163
people. About 30 per cent. eat bhang in the
shape of churan mixed with other digestive in-
gredients, and about 20 per cent. drink it as
a refreshing beverage habitually, most part of
which consist of Brahmins, who prefer bhang to
the other two hemp products. The use of charas
is on the increase here in the Terai pargana.
25. As charas-smoking produces warmth of the
body, increases appetite, and quenches thirst, for
the time being, so it is a great inducement to the
inhabitants of the Terai, and to the working class,
who have to undergo much fatigue.
26. Ganja is not uesd in the Terai.
Charas.
(a) 25 per cent.
(b) 5 per cent.
(c) 60 per cent.
(d) 5 per cent.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Bhang.
25 per cent.
1 per cent.
50 per cent.
5 per cent.
During the Sheoratri and Holi festivals, bhang
and charas are greatly consumed, even by those
who are not habitual consumers.
27. Ascetics, fakirs, and men having no responsi-
bilities of life, are the chief consumers. Ascetics
who practise Hat Yoga and concentration of mind,
and people who have to expose themselves frequent-
ly to cold and damp, readily take to the habit of
charas smoking.
28. Charas—(a) Half tola, about half an anna.
(b) Half a chattack, about four annas worth,
29. (a) Tobacco is always mixed with charas for
smoking; black pepper with bhang.
(b) Milk, sugar, and other aromatic fragrant
substances are mixed with bhang occasionally.
Dhatura is sometimes used with bhang by excessive
consumers to increase the intoxicating effect.
Bhang massala, as sold in the bazars, consists of
dry rose leaves, sonf, cucumber seeds, cardamom
seeds, melon seeds, etc., for being mixed with
bhang,
30. Charas is almost always smoked in company.
Bhang is drunk generally in solitude, occasionally
in company. The use of these drugs is mainly
confined to the male sex, and is not restricted to
any time of life. Children do not usually use these
drugs.
31. (a) Yes.
(b) It is not very difficult to break off the habit
of the use of these drugs.
(c) Yes, especially in the case of charas and
ganja.
32. During the Holi festival the consumption
of these drugs, though not essential, increases; it
is generally temperate.
In Bengal, on the last day of the Durga Puja,
known as Bijaya Dasami, it is a religions custom to
drink bhang; and it is essential, so that persons
not likely to drink bhang have to touch their lips
even with it. This custom is generally temperate,
and is not likely to lead to the habitual use of the
drug.
33. The use of ganja and charas is generally
regarded as a bad habit; but there is no public
opinion against the practice. The use of bhang
in moderation is never regarded bad; ganja and
charas are in disrepute, because their effects are
more injurious and the habit pernicious; hemp
plant is never worshipped.
34. Indeed it would be a serious privation to
the habitual consumers of these drugs, either
in moderate or excess, to forego the use all at
once, because in the case of ganja and charas
smokers, the sudden withdrawal would produce
lethargy, indigestion, catarrh, and rheumatic pains
in the joints and limbs, and an utter disability
for work; and in the case of bhang drinkers, the
withdrawal would cause digestive derangements,
dysentery, and piles. But by gradually with-
drawing the use, it would not be difficult to break
off the habit.
35. It would not be feasible to prohibit the
use of any of these drugs. Certainly, the drug
would be consumed illicitly by the habitual con-
sumers, and the prohibition would cause serious
discontent among the cousumers, though it might
not amount to a political danger, as the consu-
mers are generally low-spirited and of a cowardly
nature. The consumers of these drugs, if prohi-
bited, would certainly have recourse to other in-
toxicating agents.
36. No, not in this part of the country.
37. I don't think there is any difference in the
effects except that charas is the stronger of the
two.
39. No, rather smoking is more injurious than
drinking, because smoking produces a great strain
upon the lungs, and the effects upon the system
are immediate and sudden; and euphysema and
asthma generally occur among the smokers.
40. Yes, charas is used generally externally in
the treatment of burns of cattle.
41. Yes.
(a) Bhang is much used for its digestive pro-
perties.
(b) Ganja and charas are used for these bene-
ficial effects.
(c) Bhang is sometimes credited with febrifuge
properties.
(d) Bhang is beneficial in dysentery and piles.
Brahmans, who have to do much feasting, in-
variably eat or drink bhang on account of its
digestive properties. It is noteworthy that the
Chaubeys of Muttra, almost all of whom use
bhang, eat double or triple the ordinary amount
of food. About 50 or 60 per cent. of Brahmans,
most of whom are professional feasters, use bhang
in moderate. Labourers and fakirs, who have to
do much travelling and have necessarily to under-
go much fatigue and exposure, use charas and
ganja. About 90 per cent. of fakirs use ganja or
charas, and 40 per cent. of labourers and working
classes. I refer to the moderate habitual use.
42. Moderate use of these drugs is almost
harmless.
43. Yes.
44. It is refreshing. The drugs do not pro-
duce intoxication to the habitual consumers. It
does allay hunger to some extent. Bhang creates
appetite, but ganja and charas do not. The
effects do not last more than an hour. There are
no after-effects, except some giddiness of the head.
It does produce longing and some uneasiness to
ganja and charas smokers, but not to those who
use bhang in moderation.
45. (b) to (e) No.
(f) It does deaden the intellect to some extent;
but the moderate use does not produce insanity.
The habitual excessive use often produces perma-
nent insanity, and the occasional excessive use
leads to temporary insanity, which might become
permanent if not properly attended to at the
onset, or it might recur at every such excess and
indulgence. There is no typical symptom suffi-
cient to distinguish the insanity produced from
vol. v.
2 B 2