220
of the siddhi drink, however, produces no percep-
tible effect on the human system.
40, Bhang is recommended by native phy-
sicians to persons suffering from long protracted
chronic diarrhœa, who find it very efficacious in
checking their complaints. I do not know whether
these drugs are used in the treatment of cattle
disease.
41. (a) Yes; moderate habitual use may be so
to the classes who cannot afford for alcoholic
drinks, but yet require some such substance to aid
their functions of the stomach.
(b) Yes; moderate habitual use is considered to
exert such an effect on the labouring classes who
consume them.
(c) Yes; moderate occasional use. They are
believed to be efficacious in such cases to some
extent to the people of the poorest classes in dis-
tricts in which such diseases prevail.
(d) It is also used by the mendicant class to
control the passions and sensibilities to which
human flesh is subject.
43. Yes.
44. The moderate use of ganja by a habitual
smoker does not produce any decidedly intoxicant
effect on him. It is refreshing to him and does
not affect his appetite. The effect lasts for several
hours. To a habitual consumer of ganja, the
want of subsequent gratification does produce
some longing or uneasiness. The want of charas
to a habitual consumer does not, however, cause
any longing or uneasiness.
47 and 48. I have not been able to discover
this.
49. Majum, a preparation from bhang, is used
as an aphrodisiac. Bhang is also mixed with a
variety of stimulating spices and made into differ-
ent kinds of congeries, which are reckoned to be
highly aphrodisiacal. I do not know whether it
is so used by prostitutes. As an ordinary narcotic
the moderate doses of hemp drug are harmless,
but when mixed with other stimulating drugs
they become really injurious.
50. The excessive use of the hemp drugs is
sure to produce the most pernicious effects and per-
manently impairs the constitution.
51. There is not necessarily any direct connec-
tion of crime with the consumption of hemp
drugs, but a large proportion of bad characters is
found to smoke ganja and the other allied drugs
habitually. Sometimes a man intent upon some
crime would intoxicate himself with a dose of
ganja.
52. By excessive use of these drugs a man is
sometimes driven to commit an act of violence or
imprudence which he would not do if he were tem-
perate in his habits.
53. Yes, it does. No such case has been ob-
served by me personally, but I have reasons to
think that such cases, though rare, do happen
occasionally.
54. Yes; I believe it is sometimes so used.
55. Criminals do sometimes resort to such dodges.
It is supposed that complete stupefaction cannot
be induced by any of these drugs alone without
the admixture of some more powerful stupefying
substance.
56. In general the hemp drugs by themselves,
if taken by habitual smokers in moderate dose,
are harmless, but when mixed with other injuri-
ous substances, such as nux vomica, cantharides,
etc., the effects are aggravated, and the drugs
become harmful more or less as they are taken in
moderation or in excess.
57. I have no experience of ganja and charas
being eaten or drunk.
58. I am acquainted with the excise administra-
tion of Bengal in respect to ganja, and am of opi-
nion that the system which prevails at present is
on the whole working fairly well, but it is, I con-
sider, imperfect in some respects.
59. The first improvement that I would suggest
will be the reduction of duty levied on ganja,
which has been raised rather too high. With
increase of duty smuggling becomes more rife
(vide my report, paragraph 133).
The prohibition of private storage and the
establishment of public godowns for the storage
of the drug after manufacture will be my next
suggestion of importance. This will put a stop
to smuggling once for all (vi de my report, para-
graph 131).
A spirit of too frequent and injudicious inter-
ference with the cultivators has grown up, and
the abuse of the power of controlling the cul-
tivation of ganja will lead to total abandonment
of the cultivation altogether.
There are other crops, such as sugarcane, jute,
tobacco, &c., which are not less profitable than
ganja cultivation; and the oppressed cultivator
will find no difficulty in giving up the cultivation
of ganja. This tendency should be checked by
all means.
60. No particular modification of the system
under which cultivation and manufacture of ganja
is carried on is in my opinion necessary.
62. The cultivation of the hemp plant for the
production of bhang may be carried on under the
same system as ganja cultivation, the Excise
Deputy Collector and the Excise Sub-Inspector
respectively taking the place of the Sub-Divisional
officer and the Supervisors in the Ganja Mahal in
addition to their other duties.
63. No.
64. No. The existing regulations are, I believe,
working fairly well.
65. As far as the taxation of ganja is con-
cerned, I think it has been carried too far within
the last decade. I have very little experience
of the taxation of the other drugs.
66. Yes; the scale of duty should be fixed ac-
cording to the quality of the drug and the woody
portion of each kind of the drugs.
67. I have no objection to the method of tax-
ing ganja.
68. I do not know of any such premises for
the consumption of the hemp drugs.
69. Yes; the system of local option is in vogue.
Local public opinion should be consulted.
70. Except charas, which is imported, the other
hemp drugs are manufactured in Bengal, and
there are very rare instances of smuggling of
ganja or bhang from the Native States.