338
produces very little intoxication, but it does not
make a man senseless. The effect lasts for one
jam or three hours. It produces thoughts and
makes the mind steady ; want of subsequent grati-
fication produces longing as well as a little un-
easiness.
45. The moderate use of this does not produce
noxious effects, physical, mental or moral.
49. This is used mixed with other articles as an
aphrodisiac.
51. Bad characters are not habitual consumers.
53. The excessive indulgence in any of these does
not incite to unpremeditated crime, violent or other-
wise. It does not make the consumer like to
injure others.
54 and 55. No.
124. Evidence of I. PONNUSAWMI PILLAI, Private Practitioner, Pothawar, Salem,
District.
1. I beg to submit very humbly the explanation
regarding the hemp plants, etc., which are as
follows :
3. The hemp plants are abundantly cultivated
and grow itself in Jewatho hills, Cunjumalai hills,
Shevaroy hills, and Kollimalay mountains in the
district of Salem.
14. Ganja, charas and bhang are mostly Pre-
pared in every town and village within the district
of Salem.
16. Bhang is prepared generally by the people
in their houses who are accustomed to it, and it is
prepared from the hemp plant wherever it is
grown ; and even ganja and charas are also prepared
from the wild plant wherever it is grown.
19. It is used for smoking and also mixed (in
Sageon) with different substances by native
doctors for different diseases according to the
Indian medical books of ancient authors. It is
used in almost all parts of India.
20. Sanyasis, bairagis, and other inhabitants who
are accustomed to it throughout the whole district,
especicially in northern parts of India, and, I submit,
1/32 of the portion of people are in the habit of using
the above drugs throughout India.
24. Especially Musalmans, sanyasis, pilgrims,
hairagis, and others who live with their families in
different castes eat and drink bhang, etc.
25. The use of ganja, charas and bhang are
gradually increasing day by day. The people are
much more accustomed to the practice of using
them, because some people think it healthy and
comfortable to their bodily strength, and others
consider that the use of ganja and bhang, etc., will
help them to place their whole thoughts on the
Supreme Being without any temptation to menial
acts.
28. The persons, who are accustomed to eat and
smoke ganja and other drugs, generally smoke and
eat ⅛ ¼ ½ ¾ pollums weight a day. The cost of
the drugs amounts from 3 to 12 pies for those
persons who are moderately in the habit of consum-
ing them.
32. The persons who are accustomed to use that
drug generally before and after meals and in friend-
ship, they use it in (Thumkurrah) society, which
means a place purposely and separately fixed by a
number of people for smoking and eating these
drugs ; also they use it even in religious matters,
and they are in the habit of using them accord-
ingly.
33. Most highly regarded. Those who are ad-
dicted to morality dislike it, and others think it a
social and religious practice. The use of these
drugs are generally criticised by those people who
are not in the habit of using them. The persons
who are accustomed to its use, worship a god, some
with two hands, and others salute them before com-
mencing to eat or smoke.
39. It is not injurious to those people who are
accustomed to it for years together.
40. Ganja and other drugs are not in any way
given to animals, but it is used by the native doctors
for the following diseases :—Diarrhoea, looseness
of bowels, cholera, gonorrhœa, and other diseases.
41. It is beneficial to those people who are ac-
customed to it, but, if a person newly practises it,
I think certainly it leads him to lose his senses
until from giddiness he falls down.
42. Of course and undoubtedly it is not in any
way harmless or injurious to those community who
moderately use and are accustomed to it.
43. The moderate consumers are not in any way
offensive or troublesome to their neighbours.
44. A sort of giddiness. It is refreshing; it
causes hunger, and creates appetite. The giddiness
will last 2, 3, 4, 5 hours (that in smoking larger
quantity and eating by mixing them with other
substances, it will last 6 or 7 hours or a whole day,
till next morning, without sleep, or sometimes with
fast asleep). The consumers will think that they
are out of this world till they come to their proper
sense.
45. The habitual moderate consumers, by the
use of these drugs, produce moral effects, physical
and mental, only to those people who are accus-
tomed to it, and not in any way distructive,
49. As far as my knowledge goes, I think with
regard to the use of these drugs are partly good.
and partly destructive. (Persons who use it with
good meals is comfortable for them and those who
live with light meals it is destructive to them.)
51. In certain cases before committing any
criminal act, the criminals generally bhang them-
selves to do an act without consideration.
53, The use of these drugs causes sometimes
indulgence and incite to commit unpremeditated
crimes, violence, and there may be several cases in
which the police apprehend them for annoyance to
the people in the public roads, etc.
54. Yes.
55. Of course, the criminals generally smoke and
without any mixture, eat also mixing it with dif-
ferent substances to fortify themselves in order to
commit any criminal act without meditation.