433
irritable. Moderate use brings on in
many cases excessive use, and thus it
makes the fruitful cause of insanity
so notoriously known to every medical
man. It is the cause of almost all
cases of insanity. I have seen many
people have become mad by the ex-
cessive smoking of ganja, but as
charas-smokers are only few, so in-
sanity from charas-smoking I have
never seen.
I admit that moderate use of ganja and charas
gives staying power under severe exertion and
exposure, and to alleviate fatigue; but these
effects last for some time after the smoking. After
smoking ganja or charas the smoker feels little
easiness of mind and body from his fatigue, ex-
posure or exertions, but that lasts not long, stays
a few hours and goes off leaving a reaction which
is very sedative to the system. So taking the
good and bad qualities of ganja and charas smok-
ing into consideration, I am of opinion that the
people of our country will be highly benefited if
Government be graciously inclined to stop alto-
gether the sale of ganja and charas, for our people
can well comfortably live without them. As for
the moderate use of siddhi, I am of opinion that
this substance, so largely used by our people, is
very useful and beneficial to the health either as
a food or medicine, so largely prescribed by the
native kabirajes. There shall, I think, be a gene-
ral murmur and dissatisfaction of the people who
use it if the sale of this drug is stopped alto-
gether.
The above answer includes my answer to ques-
tions 48 and 50. I have treated many cases of
ganja-smokers attacked with fever. I met with
considerable difficulty in curing them with medi-
cines. Whenever I have administered medicines to
check their fevers, they make no action, but rather
aggravate the sufferings of the patient; conse-
quently I was obliged to stop all medicines, and
cured their fevers only with the application of ice
to their heads and cooling drinks.
42. Not altogether harmless. It has some in-
jurious qualities which I have explained in my
other answers.
43. Yes.
44. Drowsiness (i.e., sedative action). Tempo-
rarily refreshing. Yes; it increases hunger.
Yes; lasts for a few hours. Little depression of
spirits, Longing and uneasiness for a few hours.
45. (a) Slight.
(b) No.
(c) No.
(d), (e), (f) Yes.
Yes, may be temporary if taken care of and
treated properly, and the use stopped as soon as
signs of insanity are manifested; if continued still
insanity becomes permanent. Insanes do not
confess.
46. See answer to 41.
47. Not hereditary, but incurred; does not
affect the children.
49. I have heard that sanyasis practise ganja-
smoking not only to curb their sexual appetite but
for other purposes. It is not used by prostitutes.
The excessive use of ganja has produced many
cases of impotence.
50. See answers to 41 and 49.
53. No (very rare in case of ganja-smokers
only). I do not know of any case.
56. I have heard some excessive ganja-smokers
finding no intoxication with ganja were observed
to mix dhatura leaves with ganja and smoked
them.
68. In our town (Serampore) some shops are
licensed to sell ganja and siddhi, but not charas.
In Calcutta there are shops licensed for the sale
both of ganja and charas.
201. Evidence of BABU KHETTRA MOHAN BASU, Municipal Vice-Chairman, Puri.
Oral evidence.
I am a pensioned Government servant. I am
Vice-Chairman of the Puri Municipality, and also
Honorary Magistrate and member of the Local
and District Boards. I have been fifty years in
this district. I have great knowledge of the
habits of the people of this district. In the town
of Puri, the Pandas and Sewaks, as a rule, take
bhang. They rarely smoke. They take bhang
for appetite and on account of the labour they
have in connection with the temple. They have
very heavy labour in cooking for all the people
who live on the temple cooking: the bairagis,
widows of Bengal, and others who live on the
cooking and pay for their food. They have also
very hard work in conducting pushing crowds
from idol to idol. For bhang they use the siddhi
that comes from Bengal, but they also use Gurjat
ganja. They use that more than siddhi. When
they could not get it they sometimes use the Raj-
shahi ganja, but they prefer the Gurjat ganja.
They think it more healthy; but the real reason
why they use it more is that they get it more
easily. They get it from the pilgrims from Gur-
jat States and also from the shops here. They
consume it twice a day—in the morning and in
the evening. They do not get the bhang or
siddhi from distant places much, but from the
Gurjat States. Both siddhi and ganja are import-
ed from the Gurjat States. The Gurjat ganja is
quite different from the siddhi, which is only the
leaf.
The Gurjat ganja differs in appearance
from the Bengal siddhi; but I cannot say as to
their effects. I do not know.
The use by the servants of the temple is gene-
rally moderate. The results, so far as I know,
are not bad in any respect. Other people not
only take bhang, but also smoke. The labourers
and bairagis also smoke. They smoke Rajshahi
ganja, not Gurjat. The Gurjat stuff is not
smoked in the town. It is smoked in the interior
of the district. I have heard this, and I have
also seen near the Chilka Lake. I understand
that this is because they cannot get the Rajshahi
ganja. I understand that people prefer to smoke
the Rajshahi ganja. I understand that they
think it better to smoke, better for the constitu-
tion, better for the appetite. I cannot say what
would be the daily allowance for a moderate
consumer. I have seen smoking, but never care-
fully watched smokers. I have talked over the
matter with them. I have seen more bhang-
drinking in Puri, more ganja-smoking in Cuttack,
more opium in Balasore. They say these differ-
ences are due to climate.
I know that there is a great deal of smuggling.
3 M