81
into bhang when any one chooses. Bhang is not
exported to any extent. It is good. Bhang grows
everywhere in Garhwal, in all filthy places, and
manured places especially. There is no prepara-
tion of wild hemp for smoking as ganja, unless
you take bhang leaves.
Question 7.—The cultivation taken altogether is
very considerable. It is grown in almost every
village in at least one-third of Garhwal. It is
chiefly used for fibre. It is the same as that from
the leaves of which they take charas. I think the
production of charas in the Garhwal district might
amount to five maunds, not more. The contrac-
tors in the district sell the Arkand or Yarkand
charas; hence the production is seen to be small.
The people of the district chiefly smoke their own;
but the pilgrims going to Badrinath and Kedar-
nath are the chief consumers of the foreign article.
Question 9.—The seeds are sold. They are
brought to the markets of Kotwad and Ramna-
gar; but they are generally consumed at home.
The seeds powdered and mixed with water are
cooked with vegetables. They are much used. It
is in the middle portion of Garhwal that hemp is
used for clothing.
Question 10.— The prejudice against sowing,
reaping, and cultivating hemp is based on the fact
that the lower classes do this work. There is no
such prejudice against cultivation generally. There
is no scruple against extracting charas. When-
ever the plant is grown for fibre, the resin is ex-
tracted for charas. The difference between male
and female plants is not known in Garhwal. I
did not know it till I saw these questions.
Question 20.—Bhang drinkers are not one per
cent., except at the Holi.
Question 25.—Both imported and country-made
charas is on the increase. My view is founded on
statements made by people I asked. I have no
statistics. They say there are more hemp smokers.
There is no association of insanity with hemp at
Garhwal; for excessive smoking is rare. Liquor
is also on the increase. The two vices do not often
go together. Few take both. The habits are
generally quite separate.
Question 37.—We do not know ganja in Garh-
wal ; but this is the opinion of the Garhwal people,
that it is stronger than charas.
Qnestion 45.—The second part of this answer
is based on popular opinion, not on any private
experience. I do not think that hemp leads to
deterioration of mind or morals. The Garhwal
people are truthful and moral after their own
fashion. I have seen some people who smoked to
excess and were insane. They were harmless. I
cannot recall any particular case.
50. Evidence of KAMTA PRASAD, Kaeth, Officiating Deputy Collector, Sultanpur.
1. I have answered the question from my person-
al knowledge as Tehsildar and Excise Officer.
2. Bhang is also termed sabzi and buti in this
province; charas, yarkandi, saljahan; ganja, balu-
char, batiara.
3. Bhang in Gonda and Bahraich. Charas in
Nepal. Ganja in Rampur Boalia in Bengal. Ganja
grows spontaneously in some places in this district
and other districts, but in very small quantity.
6. Dense in Banda and Bahraich.
14. Bhang is produced in Gonda and Bahraich.
18. Each of the three drugs, ganja, bhang, and
charas, does deteriorate by keeping, losing its
effects to a certain extent in time. Each of them
keeps good with ordinary cave for about three
years. Moisture causes deterioration to ganja and
bhang. If ganja and bhang are kept in dry places
in straw, they will keep good and will not deterior-
ate.
19. Ganja and charas are used only for smok-
ing.
20. Ganja and charas are used for smoking by
the Thakurs, Kahars, Chamars, Bhangis, Naes,
Baris, Kunjars, Hindu and Muhammadau fakirs in
almost all the districts in this province.
21. Ganja baluchar is preferred to ganja
patiara for smoking. In this district and also in
the districts of Bara Banki, Rai Barch, Unao,
patiara ganja is used more than baluchar on account
of low price.
22. Foreign. Yarkandi charas imported from
Punjab is chiefly used. Saljahan charas imported
from Nepal is not much used.
23. Bhang is not used for smoking.
24. Bhang is used by the following classes :—
Brahmins, Thakurs, Khatris, Banias, Saraogis,
Gossain, Hindu fakirs, Kaeths, Naes, Bans, Lodhas,
Loomas.
Generally bhang is used for drinking. It is not
eaten by any class of people as an established prac-
tice. In cold weather and also in other seasons
some persons eat bhang and majun instead of drink-
ing, at their choice.
25. The use of all the three drugs, ganja, bhang,
and charas, is on the increase on account of the
high prices of liquor and low cost of the drugs.
28. The average cost of each of these drugs are
as under:—
Name of drugs.
Bhang . .
Charas . .
Ganja . .
Average cost of
habitual modorate
consumers.
3 pies . .
6 „ . .
6 „ . .
Average cost
of excessive
consumers.
6 pie.
2 annas.
1½ anna.
29. The ingredients mixed ordinarily with bhang
are flat pepper (kali mirch) and aniseed (sonf),
and those exceptionally mixed with bhang are flat
pepper, aniseed, cardamoms, almonds, saffron, sugar,
milk, gurhel flowers, and cucumber seeds. Dhatura
is mixed with bhang in exceptional cases by
religious mendicants or fakirs to have strong in-
toxication. Other ingredients are mixed with
bhang for cooling and light intoxication. In
charas only smoking tobacco, and in ganja smok-
ing and chewing tobaccos, both are mixed to have
strong intoxication.
30. The use of each of these three drugs is 75
per cent. in solitude and 25 per cent. in company.
The use of each of the three drugs is mainly con-
fined to the male sex. It is not generally used by
children. It is not confined to any time of life.
31. The habit of consuming each of the three
drugs is easily formed. Bhang can be given up
easily, but not ganja and charas. There is no ten-
dency in the case of any of these three drugs for
the moderate habit to develop into the excessive, as
is in the case of liquor.
32. In Holi festival bhang is consumed as a
social custom among Brahmins, Chhattries, Banias,
Saraogis and others who refrain from liquor.
vol. v.
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