shop in the municipal
market and a shop in the commissariat bazaar.
These two shops are licensed.
69. People are not generally consulted as to
the opening of shops ; but I think it is better that
they should be consulted beforehand.
170. Evidence of C. SRINIVAS RAO, Brahmin, Government Pleader, and Chair-
man, Municipal Council, Cuddalore.
1. I have the opportunity of discussing with a
physician dealing with the drugs.
3. I have no information as to the spontaneous
growth in this district.
4. It is not abundant in the district. They
are generally known as ganja.
9.
The seeds taken out of flat ganja sown in a
few back yards a few years ago.
10. A few physicians were growing a few
plants formerly. They appear to have disconti-
nued since a few years.
11. See No. 9.
16. I am not aware of bhang preparation in
this district.
19. Ganja is said to be used very rarely for
smoking.
Flat ganja appears to be used in medicines for
cholera and dysentery. I know that ganja being
used for preparation of certain electuary for treat-
ing cholera cases in equal qualities with ten more
drugs. Sugar and lime juice after purifying the
flat ganja leaves. Flat ganja is used for making
pills, along with pepper and other drugs, for the
benefit of labouring classes in certain localities.
21. Chiefly flat ganja by those who rarely use
it.
24. In the divisions of Bombay and Bengal
Presidencies.
28. A few coolies may buy the pills for one or
two pies, rarely once in a week or a fortnight.
29. I am not aware of dhatura being mixed
with ganja in the district.
30. I don't think children in the district ever
consume the drug.
32. In this part of the district the use of the
drug is considered injurious, and appears to have
been generally hated by a majority of the civilised
classes.
33. No such custom in the district, as far as I
am aware of.
34. I don't think so.
35. No political danger as far as this district
goes.
36. I have no reason to think.
40. They are prescribed, A tola weight of flat
ganja well purified, added to the following drugs of
each one tola weight and prepared as stated below,
has been found to be effectual in dysentery and
cholera cases. I have tried the medicine in many
cases and found it to be successful. The articles
are–dry ginger, pepper, long pepper, Gallnut flower,
country berry or nelikoy, omem, cloves, carda-
moms, catechu. All these powdered and mixed up
with ¼ tola weight of opium dissolved into water
and mixed up with 12 tolas weight of sugar,
12 tolas weight of water, 12 tolas of lime juice.
These last three boiled together become a good
medicine, a dose of medicine being equal to the
size of four peppers, to be repeated once in 30
minutes three or four times until necessity ceases.
54. It is often said criminals use country arrack,
but nothing heard of these drugs in connection
with criminals.
60. I am not aware of cultivation to any appre-
ciable extent. It is the impression of the public
here that such cultivation is objectionable.
62. To assess the cultivation of the plants suffi-
ciently heavy would effectually prevent or control.
63. No objection.
64. No objection.