70
the poor classes as refreshing stimulants to alleviate
their fatigue rather than as luxurious intoxicants.
35. The prohibition would not be feasible, and
there is a fear of the drugs being used illicitly if
the prohibition is enforced. The people now ad-
dicted to their use are not likely to do without
some intoxicant and may take to alcohol instead,
which would be a change for the worse. But in
the case of certain classes (of which there are good
many in India) to whom liquor is religiously pro-
hibited, the deprivation would be felt as a hardship,
and the discontent thus caused may, coupled with
other causes, amount to apolitical danger.
36. I don't think that alcohol is now displacing
these drugs to any extent.
42. The moderate use of these drugs is obvious-
ly harmless, as lots of persons have been using
them for a long time without any appreciable
injurious effects.
43. Yes ; they are quite inoffensive.
58. The present system, I think, is working
pretty well.
46. Evidence of PANDIT BISHAMBHER NATH, Brahmin, Deputy Collector, Unao.
1. As an Excise Officer in Faizabad and Unao
districts, I have obtained the information in the
discharge of my official duties.
2. Yes, but there are two kinds of ganja—(1)
pathar, (2) baluchar. There are three varieties of
baluchar—flat, round, and chur. Pathar is greatly
used in Oudh, as it is cheaper than baluchar,
Baluchar comes from Bengal and pathar from
Central India. Baluchar is less injurious than
pathar.
The dry leaves are also called butee and bijia.
3. Northern parts of Kheri and Bahraich.
4. It is named bhang.
5. Damp and wet climate and moderate rains.
6. Dense.
7. No.
10. There is no special class of hemp cultivators
in Oudh. It is not cultivated in Oudh.
13. No, it can be cultivated in any district. It
being more costly to cultivate hemp than to get the
dry leaves from northern districts, no attempt has
been made to cultivate in districts south of
Gogra.
14. Bhang is not imported to Oudh from any
other province. It is prepared in Kheri and
Bahraich.
15. Bhang is prepared from wild plants by
drying up the leaves.
16. (a) Yes.
(c) Ganja can be prepared from wild female
hemp plants, if all the male plants are uprooted
and not allowed to grow side by side.
17. Bhang preparations are made by Brahmins
and grocers. Brahmins sell it in liquid form.
The grocers sell bhang lozenges (majum).
18. Yes, they do wither in two or three years.
By being kept in a damp place, they lose their
effect very soon.
19. Yes, ganja and charas are used only for
smoking. Ganja is also used in making oil, which
is extensively used by the natives as a cure for
rheumatism and other pains.
20. Ganja and charas is used in every part of
Oudh. It is generally used by low caste people.
Labourers and those who have hard work to do use
it as a stimulant.
21. "Round" is preferred for smoking ; but
those who cannot afford to get it use flat or chur,
which is cheaper than "round," "Chur" is
cheapest and worst of all.
22. Yarkand charas.
23. No.
24. It is chiefly used by rich and high class
Hindus, who, according to their religion, cannot
drink or smoke charas and ganja.
25. It is neither on the increase nor on the
decrease.
26. In every hundred men that use bhang, 50,
are habitual moderate consumers and 10 habitual
excessive consumers, 35 are occasional excessive
consumers and 5 are occasional consumers.
27. The habitual excessive consumers are go-
sains, fakirs, Gungaputras, and Chaubes. The
moderate habitual consumers are rich and high
class Hindus who do not drink. Gosains and
fakirs use all the drugs. Gungaputras and
Chaubes use bhang. The high class Hindus use
bhang only. Some men mix raw mangoes with
salt and spices with bhang. The mango is boiled
and its juice mixed with bhang.
In every hundred men that use charas, 30 are
habitual moderate consumers and 5 are habitual
excessive consumers. The rest are occasional
moderate consumers.
There are very few men who are excessive
consumers of charas, as it is very costly. Charas
is chiefly used by Hindu fakirs and low caste Hindus
and Muhammadans.
In every hundred persons that use ganja, 50
are habitual moderate consumers and ten habitual
excessive consumers. The rest are occasional
moderate consumers.
It is also used by Hindu fakirs and low caste
Hindus and Muhammadans. Ganja and charas
are used by labourers and those who work hard.
28. Six mashas of bhang, three mashas of ganja,
two mashas of charas can be daily consumed by
habitual moderate consumers ; and five tolas of
bhang, one tola of ganja, and six mashas of charas
by occasional moderate consumers. It will cost
half a pie a day to get bhang for a moderate
consumer, and five pies for an excessive consumer
Ganja will cost from three pies to two annas and
charas from six pies to four annas. This is accord-
ing to rates sold in the mufassal, but in cities the
drugs are sold at double the rates prevalent in the
mufassal.
29. Pepper (black) is ordinarily used with
bhang. Sugar, cardamom, souf, and different
cooling medicines are used with bhang by rich
men. Milk in rose water and kora water are also
mixed with it. Dhatura seeds are mixed with
bhang by excessive consumers, who are generally
low class people.
Tobacco is ordinarily mixed with ganja and
charas ; dhatura is only used when it is required
to stupefy any one.