91
by exposure and long keeping. With ordinary
care both do retain intoxicating property for a
year or so. Safety from exposure to moisture
prevents deterioration.
19. Yes, so far as I am aware of, for smoking
only.
20. This answer has been given in question 17.
Charas is seldom smoked. It is used by some
people used to night-keeping—Jatrawalas, dancers,
and other musicians, the object being to ward off
sleep. People used to haunts of immorality and
places of public women have often been observed
using charas. The number of such who are ad¬
dicted to ganja and charas smoking is very small
compared with the general body of the people.
21. I have seen round ganja preferred to flat
ganja. The people, however, who use ganja is
greatly confined to lower orders.
22. I know of the use of no foreign charas.
23. I have never seen it (bhang) used for
smoking.
24. The answer to this has been furnished in
question 17. It is not possible in the absence of
statistics to give the proportion of people by
whom bhang is drunk. The up-country people
who are living in Lower Bengal are mostly addict-
ed to this drug. Amongst those who work, com¬
mon coolies and labourers betake partially to ganja.
The localities are not restricted.
25. On the increase. The reason is mostly
owing to a large number of people who periodi¬
cally come to these parts to betake to labour and
find employment around Calcutta and other parts
where railways and other works are carried on, as
well as to a large number of boatmen and other
classes who visit these parts in consequence of
free and easy modes of communication which are
daily in progress.
26. (a) The proportion is 100 to 1 of excessive
consumers.
(b) Almost the same proportions as above
indicated.
(c) and (d) The number of habitual and occa¬
sional excessive consumers is very limited.
These figures are the result of mere guesses,
and I am aware of no statistics.
27. The answer has been given in replies to
questions 17 and 25.
29. Ganja is smoked with a preparation by
mixing it with dried tobacco leaves moistened
with a little water while it is squeezed into a
ball.
Bhang is prepared with an admixture of cucum¬
ber seeds, pepper, mouri, spice, sugar, and other
spices by better class of consumers, while the
lower order mix it with pepper and molasses.
Dhatura is not used. The object is to increase
the power of intoxication and give flavour to the
beverage. The ingredients have been stated
above.
30. Generally in company. Even sanyasis and
fakirs who lead a life of solitude prefer the use in
company. The use is confined to the male sex.
I have seen rare instances of the use of ganja and
bhang by females of the mendicant class. Among
family women no instances have come to my
notice except for medicinal purposes in rare cases.
Children have never been observed to consume
these articles.
31. Company exercises great influence in induc¬
ing the formation of habits. Habits once con¬
tracted are not easy to break off. These have a
permanent effect on the system, and generate a
vitiated taste which it is not easy to give up.
Yes; there is a tendency to lead to excessive
use.
32. Bhang is, according to a social and religi¬
ous custom, drunk as a beverage on occasion of
Bijaya or the day the Durga idol is consigned to
waters. All relations and friends meet on this
evening, exchange civilities prescribed by custom,
and sip the preparation made. The use is, how¬
ever, very temperate, and does not for this
singular occasion only lead to the formation of any
habit. This use on this particular occasion is
held to be essential. Bhang or siddhi is only used.
The word siddhi means success, and this custom,
is believed to lead to success in all undertakings
started from this day. It is held to be auspi¬
cious.
33. The consumption of ganja is held to be
disreputable. The expression bhang or hemp
smoker is a term of reproach, and is popularly
held to be contemptible. The only public opinion
about drinking bhang according to social or reli¬
gious custom has been stated above. The opinion
about disrepute in connection with the smoking of
ganja is believed to proceed from the sentiment
that such consumption generates a hot and intem¬
perate temper, and leads to want of reason and
other deleterious effects on the system. I have
known of no custom of worshipping the ganja
plant by any section of the people.
34. Yes; it would be a privation, though not
so serious as in the case of people addicted to
opium. Bhang-drinkers have been observed to
get diseases of the stomach for giving up the habit.
No statistics are in possession to furnish the
figures for probable numbers.
35. I am rather apprehensive to hazard any
opinion on this point. Charas use may be feasible
to prohibit, but there would be great difficulty to
prohibit the use of ganja and bhang. Possibly
endeavour to prohibit would lead to illicit consump¬
tion and occasion serious discontent, the extent
of which I am not prepared to define. The pro¬
hibition would be held to be a source of great griev¬
ance by up-country men, especially so far as
bhang-drinking is concerned.
Amongst the
class of people who have no prejudice to liquor,
such a prohibition would in all likelihood lead to
the use of this and other alcoholic stimulants.
36. Several drinkers of liquor and alcoholic
spirits have been observed to betake to bhang-
drinking. This latter is considered not to be so
much deleterious to health. I have known of
several hard spirit and liquor drinkers betaking to
this substitution. Bhang is a cheap drink too.
37. Cannot definitely reply to this. Charas is,
however, thought to be a milder article to puff
than ganja. This latter has a great effect, induc¬
ing unusual heat of the brain, and generating a
rough and hot temperament. The effect of charas,
it is said, more induces torpor.
38. Round ganja is held to be more effective.
The degree of intoxicating effect which this pro¬
duces is greater than of the other different sorts,
and preference to this is given by consumers.
39. Bhang is less injurious when drunk as it is
done than other preparations of the hemp plant.
The effect which this produces is slow, while ganja
smoked produces a very sharp, strong intoxicating
effect by acting on the brain at once.
40. Bhang is admixed with other ingredients,
and drugs are prepared by native physicians. The
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