167
(2) On the Chaitra Sankranti day (on the last
day of the Bengali year) in Dacca and Mymen-
singh some green bhang plants are hung up in
front of the cowshed. Bhang plants are also kept
on machans in the cowshed.
It is popularly
believed that it purifies the atmosphere of the
cowshed, and gives health and strength to the
cattle.
I have not seen a bhang plant worshipped. I
am told that ganja or bhang plants are worshipped
by some people as Mahadeber jata (cluster of hair
of the god of gods), and that bhang plants are
worshipped in Tipperah.
Charas.—There is no public opinion against
charas. Its consumption is limited to a small
class, generally well-to-do.
34. It would be a serious privation to the habi¬
tual moderate and habitual excessive consumers and
poorer classes of consumers (especially cultivators,
day-labourers, fishermen, boatmen, etc.) to forego
the use of ganja or bhang.
With the cultivating classes, who use it in
moderate doses, it would be impossible to work
in the fields in the rainy season, in damp climate,
and in the sun. The ganja-smoker will feel it
deeply. He would suffer from indigestion, dysen¬
tery, distension of the abdomen, loss of appetite,
want of sleep, headache, weakness, loss of energy,
constipation, and rheumatism.
Blacksmiths working near a furnace (before a
strong fire) cannot work without ganja. A ganja-
smoker willingly accomplishes a very difficult task
if he gets a small quantity of ganja. Labouring
classes, who use the drug as a matter of necessity,
will be deprived of a very good remedy for reliev¬
ing bodily pain after hard labour; for instance, in
the case of fishermen, who from the nature of
their profession are required to remain for the
most part of the day and night in water, smoke
ganja occasionally to secure warmth and fresh
vigour to enable them to continue their hard
labour.
The labouring classes will not be able to carry
on their work, involving hard labour, fatigue, and
exposure to sun, rain, and fire. They would suffer
from rheumatism and become idle.
The sanyasis and bairagis would suffer much in
general health, and it is alleged that absence of
ganja would greatly interfere with their con¬
centration of thought.
Ganja is smoked in private, and it is difficult to
give the number of the consumers.
The probable percentage of consumers is given
in answer to question 26.
Poor day-labourers, cultivators, fishermen
and other habitual moderate and excessive con¬
sumers will be driven to the necessity of using
other intoxicants more expensive and harmful to
their health.
35. It would not be feasible to prohibit the use
of ganja or bhang.
The drug would be consumed illicitly, and
people would cultivate ganja in their houses.
Impossible for wild bhang. The prohibition
could be enforced if the ganja cultivation is
stopped, and if stringent law is made binding the
proprietors and managers of estates not to allow
cultivation of the drug (ganja or bhang) on pain
of some penalty, and by making section 65 of the
Excise Act (page 89 of the Bengal Excise
Manual) more stringent. But it will create
serious discontent, not only among consumers, but
among the proprietors of estates, on whom the
liability to furnish information to the authorities
would be imposed as above.
The prohibition will occasion serious discontent
among the consumers. Their feelings are very
strong on this point. They will curse the
Government, and will assault Excise and Police
officers.
Such discontent may amount to a political
danger. The sanyasis are respected by all classes
of the people, and they may preach sedition.
People will consider it an interference with their
religious ceremonies. The people in general are
contented, and their feeling will be wounded too
much. The ganja-smokers may assault Excise
and Police officers because the number of con¬
sumers is very large, and people may combine,
and it would be difficult to procure evidence,
I have heard sadhus and sanyasis complain
bitterly on account of increase in the retail selling
price of ganja due to increase of duty and license
fees. The sanyasis say that the mind cannot be
made steady and diverted to the contemplation of
the deity without ganja, and that it is a niggardly
act on the part of the Government to impose tax
on an article (ganja) which is used by sadhus
(religious men) for religious purposes. Holy
sentiments are associated with ganja-smoking.
The prohibition of ganja would be followed by
recourse to other stimulants:—
(a) Some bhadralok and well-to-do people,
who can pay for the more expensive
luxury of drink, may have recourse
to alcoholic stimulants. But poor
people smoke ganja, and they cannot
afford to pay for alcoholic stimulants.
Many people do not touch liquor on
account of religious prejudice.
(b) Some will have recourse to opium and
some to dhatura seed, but the majority
will smoke wild bhang (Siva jata
bhang). It is impossible to extirpate
them.
Restrictions may be imposed on duty-paid
ganja and bhang. But it is impossible to impose
any restriction on wild bhang.
36. There is no reason for thinking that alcohol
is now being to a certain extent substituted by
the masses for ganja, bhang, or charas. On the
contrary, people have taken to drinking bhang
and smoking ganja on account of increase in the
retail selling price of distillery liquor (a bottle of
liquor is sold at not less than Re. 1 in any of the
distillery districts). Ganja is now smoked by the
poor people as a substitute for liquor. Some
people smoke ganja to intensify the intoxication
caused by alcohol. They call it "double chabuk;"
it gives extra intoxicating impetus.
37. The effects of charas-smoking are slightly
different from the effects of ganja-smoking.
The effects of ganja-smoking in those unused to
the drug, unless the smoke is inhaled, appear to
be slight; when inhaled, however, by those who