112
28. I do not know this.
29. While smoking ganja they mix tobacco
with it to improve its taste. Dhatura is not
mixed. Bhang massala is neither prepared nor
sold in this district.
30. They smoke ganja in the presence of
persons who are addicted to its use and avoid the
presence of those who do not smoke it. Those
who drink bhang do not take any such precaution;
rather they take delight in drinking it in com
-pany. Generally its consumption is confined to
the male sex and children are not allowed to
use it.
31. The habit is easily formed on account of the
effects of society, and to break it off is attended
by temporay discomfort, which if one cares to
undergo, the habit breaks off. It depends upon
the habit of a moderate user to develop into the
excessive.
32. None of these drugs bears any connection
with religion, caste or custom. They are only
taken for intoxication. After a short use it be
-comes a habit to smoke ganja which results in
producing foam and reducing the blood. The use
of bhang produces flatulence.
33. The respectable class of people regard the
intoxication of ganja as very bad. Its use has no
connection with religion. It is liked only by
bairagis, gosains and sadhus, who profess to have
left all worldly cares, and the labouring classes,
who are under the impression that by smoking
ganja they will be relieved of their worry. There
is no custom of worshipping the hemp plant in
this district. It is not advisable to drink bhang,
b u t p e o p l e t a k e d e l i g h t i n d o i n g s o .
34. It would not be a serious privation to any
class of consumers to forego the consumption of
the drug they use. I cannot guess the probable
number of each class of consumers.
35. It is possible to prohibit the use of all
these drugs. If it is gradually reduced, the
consumers can after some time forego the con
-sumption of their favourite drug. If it is pro
- h i b i t e d a l l a t o n c e , t h e g a n j a - s m o k e r s w o u l d f i n d
it very inconvenient, and they will adopt any
measure, however bad it may be, whereby they
could expect to get the drug. It is not advisable
to replace the ganja by any other intoxicating
stimulant, for all intoxicating things are bad.
The prohibition would certainly create discontent
among the consumers, but not to such an extent
as to amount to a political danger. The entire
prohibition of ganja would be beneficial to all
classes of people excepting the sadhus, bairagis,
gosains, etc., who consider this drug even more
indispensable than food itself, and as they are
always travelling, the use of ganja prevents the
effects of the changing climates on their con
- s t i t u t i o n .
36. I do not know this.
37. They do not smoke charas in this district,
hence I cannot state the difference.
38. The flat ganja (kali or baluchur) produces
more intoxication than the other two preparations.
The round ganja possesses a greater degree of
intoxication than chur.
39. They don't use bhang for smoking. Ganja
is so used, and the chur is both used for smoking
and drinking, The use of ganja for smoking is
very injurious as is evidenced by the effects
produced on the smokers, many of whom become
insane, and others are reduced in health owing to
loss of blood.
40. In "Granth Raj Nighant" and "Gadni
- w a r a n " t h e a u t h o r s h a v e d e s c r i b e d t h e m e d i c i n a l
qualities of bhang, which is mixed with several
native medicines, and the chur and bhang form
also an ingredient of the cattle or horse massala.
41. I do not know about charas, but the mode
- r a t e u s e o f g a n j a o r b h a n g i s b e n e f i c i a l i n i t s e f f e c t s ,
as detailed below:
—
Bhang (a) a s a f o o d a c c e s s o r y a n d d i g e s t i v e .
Ganja ( b) as giving staying—power under severe
exertion or exposure.
Bhang. As alleviating fatigue, ( c) as a febrifuge
or preventive of disease in malarious and
unhealthy tracts.
Do. (d) As an ingredient of the cattle massala
and other medicines.
My answer in regard to (a) and (b) refers to
both the habitual as well as occasional use; that
in regard to ( c) and (d) r e f e r s t o o n l y o c c a s i o n a l
one. All classes of people can be found who use
the drug for the purposes stated under heads ( a)
to (d).
43. Moderate consumers of bhang and ganja
are inoffensive to their neighbours.
44. Ganja-smoking produces immediate intoxi
- c a t i o n , w h i c h l a s t s f o r a b o u t t h r e e h o u r s . B h a n g
creates appetite. Its effect also lasts for three
hours, after which it makes the consumer
inactive.
47. It does not affect in any way the children
of the moderate consumer and is limited to the
user himself.
49. Some prostitutes are addicted to smoke
ganja.
53. I never heard so.
55. I have sometimes heard that criminals, in
order to further their design, induce their victims
to stupefy themselves by partaking any of these
drugs. But I cannot state this with certainty.
57. Ganja is not eaten in this province. If one
cannot get good bhang they use chur as a
s u b s t i - t u t e t h e r e f o r .
58. The present system is working well, and
can be allowed to remain.
59. No alteration necessary.
60. The agriculturists and gardeners can pro
-duce and prepare ganja.
61. I don't know about charas.
62. People of this province do not know the
system to produce or prepare bhang.
63. The present system is good and can be
allowed to remain.
65 and 66. The present system will do.
67. The present system will do. To tax the
consumers would be a severe hardship.
68. There are licensed shops for the sale of these
drugs in these provinces.
69. People are not consulted, but local public
opinion ought to be consulted before opening a
shop.
70. The duty on ganja and bhang imported
from Native States is duly paid, and if an offender
is apprehended; he is legally dealt with.