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call for the intoxicant, his satisfaction in securing
it, and fin ally the smoking. In a few minutes he
sub sides into a deep sleep. After some time the
king is represented as resuming consciousness and
becoming very angry at the position and condition
of the peon, whom he at once attempts to rouse.
He is not successful. When the peon finally
comes to the king, who is immensely pleased
with the drug, asks the peon how much the potent
medicine cost. The peon answers, mentioning the
smallest current copper coin. The king, who had
expected to hear some large sum named, is quite
annoyed to think that so cheap a weed should so
easily intoxicate him, and with the customary
exclamation of disgust " Chi, chi, po, po," sum
- m a r i l y d i s m i s s e s t h e p e o n a m i d s t r o a r s o f l a u g h t e r
from the audience.
Ganja has the reputation amongst the people of
being one of the most powerful intoxicants known,
so that much of it is not required to produce
excess.
29. With ganja, tobacco ; with bhang, cow's
or cocoanut milk, pepper, ginger, aniseed, sugar,
cloves, cinnamon, nutmegs. Only one case is
reported where the bhang was mixed with dhatura
to intensify its intoxicating effects. But of that
case more later. One man reported cases in
Rangoon and these districts where the consumers
mix poppy seeds with a paste made from the
leaves of the hemp plant and chew the compound
much as they do tobacco. These were exceptional
cases.
30. (a) Ganja is smoked in company as a rule,
the pipe passing from mouth to mouth like the
pipe of peace amongst North American Indians.
Excessive consumers smoke at all times and use
the drug mixed with tobacco, the same as others
use tobacco, Bhang is generally taken in
solitude.
(b) Ganja mostly confined to males from 15
years up. A class of women called matagulu,
who correspond to the bairagulu, are said to use
it. They live a homeless, wandering life.
(c) Ganja.—Boys attached to the mats or monas
- t e r i e s o f t h e r e l i g i o u s m e n d i c a n t s o r f r i a r s w i l l
use it from eight or ten years of age onward,
but I hear of no others.
I cannot speak of bhang.
31. (a) The ganja habit is easily formed, not
being attended with such disagreeable primary
effects as tobacco, and being much more seductive in
the rapidity with which a taste for it is acquired.
(b) and (c) It is very seldom, if ever, given up
when once formed, and the tendency is strongly
toward excess. One informant states that he knew
of two old men over 85 who were compelled to
give the habit up, as they could not endure the
stimulating effect.
32. (1) (a) The ganjai habit is called "the leaf
of wisdom" amongst the sanyasis or religious as-
cetics, because the use of it produces a mental
state conducive to a knowledge of the Deity.
(b) The use of it by them, though all but uni
-versal, is not considered essential.
(c) It is generally excessive.
(d) And injurious.
(2) (a) The use of ganja is universal in a reli
-gious society called " Universal Wisdom."
(b) It is essential in that society's meetings,
which, however, do not seem to be frequent.
( c ) I t i s t hen ex c es s i v e.
(d) And injurious.
(3) (a) In Vedantic religion.
(b) Not essential.
(c) Excessive
(4) (a) In Puri there are three idols, one of
whom, Balabhadra, is said to be very fond of
ganja. All the officials in that temple use ganja,
and each night a large quantity is prepared and
placed before the image, and is afterwards con
- s u m e d b y t h e a t t e n d a n t s .
(b) Essential.
(c) Excessive.
33 (a) The ganja habit is regarded as bad by
the educated, because intoxicants are forbidden in
the Shastras ; by the uneducated, because of the
injurious effect produced by the use of the drug.
A man who habitually indulges to excess is re
-garded as lacking in sanity. They do not believe
his statements or respect his opinion. In fact,
there is a common saying applied to a man who
talks wildly or foolishly to the effect that "he
talks as a man who smokes ganja." If a stranger
comes to a town and is known to be following the
advice of a man addicted to ganja, the neighbours
say, " Will you listen to that lunatic ? Why, he
uses ganja." And the poor fellow's influence is
at once destroyed.
(b) There is a very strong public opinion
against the practice, which is regarded by the
people as bad and injurious. It produces intoxi
-cation, which in their eyes is shameful and disgrace
-ful. It produces in the course of time weakness
and dependence on others for help, which is resent
- e d . T h e c o n s u m e r s a r e t h e m s e l v e s a s h a m e d .
Many are surprised to hear that the Govern
-ment is concerned about a practice which is con
-fined to so small a portion of the people as use
ganja and bhang, and are not seemingly concerned
about the widespread, rapidly-increasing, and
much more injurious habit of alcoholic drink,
from which much greater harm results.
34. The information under this head is con
-flicting. Some say " yes," because a strong unna
- t u r a l a p p e t i t e h a s b e e n f o r m e d , w h i c h w i l l c r y o u t
for the drug. Whereas the majority say " no ;"
That while the habit, when once formed, is
seldom, if ever, discontinued, yet the deprivation
of it does not seem to be attended by the racking
pains and suffering caused by abstention from
opium and alcoholic drinks. A ganja smoker
comes into the village. He finds there is no shop
here. The last shop was 15 miles back ; the next
is 26 miles on. He goes on seemingly not incon
-venienced by the temporary deprivation. But
when an opium user comes, if he cannot get the
drug, he falls down exhausted and declares he will
die.
The numbers are most difficult to ascertain.
35. (a) Owing to the paucity of shops in these
parts, practical prohibition exists. Much that is
consumed is consumed illicitly. The introduction
of the license system seems to have had no appre
-ciable effect on the use of the drugs. The ganja
is nearly all grown by the consumers in their own
yards.
If one illicit grower were arrested in each
village, the plants would all be rooted out. But,
as it is, the police themselves are in collusion.
(d) No serious discontent would result in this
province.
(f) As the appetite created by the drug differs
from that created by either alcoholic drinks or