414
or any other such drug may cause serious injuries
of different types, according to constitution and
predisposing causes. It is not possible for medi-
cal men even to say with what effect a particular
drug will act upon a particular constitution. I
cannot believe that permanent insanity can result,
as a rule, from the use of hemp, however, exces-
sive it may be. So far as I understand, its habi-
tual excessive use leads to dysentery, bronchitis,
asthma, or consumption even, rather than to
insanity.
47. I don't think.
48. When one has already been attacked with
any of the above-named maladies, his children may
be affected by it. I don't think the habit in
any case proves to be hereditary.
49 and 50. Yes; prostitutes in their earlier life
may be supposed to have recourse to intoxication
more for pleasure and jest than as an aphrodi-
siac, in the sense in which I understand its
meaning. My idea is generally males are ini-
tiated in intoxication, at least in this country,
for aphrodisiac purposes. This may not be the
case with the low class people, in whom necessity
may be supposed often to preponderate. I
think these drugs, when used excessively for
aphrodisiac purposes, do more harm by their ten-
dency to produce impotence. I may add a class
of religious mendicants, in Bengal at least. I
mean the bairagis and baishnavas, the bouls and
the kartabhajas, and such other sects are known to
be habitually addicted to ganja smoking, pro-
bably for aphrodisiac purpose only.
Love-making and sexual enterprise seem to me
to be a part of the religious faith of these people.
The tantriks and bhairabs and bhairabis belong to
a different order, I think, and these are more
addicted to wine than ganja or other drugs. There
are some mysteries in all these religious sects and
in their habit and mode of life, and ganja or wine,
as the case may be, and their use, I think, is looked
upon with some religious veneration. Any pro-
hibition, therefore, may be construed to mean
the violation of the principle of religious neutral-
ity. And, as already said, the common order
of sadhus and sanyasis being mostly addicted to
ganja, who smoke it for purposes of spiritual
advancement, may also resent any prohibition.
51 and 52. Very likely. Moderate use of any
of these drugs has no connection, I think, with
any crime. Nor, I think, excessive use even has
any necessary connection with crime in general or
with crime of any special character. I cannot
induce myself to believe that ganja or any other
drug is more connected with any crime than alco-
holic stimulant. All intoxicating things have
their excesses leading to fits of temporary insanity.
It cannot be denied that, under such states, crimes
are committed; but these are, I should say, rather
exceptional cases. In many cases of heinous
crimes, such as murder, rape, etc., fits of insanity
are often seen to be raised as a plea in defence,
and in cases of such plea the aid of ganja smoking
is almost invariably invoked in, and medical evi-
dence also is often found to have a leaning towards
it. But I have grave doubts as to the truth of
these as one of general exception. It is, however,
an admitted fact that ganja smoking is becoming
associated with insanity and murder and such
other crimes and there seems to be a growing
tendency in some circles to give undue weight
to this association, which is perhaps more ima-
ginary than real. It is in the nature of men
always to find fault with others, specially when
they are weak, and ascribe every occurrence to
some known or unknown cause. From this
natural weakness they become prejudiced against
the latter as a class on the basis of something,
perhaps real, originally which might have occurred
as mere accident, but which subsequently, forming
a ground of belief, serves to strengthen their predi-
lection and fanciful bias. Ganja smoking is admit-
tedly confined to the lower class of people. One of a
higher class on every occasion and on every trifle
showers upon them all bad names and abusive
languages, such as "sala," "badzat," "paji," and
so forth, and this is done with impunity and with-
out a retort even. These epithets and invectives do
not seem to have any origin, except the fact of
these people being lower and weaker. If, under
such circumstances, one of these happen to be
guilty of any crime through stupidity, i.e., say,
being under the influence of ganja, the stronger or
one in power cannot remain satisfied by calling
him a "gadha" only, but calls him a "ganjokhor"
at the same time, ascribing his crime to ganja
smoking; and thus every similar occurrence, that
is to say, every occurrence denoting stupidity or
want of sense, naturally calls forth this epithet
in addition to what more such epithets one may
like to use. Hence ganja, possessing the stupefy-
ing property, all stupid actions, in course of time
have come to be associated with its influence, and
hence the prejudice and predilection; and this is
also the reason, I think, why professional experts
are found to have a leaning towards a version
which accords well with this popular idea and
popular notions and prejudice. I know of no in-
stance in which any person of the higher class,
being charged with any offence or being subject-
ed to a fit of insanity, has raised any ganja plea
or any plea giving occasion to discussions on the
properties of ganja or any such drug. There are
yet many respectable persons—respectable in the
sense of being a high caste Brahmin, etc.—who
are habitually ganja smokers, and who, though
guilty, being under the influence of ganja, would
never raise that plea or allow it to be raised. It
is only in cases of offences committed by the lower
class that any question on the score of ganja or
any such drug arises.
53. It may, as is probably the case with every
other intoxicating matter when carried to excess.
As already hinted, temporary homicidal frenzy is
not, I think, the property of ganja or such other
drug. It is only under peculiar and exceptional
circumstances that such is or appears to be the
case.
54. It may be so; but this fortification is not
necessarily to create a desire, but it is rather to
fulfil and execute a pre-existing desire, to add
strength and vigour to the force of the desire by
intensifying the application of the mind.
55. I know of no such thing.
56. Anything sweet to the taste, such as milk,
sugar, honey, etc., if mixed with bhang, adds
to its intoxicating power. As already noticed
above, ganja being of the same class with bhang,
it is likely sweet things add to its power. From
what I know, dhatura is never used as an item of
requirement. It is always used, so far as I know,
purely for medicinal purpose.
57. Ganja and charas I have never known to
be eaten or drunk. That is not the practice in
this district, at least so far as I know.
62. As already said, hemp plant and bhang plant
are two different things, so far as I know.