96
duced by use of the drug after liberation from
restraint. There is no typical symptom. Insanes
confess to the use of ganja. There is no evidence
to indicate that insanity often tends to indul-
gence in the use of the hemp drugs, or that the
drug was used for the purpose of obtaining relief
from mental anxiety or brain disease.
46. It impairs the constitution of the habitual
excessive smokers. Does not cause indigestion,
but causes loss of appetite. Does not cause dy-
sentery, but asthma and bronchitis. The habit
induces laziness and impairs the moral sense, as
he becomes untruthful, shameless and utterly un-
reliable. It deadens the intellect and often pro-
duces temporary insanity. The symptoms may
be reinduced by subsequent use of the drug. One
Gour Pande himself confesses that he is ruined
by indulgence in this drug. Another high caste
native (Mohanando Chakravarti) suffered both
physically and mentally. Other cases could also
be cited, but it would lengthen this report.
The effects are physically, mentally and moral-
ly bad.
47. The habitual moderate use of this drug is
not hereditary, and generally does not affect the
children of the consumer.
48. It is not hereditary, but affects the children
of the habitual excessive smoker. They are often
of weak intellect and are moreover thin and
sickly.
49. Not known.
50. It tends to produce impotence in the ex-
cessive smoker.
51. A small proportion of bad characters are
moderate smokers (the exact proportion is not
known). It has no connection with crime in gene-
ral, but it is believed that the agitation among the
Kharwars, which latterly had turned more into a
political movement than religious excitement,
emanated from ganja smokers, who imagined
they could take the Government of the country
into their own hands, pay no rent to landlords and
drive the English out. The sudden ebullitions of
feelings which from time to time rise among them
spring from the same source.
52. The remarks given in paragraph 51 apply
to this also.
53. Excessive indulgence in ganja incites to
unpremeditated violence.
I know the following persons who became
violent and dangerous lunatics through ganja
smoking:—Dharma Manjhi Saoria, Ramdar Pande,
Kartic Chhutar, Chunka Sonthal, Baijal Rai, and
others.
54. Not known.
55. Complete stupefaction can be induced with-
out admixture.
56. Ganja is not mixed here with any sub-
stance except tobacco. It is not mixed with
dhatura in this sub-division either for personal
consumption or for administration to others.
57. Ganja and charas are not eaten or drunk
in this sub-division.
58. It is not capable of improvement in this
sub-division.
59. No.
60 and 61. Not produced here.
62. Yes, if feasible.
63. If the cultivation and sale of the drugs
are not to be discontinued, I have no objection
to the present system of vend, except that shops
at low rent should on no account be opened, and
no shops on the borders of a sub-division or
district should be opened.
64. No.
65 and 66. Yes.
67. No.
68. Four shops exist in this sub-division for
the sale of ganja, but the drug cannot be con-
sumed on the premises. On no account should
shops where these drugs can be consumed be open-
ed, as people would assemble there, at first for
gossip, but eventually for smoking the drug.
They would give greater facilities to vendors to
encourage poople to smoke.
69. The wishes of the local people are considered
before a shop is opened. Local opinion should
be considered.
70. There are no facts regarding importation
or smuggling of hemp drugs from Native States.
Duty is paid in respect to ganja used. There
is no reason to believe that untaxed drug is used.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I have been twenty-one years in
Government service. I was first in the Opium
Department and then joined the Civil Department.
For a time I was Assistant Settlement Officer,
and am now Sub-divisional Officer. I have been
nearly twenty years in the Sonthal Parganas, and
my replies refer exclusively, to that part of the
country.
Question 16.—I have not seen ganja prepared
from the wild plant, nor have I seen a specimen.
I am told it can be prepared, but I have no reason
to suppose that it is prepared to any extent worth
notice.
Question 34.—I was informed, when making en-
quiries, that thirty-four was the number of excessive
smokers in my sub-division, but I have reason to
believe that the true number is about double that
figure. The population of the sub-division is
230,000, of whom 128,000 are Sonthals.
Question 51.—The political disturbance I refer
to began in 1879, and it again appeared at the
Census of 1881. The leaders of the disturbance
were Kharwars, who are Hinduised Sonthals.
These people have abjured liquor and taken to
ganja. The agitation was originally religious in
favour of Hinduism as against the old Sonthal wor-
ship, but it developed into an agrarian movement
against the payment of rent. I do not attribute
the movement to ganja, but the movement having
begun, the ganja-smokers went further than the
others, and were the people who indulged in the
wild talk about taking the government of the coun-
try and paying no rent. That is to say, an attempt
was made to turn the religious movement into a
political and agrarian one by leaders who were
ganja-smokers, and who, up to this day, raise the
same grievances whenever a new officer comes into
the district.
Question 53.—Of the five persons named in
this answer, Ramdar Pande, Kartik Chhutar, Baijal
Rai were, as far as I recollect, sent to the
lunatic asylum. The other two recovered.
None of these men committed any violent crime
for which he was tried. I give them as instances`