178
13. No ; not restricted. As for soils, etc., see
answers to question 5. The cultivation is not
impossible in any soil except the saline soil.
14. (a) Yes ; to a small extent.
(b) This is not known in these parts.
(c) A sort of drink is prepared from ganja by
private individuals to a small extent for domestic
consumption.
15. Cultivated ganja—
(A)
Smoking.—Ganja is first rubbed between the
palms, and is then mixed with water and tobacco
and made into small balls and put into pipes for
smoking.
(B)
Eating.—Ganja is not taken in unless mix-
ed up with some ingredients. The ordinary pre-
paration of ganja is purnâdhi. This is prepared
as follows : Ganja is first fried and then mixed
with pepper, ginger, etc , and made into fine
powder, end is then mixed up with jaggery so--
lution and made into balls.
(C)
Drinking.—Ganja when prepared for drink--
ing is called bhang. It is prepared by wash-
ing ganja with water and then grinding it with
sugar, poppy seeds, almonds, milk, etc., and then
used as a drink. But if milk is sparingly used,
the mixture is capable of being formed into balls,
when it becomes eatable.
16. (a) Yes ; it is prepared for domestic con--
sumption.
(b) Yes.
(c) The use of wild hemp in the preparation
of ganja or charas is not known in this district.
17. By fakirs and sanyasis, and to a certain
extent by the Muhammadans and the poorer
classes of Hindus.
18. Ganja keeps good for five or six months, and,
if preserved with care, it retains its effects even for
a year. It is liable to be attacked by insects, and
loses its effects if it is exposed to air for a long
time. Deterioration may be prevented by placing
ganja in closed vessels with some bits of camphor
or pepper seeds.
19. Charas, as already stated, is not known in
these parts. Ganja is made use of in smoking.
It is also used in the preparation of bhang and
other preparations.
20. Fakirs, sanyasis, Muhammadans, and the
poorer class of Hindus. The proportion is com-
paratively small.
21. Ganja of the flat variety only is available
here, and it is used for smoking.
22. Charas is not known in these parts.
23. No ; not in Salem district.
24. Vide answers to question 20. The propor-
tion of people using it is very small ; but no figures
can be given.
25. The use of ganja is said to be on the
increase for the reasons (1) that it is cheaper ; (2)
that it has more lasting effects than liquor.
26. Information is not available.
27. The consumers are the Muhammadans and
the poorer classes of Hindus. People who have
not got much to do indulge in these drugs. No
particular habit of life seems to lead to the use
of them.
28. Charas and bhang are not sold.
Ganja —
(a) 1 tola, at a cost of 4 pies.
(b) Above 1 tola but less than 3 tolas.
29. Ganja, when used for smoking, is invari-
ably mixed with tobacco. It is by the admixture
of things, such as pepper, garlic, milk, sugar,
etc., that bhang and other preparations are made.
The object of the mixture was to lessen the bit--
terness of the drug and render it more palatable.
Datura is not used. The preparation of bhang
massala is not known in these parts.
30. Ganja smoking mostly is practised in com-
pany. Bhang is taken in solitude. The practice
is confined to the male sex and above the middle
period of life. It is administered to children to
soothe pain, especially when Muhammadan children
are circumcised.
31. The habit is difficult to form, as the initia
- t i v e a t t e m p t i s s a i d t o b e a n y t h i n g b u t a g r e e a b l e .
But when it is once formed it is difficult to break
off. The moderate use may develop into exces--
sive when the consumer cannot control himself.
It depends upon the strength of mind.
32. No information is available.
33. Ganja smoking is held by the public to be
degrading. The use of any kind of intoxicant
among the Muhammadans is not allowed in their
Koran.
34. Yes ; it would be. Once accustomed to it,
the man must continue the habit, or he gets sick
one way or other.
35. (a) No ; never absolutely to prohibit.
(b) Yes, if prohibition be imposed.
(c) By legislation, if at all.
(d) Yes ; will likely lead to disastrous results.
(e) Yes ; almost so.
(f) Yes, as an alternative.
37. There is no charas smoking here at all.
38. Ganja of the flat variety only is used here.
39. Ganja smoking is said to be more injurious
than eating and drinking of any of the preparations
from hemp, as the ingredients which enter into
such preparations lessen the ill effects of the drug,
and render it highly agreeable to one's self.
Bhang is said to sharpen the appetite, and it there-
fore does good to consumers. But it should not
be taken too much, and it requires good
n o u r i s h - i n g f o o d .
40. None of the drugs is administered by itself
to people or cattle. But halvas or other prepara-
tions are made by native doctors, in which ganja is
one of the many ingredients, and used by the
people. Ganja, mixed with other drugs, is used for
cattle disease.
41. Ganja smoking
—
(a) It promotes digestion at first, but after
some time it suppresses the desire for food.
(b) and (c) Yes.
B h a n g —
(a) This does not destroy appetite, but, on
the other hand, it is said to sharpen it.
(b) and (c) Yes. Hill people use it.
42. The moderate use of these drugs is said to
be harmless.
43. Yes.
44. The first effect is the exhilaration of spirits
and a sort of forgetfulness of mental troubles.
Said to be refreshing. Ganja to a slight extent
and bhang more. The effect lasts, in the case of
ganja, for four or five hours. But in the case of
bhang it lasts for eight or nine hours.