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damp. Bokhara charas used to keep for four or
five years. Yarkand charas keeps for a year ; in
the second year it loses halfi ts effect, and after that
it becomes absolutely useless. There is no way
of keeping it good. It keeps much longer in a
cold climate.
19. Ganja and charas are used only for smok-
ing. Occasionally a fakir or two may eat charas
in the cold weather, and fakirs occasionally give
others a very small quantity to eat to ward off
ague. They say that in 6uch case milk only should
be drunk, as drinking water increases the fever.
20. Ganja is unknown here. Charas is 6moked
by nearly all castes, but most by fakirs and labour-
ers, such as kahars and mallahs. There are no
special localities.
22. Almost entirely Yarkand, which is imported
through Hoshiarpur and Amritsar.
23. There is no such custom. A man may,
if he can get no charas in the jungle, rub a few
leaves into his tobacco, bub that is all.
24. All classes drink bhang, chiefly Brahmins,
then banias and Khatris : for the most part men
of better quality (charas being used more by the
lower classes). It is drunk chiefly in the hot
weather. Often in the cold weather it is eaten
as a powder or as a confection.
25. The use of bhang is much what it was
before, but the use of charas has largely increased,
because it is cheaper.
26. Bhang—
(a) About 12,000 in this district.
(b) Hardly any in this district.
(c) About 5,000 or 6,000 more than (a). These
drink it in the hot weather only.
Charas—
(a) 35 per cent.
(b) 15 per cent.
(c) 50 per cent.
27. Bhang—
(a) and (b) Brahmins, banias, Khatris.
(c) All castes.
Charas—
(a) Kahars, mallahs, thakurs, and to some
extent Brahmins, banias, etc.
(b) Not confined to any special castes.
(c) All castes.
28. Bhang—
(a) From 1 to 4 mashas—about 1 pice.
(b) Up to 1 chittack—about half anna for the
bhang.
Charas—
(a) 8 mashas—half an anna.
(5) Up to a chittack—say, 4 annas.
19. Bhang—Pepper, cardamons, saffron, cu-
cumber seeds, milk, sugar, and other things are
ordinarily used. Charas is used only with
tobacco. Dhatura is used by some fakirs with
bhang. The ingredients mixed with bhang are
intended chiefly to improve the taste.
30. Bhang is generally drunk in solitude, but
charas is always smoked by three or four men
together. Both are used chiefly by men ; their
use is not confined to any time of life after twelve
years of age. It is not usual for children to use
either drug.
31. The habit of neither is quickly formed.
The bhang habit is not a strong one, and can be
easily given up : there are many people who
drink it in the hot weather, and give it up in the
cold. Charas can be easily given up in the earlier
stages, but with difficulty, when the habit has
continued for any time.
32. I know of no special customs, but worship-
pers of Shiva generally drink bhang on Sheobart,
and the consumption of both drugs is greater at
the time of the Holi.
83. The bhang habit is not considered harmful,
but the use of charas is thought a sign of bad
character. There is no religious objection to the
use of either.
34. Yes ; both to the consumers of bhang and
of charas, because those who are accustomed to
their use cannot get on without them.
35. An immediate prohibition would be impos-
sible, and would certainly be followed by illicit
consumption, as in the case of chandu. It would
be followed in the case of spirit-drinking castes to
some extent by resort to alcoholic stimulants.
36. None.
37. Much the same, but the effects of charas are
much stronger.
41. Both bhang and charas are useful to alleviate
fatigue. Bhang and charas are both used as a
febrifuge. Charas is very widely used in the
Terai : in the cold weather, there are very few
people who do not smoke it, and it is said there to
be beneficial.
42. The final effect of charas is certainly inju-
rious, when weakness comes on due to old age or
illness. But so long as a man is in good health it
is harmless, and to ward off the effects of cold, etc.,
is beneficial. Bhang has no such evil effect : it
may produce flatulence if other ingredients such
as pepper, etc., are not used with it.
43. Yes.
44. Bhang produces an exhilaration in about 15
or 20 minutes, which lasts about 1½ hours. It in-
creases the appetite. The after-effects are drowsi-
ness and a desire for more. Charas produces an
immediate intoxication, much more powerful than
that of bhang. It lasts about 1½ hours and is
followed by drowsiness and a strong desire for
more.
45. The moderate use of bhang is not harmful.
It does not impair the constitution, nor injure the
digestion, nor impair the moral 6ense. Charas
in the final stage produces asthma, cough,
watery eyes, but does not injure the intellect or
impair the moral sense.
46. Even excessive use of bhang is not harm-
ful. The excessive use of charas is destructive.
It produces asthma and cough, madness, excessive
weakness.
It is not a hereditary habit. The children of
excessive consumers of charas are weak and un-
healthy.
49. Prostitutes use bhang to some extent, and
charas more for this purpose.
51. A large proportion of bad characters smoke
charas. The use of charas has no connection with
any special crime.
53. Charas and bhang have no such effect.
54. They are not so used.
55. Yes ; they use bhang to stupefy their vic-
tims ; mixing it in something they give them to
eat. It is not so easy for them to use charas, be-
cause a non-smoker will not touch it, and one
accustomed to its use will not be much affected by
it.