139
TABLE (Vide REPLY TO QUESTION No. 20).
Statement showing the percentage of different classes of ganja and bhang smokers in the Municipality
of Patna.
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
Drugs.
Gawalas.
Kahars. Kurmis. Brahmans. Musalmans. Rajputs. Koeris. Kayasths. Fakirs. Sonars. Mullahs. Babhans. Telis.
Hajjams. Bannias. Kalwars. Me ht a r
s .
Barhis.
Ha l
wa i
s .
Dosadhs. Tamolis. Sundis. Kandus.
Lohar s . Dhobis. Cha ma r
s . Mushars. Nani ar s .
Malis.
Bunodhias Bunde l
a s .
Pasis.
Bunpar s . Dh a n a k h s
.
Gurairies.
Ma r
wa r
i
s .
Khangars. Kaseras. Kumhars. Khatris.
Ganja
11 10 9 7 7 8 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 2 1.3 1.2 1 1 1.6 1.2 1.6 1.6 1.5 .3 .5 .3 .8 .8 .4 .3 .3 .4 .3 .4 .8 .1 .1 .8 .1 Nil
Bhang
18 14.9 7 10 2.5 7.6 5 9 6 1.2 9 .6 1.2 2
.6 .6
.6
1.2 .6
2
2
.6
This statement is made up from statistics collected in the shops within the municipality.
21. Flat (chipta) ganja is preferred for smok¬
ing. The preference generally depends upon the
duty fixed for each kind and the price demanded
thereof.
22. Chavas is not used in this district. Good
charas is said to be imported from Herat.
23. Bhang is never used for smoking.
24. Bhang is used by all clases of Hindus,
especially Babhans and Marwaris. In a hundred
consumers there are fifty Babhans and ten Mar¬
waris. It is generally and mostly used in towns,
because bhang very rarely sells in the mufassal.
25. The consumption of ganja has decreased
owing to the increase of duty. Particulars for
charas are not known. The consumption of bhang
appears to be on the increase owing to the fact
that there has been no increase in the rate of duty
on this drug, while duty on ganja has been raised
considerably from time to time.
26.
GANJA.
BHANG.
(a) 48 per cent.
10 per cent.
(b) 23 "
15 "
(c) 17 "
50 "
(d) 12 "
25
"
These informations have been recorded from
statistics collected in the ganja shops and from
enquiries made of ganja vendors.
27. In reply to No. 20 I have given the
castes which use ganja. They are mostly poor
men and day-labourers, who either from religious
prejudices or on account of want of sufficient
means cannot use liquor. This and also reply No.
20 are made from statistics recorded by the vendors
and from enquiries made by me.
28.
GANJA.
BHANG.
Allowance.
Costs.
Allowance.
Costs.
(a) 8 grains
1/4 anna.
45 grains 1/8 anna.
(b) 64 „
2 annas. 90 „ 1/4 „
These figures have been obtained by enquiry.
29. In ganja, khaini or dry leaf of tobacco is
ordinarily used. In exceptional cases, if the con¬
sumer can afford it, attar is used. With bhang,
anise and pepper are ordinarily used. In excep¬
tional cases, milk, sugar, and spices are used. It
is said anise and pepper give taste and flavour to
bhano, but milk and sweets make it more effect¬
ive. Dhatura is rarely used. Ingredients of
bhang massala are given below:—
Bhang massala is sold by the Banias for being
mixed with bhang. Its ingredients are as
follows:—
(a) Anise, (b) pepper black, (c) cucumber
seeds, (d) kakri seeds, (e) khurbooza
seeds, (f) Kaho-Lactuen sativa, garden or
Roman lettuce, (g) kurfu, (h) rose leaf, (i)
chota ilachi (small cardamom), (j) kasni.
30. Excepting the habitual excessive consum¬
ers of ganja, all the other consumers of ganja or
bhang use the drugs alone. The use is confined
mainly to the male sex, but not to any time of life.
Children sometimes use ganja, but not bhang,
81. The habit of consuming ganja and bhang
is easily formed. Say ten days' use will create
the habit, But it is not difficult to break it off.
There is a tendency to increase the dose as habit
grows up. This reply is made from informations
collected and from experience.
32. In these provinces no customs, social or
religious, are known in which ganja is essential.
Bhang is used during Durga puja in Bengal, and
it is placed on the Mahadeo during Sivrat in
Behar. The use in Bengal is generally temperate,
and does not lead to the formation of the habit or
is any other way injurious.
33. The consumption of ganja is generally
disapproved, because the habit makes a mau
unfit for active life, unless he has rich and sub¬
stantial food to counteract the effect. Public
opinion is against it. Even the poor consumer
looks it down. Not so the consumer of bhang.
The hemp plant is never known to be worshipped.
34. It would be a serious privation to the
sadhus and fakirs who come from all classes, be¬
cause their habit is formed by using the drug for
years together. It would be also a privation to
the Bhagats, who cannot have recourse to liquor
as an alternative on account of religions prejur
dices. In a hundred consumers, four fakirs and
nine Bhagats would thus be affected.
35. It would be feasible to prohibit the use of
all these drugs by gradually raising the tax pu
them. There may be some illicit consumption
wherever there is any possibility of illicit culti¬
vation. Prohibition may create discontent, but
not serious, nor amounting to political danger.
In rare cases prohibition will be followed by re-
course to alcohol, because the price of liquor acts
as a deterrent. In many cases the consumers
shall have recourse to kankur made of dry tobacco
leaves and prepared tobacco, heated and then
smoked.
X 2