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16. (a) Yes, by the bhang consumers.
(b) Yes.
(c) Yes, with regard to ganja.
17. By all classes and castes, Hindus and
Muhammadans.
18. Does deteriorate; yes, decidedly loses its
effect. Would be almost useless after about two
years; exposure is the cause of deterioration. If
kept in a cool and moist vessel and air excluded as
much as possible, might be kept for two years.
19. Ganja is smoked, also used medicinally
with other ingredients, spices, sugar, etc., and
taken as a pill. It is thus used medicinally for
bowel complaints and various other diseases.
20. Cannot say. Careful and lengthy enquiry
would be necessary to obtain this information with
anything like accuracy.
21. Flat ganja.
22. I know nothing about charas.
23. Yes; can't say to what extent, but only,
I think, as a substitute for the ganja when the
latter is not obtainable.
24. I cannot give figures.
25. I cannot give any opinion.
Reliable
natives tell me that the habit of ganja-smoking
is increasing, but their views are, in my opinion,
founded on no data.
26. Could not say.
28. (a) About 2 to 3 pice per day.
(b) About 5 to 6 pice per day.
The local price of a bud is one pice, and one
bud would suffice for two chillums or two smokes.
A heavy smoker will want 10 to 12 chillums per
day.
29. For ganja, tobacco and spices; for bhang,
see answer to 15.
Yes. Contains usually, pepper, nutmeg, cloves,
cucumber seeds, cinnamon and cardamoms, sugar
or molasses.
30. Practised in solitude as well as in company.
Quite exceptional for women to smoke ganja or
drink bhang, but youths, boys of fifteen or sixteen,
take to it, and these become the confirmed
ganja smokers.
31. Yes, to all three queries.
32. I know of no social or religious custom
which entails the consumption of ganja or bhang.
But confirmed smokers will make a visit to these
Hindu temples an excuse to consume an extra
quantity.
33. (a) Respectable Hindu as well as Muham-
madan society regard confirmed ganja smokers
and bhang drinkers with distrust.
(c) Not that I am aware of.
34. Yes, to the same extent as it would be to
deprive the habitual toper of his dram. Can give
no figures.
35. (a) Not in the Gurjat Mahals.
(b) Yes, and with ease.
(c) Only at a cost which would be prohibitive.
(d) Yes.
(e) No.
(f) Probably to both,
36.
No.
37. Know nothing about charas.
38. Can't say.
39. To smoke ganja and inhale the smoke
is more injurious than simply to smoke it.
Ganja smoking is said to be more injurious than
bhang drinking. These ideas had been obtained
from ganja smokers and bhang consumers.
40. Yes; both ganja and bhang. The latter is
supposed to contain cooling properties, and is
occasionally given medicinally to women.
41. The question is one for a medical man. I
am not prepared to give any opinion.
42. The bhang drinking, if not carried to excess,
appears to me as harmless as the moderate con-
sumption of opium. This is only an opinion.
Ganja smoking stands on a different footing, and
I am doubtful if the habit once acquired could
even be moderately indulged in.
43. Yes, so far as my experience goes.
44. (a) and (b) Refreshing.
(d) Yes.
(e) Yes to the beginner only.
(f) An hour or two.
(g) Listlessness. A feeling of general inapti-
tude to do anything. A craving for another
chillum or smoke.
(h) Yes.
But in considering these answers omit the word
moderate.
45 and 46. I am not prepared to answer this
question.
47 and 48. Yes, apparently so, judging from
the information consumers have given me.
49 and 50. Can't say.
51 and 52. (a) Can't say.
(b) None to my knowledge; but it stands to
reason that the habitual ganja smoker is no more
reliable than a habitual drunkard; both habits
blunt the moral sense.
53. Under the influence of both ganja and
bhang serious crime has been known, though none
such have come under my personal notice.
54. Habitual smokers and drinkers would, of
course, resort to their favourite beverages before
committing any crime or act of violence. This
indulgence would give them the necessary amount
of Dutch courage.
55. (a) None such have come under my per-
sonal notice. Have heard of this being practised
of pilgrims.
(b) Yes; especially if given to those not used
to either drug.
56. Can't say.
57. Have given in previous questions all in-
formation I can supply on these points.
58. In the Gurjat Mahals each Raja or Chief
follows his own system as regards excise adminis-
tration, and I am not aware that in any one State
there is any restriction placed on the cultivation of
the hemp plant. Those chiefs being independent,
no special control over their excise administration
from outside or by the British Government is ex-
ercised. In fact, the licensed storekeepers and
retail sellers of ganja in the Mogalbandi or Regula-
tion Districts of Orissa draw their supplies of
ganja from many of the Native States I allude to
with the sanction of the Mogalbandi authorities.
I, like, I imagine, most British officers, would like
to see the cultivation of the hemp plant and the
preparation and sale of ganja under some kind of
control in these Native States, and this under