67
25. Consumption of ganja here has increased by
about 29 per cent. in the last ten years, probably
at the expense of opium and liquor. The former
has increased, but not commensurately with the
population; and though statistics for the latter
are not available, there can be no doubt that there
was a great decrease. Last year was a bad year,
and the consumption of liquor fell by 19, while
that of ganja increased by 6 per cent,
26. Generally from the lower classes of the
people.
27. An habitual moderate consumer would take
half a tola of ganja or siddhi and about six grains
of charas. Excessive consumers would take more
than twice as much.
28. Ganja is mixed with tobacco, charas with
tobacco and molasses. With siddhi milk, spices,
etc., are sometimes mixed to form what is called a
"majum" numerous references to which will be
found in the latter part of Baber's Memoirs.
Dhatura is not mixed with charas, but is some¬
times mixed with siddhi to make it more intoxi¬
cating.
30. Ganja and charas are consumed both in
solitude and in company by adult males and public
and low class women. Children do not consume
it.
31. The habit is easily formed and difficult to
break off. As to the development of the moderate
into the excessive habit, it seems to me that if
the fact had been realized that the oriental differs
greatly from the inhabitant of Northern Europe
in this respect as regards all nerve drugs, the
Commission would never have been appointed.
No doubt, this can be satisfactorily explained by
the over-pressure to which we are subjected, but
the fact remains that whatever form of stimulant
the native of this country consumes he as a rule
takes in moderation, and very, very rarely is
mastered by the habit.
32. On the Bijaya day of the Durga Puja
bhang is consumed as a rule by Bengalis of both
sexes and of all ages. Its use is regarded as
essential. The lower classes indulge in it to
excess and the respectable classes take it in modera¬
tion. This is not likely to lead to the formation
of the habit.
33. Ganja is for the most part used by the
lower classes. To be a ganja smoker therefore is
synonymous with being a "low caste man." If
a man of a higher class smokes ganja he is looked
down upon. But this, I think, is because he
adopts a vulgar low caste custom. So might a
taste for gin be regarded among the upper classes
in England. Ganja has also got a very bad name,
and is supposed to lead to madness, etc., just as,
no doubt, many respectable persons in England
associate gin-drinking with wife-beating and other
brutal crimes. The belief, which is certainly
"in the air," that ganja is very deleterious has in
my opinion been largely fostered by, if it is not
entirely due to, the fact that the bhadra lok of
Bengal take opium and not ganja, and "compound
for sins they are inclined to."
34. Ganja is never allowed in jails, and I have
never heard of any evil resulting from the supply
being cut off.
35. I do not think there would be the slightest
difficulty in abolishing the use of ganja. For the
drug to be consumed illicitly it must first be grown
illicitly, and if simultaneous action were taken in
Bengal, the Tributary Mahals of Orissa, the Cen-
tral Povinces, Assam, and any other, place, if
there is any, where it is grown, this would be
practically impossible. Here and there, no doubt,
a few persons would grow a few plants for private
consumption; but it would be impossible for any
trade to be carried on, and this would soon cease.
There would be serious discontent among the con¬
sumers, but this might be almost entirely obviated
by preceding the abolition by a progressive in¬
crease of duty. The discontent would never
amount to a political danger such as would be
caused by the abolition of opium, which would set
the whole country against us and probably lead to
rising's amongst the Sikhs.
36. In this district at any rate ganja is being
substituted for alcohol, not alcohol for ganja. I
think there is ample proof that the majority of
men prefer to take some stimulant, and that the
maximum of work cannot be obtained without it.
There is also, I think, ample proof that the stimu¬
lant may take the place of another. The manner
in which tea, coffee, and tobacco have taken the
place of alcohol is a striking instance. An Excise
map of India will also show that when one
stimulant is not used another is, and I believe
that the history of. each individual district will
show that when the consumption of one is res¬
tricted another takes its place.
37. The effect of charas is more transient.
38. There is no difference in kind, but the form
which contains most ganja blossom contains most
resin and is therefore the strongest.
39. Smoking is generally believed to be the
most hurtful. Bhang, I have often heard it said,
is, when taken in moderation, no more harmful
than the tea taken by Europeans.
40. Bhang is used here as a cure for dyspepsia.
I have known it used as a charm to cast the devil
out of a lunatic. It proved unsuccessful.
41. (a) See above.
(b) It is used by people who undergo great
exertion, but whether there is any causal connec¬
tion between the two I cannot say.
(c) and (d) I do not know.
42. I should define immoderate use as one which
was hurtful, and I should therefore answer this
question in the affirmative.
43. They are not offensive because of their
moderate consumption.
44. Refreshing. Not intoxicating. Creates
appetite, but does not allay hunger.
45 to 50. I leave these questions to medical
witnesses.
51. The proportion of habitual consumers among
bad characters is comparatively small. These
drugs are used by the lowest classes, and these
classes, as in other countries, furnish the largest
proportion of criminals. Whether there is any
causal connection between the two I cannot say.
52. It is well known that different people
under the influence of alcohol behave very differ¬
ently. Some go to sleep and others fight. I
presume it is the same with ganja. Bhang,
however, is said when taken in excess to produce
stupefaction, while ganja excites.
53. When I was in Backergunge, where I
served for two years, persons charged with violent
crime frequently came before me, and I used to
enquire whether they took ganja. In many cases
I found they did so, and it was not till some years
afterwards that it struck me that I had, for the
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