250
classes, and the Brahmins and people of higher
caste now use it to a great extent, and their
example is being followed by the people in ge
neral.
26. Ganja—
(a) 75 per cent.
(b)
10 "
(c) 10 "
(d) 5
"
Only about 10 per cent. of the bhang-consumers
drink it habitually, and very few indeed take it
to excess. Most consumers take it occasionally
only at special times.
27. (a) All classes who can afford it, and have
much spare time. An indolent and inactive life
generally leads to the habitual use of ganja.
(b) Mostly religious mendicants and ascetics,
such as Babajis and Boisnabs. From the nature
of their lives they generally take it to excess.
(c) The middle class of people whenever they
have the time and opportunity.
(d) Labourers, such as stone-cutters, masons,
etc., after an unusually hard day's work.
28. (a) ⅛ to ¼ tola per diem; cost 2 pice to one
anna.
(b) 1 to 2 tolas per diem; cost 4 annas to 8
annas.
A Babaji has been known to smoke 20 tolas
in one day.
29. Raw tobacco is indispensable for ganja-
smoking, and is alone used. Dhatura is very sel
dom used with bhang, and only by excessive con
sumers. Bhang is mixed with water and spices
to give it a flavour, and the addition of sugar
makes it stronger. It is also generally believed
that spices mollify the evil effects of bhang.
Tobacco increases the narcotic effects of ganja.
In this province a bhang massala is sold, consisting
of pepper, aniseed, poppy seeds, cloves, cardamoms,
and the seeds of the cucumber. This massala
when mixed with bhang has a decidedly mollifying
effect.
30. About 75 per cent. of the ganja-consumers
prefer company, and 75 per cent. of the bhang-
consumers prefer solitude. The consumption of
these drugs is mainly confined to the male sex and
prostitutes. Children very rarely smoke ganja,
and bhang is never used by them.
31. The habit of taking ganja is easily formed,
and once formed difficult to break off, especially
in the cases of excessive consumers. Bhang,
however, can be relinquished without much diffi
culty. There is certainly a tendency for the
moderate habit to develop into the excessive.
32. During the social ceremony of "Bijaya"
bhang is essential, and even persons who never
take it are compelled to do so on this occasion, or
at least to touch it, and put some on their heads.
When Durga is worshipped, an offering of bhang is
made, and Siva is offered both bhang and ganja
when worshipped. The use on these occasions is
always temperate and not likely to lead to habit,
nor is it injurious.
33. All intoxicating drugs are held in disrepute
by the Hindu, and no respectable person will
smoke ganja or drink bhang in public, and will
always deny its use if charged with the practice.
All narcotics are in disrepute, being generally
tabooed by the respectable Hindu community.
The worship of the hemp plant is not known in
Orissa.
34. The privation would not cause any serious
injury, but to give up ganja suddenly would
cause much discomfort to the habitual consumer,
though this uneasiness would be only temporary.
Bhang could more easily be given up, as it is
seldom taken to excess.
35. I do not consider it would be expedient or
necessary to prohibit altogether the use of any of
these drugs, but after a careful investigation
measures may be adopted to control its consump
tion. Both ganja and bhang would certainly be
consumed illicitly in the case of prohibition, and
at least for a time any amount of careful watching
would not wholly prevent it. Its total prohibition
would cause much discontent among the con
sumers, almost amounting to a political danger.
The majority of excessive consumers are to be
found among the Boisnabs and Babajis, who are
held in veneration by the people, and these classes,
together with the high caste men in the habit of
taking the drug, would soon incite the mob against
any orders of prohibition. Prohibitive measures
should be taken gradually; raising the price of the
drug in the first instance to such an extent as
would put it beyond the means of the mass of
people, would perhaps decrease its use, and be less
dangerous hereafter politically. The prohibition
would not be followed by recourse to alcoholic
stimulants, but possibly to opium.
36. I don't think so, for ganja-smokers and
bhang-consumers have a particular aversion to
alcohol.
37. Charas is considered milder than ganja, and
its effect is more gradual.
38. The round ganja is the strongest, and then
the flat kind. The round ganja also causes no
irritation to the throat, which the flat and chur do.
39. Smoking is less injurious than drinking or
eating ganja, though the effect is instantaneous.
A ganja-smoker cannot take more than one full
draw at one time, hence the drug is usually smoked
in company, and the chillum passed round. The
effect of smoking also lasts only three or four hours,
whereas eating and drinking for ten or twelve
hours.
40. Both ganja and bhang are administered
internally as a stomachic by native doctors (kabi-
rajes), but I should think with doubtful effect.
Locally bhang is used internally for cattle suffer
ing from stomach disorders, and is believed to have
a cooling effect. Externally a solution or paste of
either ganja or bhang is used for rinderpest, de
stroying cattle insects and allaying irritation of
the skin.
38. (a) Neither ganja nor bhang are accessories
to food, but act as a digestive on certain con
stitutions. The majority of ganja and bhang con
sumers have large appetites and eat a great
quantity.
(b) Ganja gives staying power to a certain
extent; for instance, Hindu religious mendicants
after excessive smoking will expose themselves
to rain for days without any evil result, and also
walk long distances; but this effect is only on
habitual smokers. The drug also alleviates fatigue
in those accustomed to take it.