426
39. I think that smoking of these drugs is
less injurious than either eating or drinking them.
The eating or drinking of ganja is so very rare a
phenomenon that I have never come across a
single case in my life. In smoking the active
principle does not wholly act upon the system,
a part of it being burnt; but in drinking and
eating, it wholly assimilates with the blood.
40. The native school of medicine makes very
extensive use of bhang or siddhi for internal use
in such diseases as indigestion, diarrhœa, dysentery,
etc. But I am aware of no disease in which
ganja is used internally by the native school of
medicine. My answer to question 19 gives the
cases of the external use of ganja. I have no
knowledge as to whether any of these drugs is used
in the treatment of cattle disease.
41. (a) I have obtained the testimony of
several hemp smokers, and it is evident from that
that these drugs are neither food accessory nor
digestive.
(b) It is said by the smokers that the smok-
ing of these drugs alleviates fatigue. They also
say that these drugs enable them to work hard
patiently.
(c) I don't think that these drugs have any
antimalarious properties.
The people belonging to labouring class use
these drugs for the above purposes.
The effects, I speak of, have reference to the
moderate habitual use of the drugs.
42. In my opinion the moderate use of ganja
and bhang under certain circumstances is harmless,
inasmuch as such use is prescribed at times by
medical advisers.
43. Yes, they are inoffensive.
44. All the habitual moderate ganja smokers
unanimously say that they feel extreme cheerful-
ness immediately after smoking the drug. The im-
mediate effect of such smoking, as they say, is the
forgetfulness of all surrounding circumstances.
It produces in the smoker a sort of vanity which
makes him feel himself to be in the most exalted
position in the universe.
After the hard work of the day the habitual
smoker would eagerly take this drug to refresh
himself. In habitual smokers it does not produce
regular intoxication but a little exhilaration of
spirits. It allays hunger and increases appetite, as
they say. Its effects last for three or four hours.
It leaves the smoker without any after-effects, and
he feels himself quite at ease without subsequent
gratification.
45. There is such diversity of opinion regard-
ing the effects of Indian hemp that it may be
safely remarked that medical science up to date
has not come to any decided conclusion. Different
medical authorities have expressed diametrically
opposite views about the effects of these drugs.
Dr. Bruce (Materia Medica and Therapeutics,
page 374), Dr. Waring (Therapeutics, page 139),
and the writer of the "Indian Medical Record"
("Indian Medical Record", March 1, 1892) are
not at one in speaking of the action and uses of the
Indian hemp. In the face of these conflicting
and contradictory opinions it is not safe to give
one's opinion regarding its effects depending on
the statement of any one of them; consequently
I have thought it prudent to state its effects from
my general experience. As far as I can under-
stand, any very serious evil results, physical, men-
tal or moral, are not likely to proceed from the
moderate habitual use of ganja and bhang. In
some cases in the long run evil effects may
follow. But the instances are not so numerous
as are likely to affect society materially. In
conclusion, I must say that ganja smokers of
all descriptions are generally seen to have irasci-
ble temper.
46. The habitual excessive use of ganja, like all
other intoxicants, is productive of all the evil
effects, physical, mental or moral, as contemplated
in question 45. An habitual excessive smoker of
ganja generally becomes emaciated and loses ac-
tivity and liveliness of spirits. Such use causes
loss of appetite, as to be found in the cases of
sanyasis and jogis. It does not directly bring on
indigestion, but it renders no help for digestion.
It generally subjects a man to get dysentery,
bronchitis or asthma. An excessive smoker of
ganja is generally found to possess a very furious
temper and get morally debased. He indulges in
these drugs only with a view to satisfy his evil
propensities, and thus makes himself an object
of hatred by the general public. Here it might
be said that in the cases of sanyasis and jogis, no
such evil effects, as described above, are manifest.
This difference might be explained thus:—
Sanyasis and jogis, who cut all connection with
society and devote their lives entirely to the con-
templation of the Divine Being, do not trouble
themselves with evil thoughts regarding worldly
affairs. They take to this drug solely with the
object of bringing their thoughts to a focus.
Such concentration of mind about an edifying and
ennobling theme tends to keep the religious smok-
ers, so to say, above the vicious atmosphere which
envelops the amateur excessive smokers.
The informations I have gathered with regard
to this point lead me to hold that insanity is one
of the direct and natural consequences of excessive
hemp smoking.
Being no expert, and having
never been to any lunatic asylum, I cannot say
to which type or class of insanity, that, brought on
by hemp smoking, falls. Without sufficient know-
ledge of medical science, and vast and varied ex-
perience of such cases of insanity, it would be too
risky to make an attempt to answer the remaining
part of this question.
47. I do not think that the habit of smoking
ganja is transmitted by the father to the son.
But there is no denying that it sometimes affects
the character of the children of the consumers by
the bad example they set.
48. I have on several occasions carefully observed
the cases of habitual excessive smokers of ganja,
and I have invariably found them in a very
wretched state of health. Excessive smokers
are generally found suffering from capillary
bronchitis and dysentery. Their health gets com-
pletely shattered. If the theory of heredity has
any truth in it, I am of opinion that a father
with such poor health must transmit the poverty
of it to his offspring. Though the children, there-
fore, of the excessive smokers may not directly
inherit the smoking habit from their father, but,
for all that, they get very much degenerated in
both mind and body.
49. These drugs are by some persons smoked
for aphrodisiac purposes. I am told that prosti-
tutes of the lowest grade are addicted to the habit
for such purposes.
As far as I can see through, the use of these
drugs for aphrodisiac purposes is more injurious
than ordinary smoking. The reasons are almost
self-evident. The sexual appetite is abnormally
increased, and gratification of passion at a time