52
66. Different rates of taxation prevail with
regard to the three different kinds of ganja (flat,
round, and chur), and rightly too. For in chur
nothing is lost, in flat one-fourth, and in round one-
eighth are to be deducted for twigs, etc.
68. Yes. These shops are necessary, as they
supply people with the drugs which they require.
People generally carry away their ganja, but
sometimes smoke at the shop.
69. Yes. When any new shop is opened, the
opinion of the municipality as well as of the people
inhabiting the locality is consulted.
Yes, local public opinion should be consulted,
as is the case at present, before opening any
shop in the locality; but a ganja shop is not
objectionable to the general public, as liquor shops
may be, if it is unsuitably located.
70. No such case. It is almost impossible to
detect the smuggling of ganja in small quantities.
I believe that any attempt to stamp out ganja
smoking or an undue raising of the tax would
lead to extensive smuggling, which we should be
utterly helpless to prevent.
Again, it would induce recourse to other
similar drugs. In Eastern Bengal a decoction is
made of the leaves of the jute plant.
19. Evidence of MR. G. E. MANISTY, Magistrate and Collector of Saran.
1. Information has been obtained from officials
connected with the Excise Administration for a
long time, medical men, as well as from many
non-officials of the district.
2. These definitions can be accepted for this
district. Each of these drugs is locally known by
the name given in this question.
3. The hemp plant grows spontaneously in
the districts of Darbhanga, Champaran, Muzaffar-
pur, and Saran. It is abundant in Darbhanga,
Champaran, Monghyr, and Bhagalpur.
4. It is known by the different names of siddhi,
sabuzi, and bhang. All these three names refer
to the same plant.
5. Sterile land, moist climate, damp soil, and
low ground are conditions favourable to the
growth of the wild bhang.
6. The growth of the plant is ordinarily scat-
tered.
12. No reason to think so.
14. Bhang only is prepared in this district
from wild hemp (vide Question 3). It is not con-
fined to any particular tract, nor is it prepared to
a considerable extent; only rarely people have
recourse to it.
15. The plants (wild bhang) when mature are
cut down and dried in the sun. The leaves are
then separated from the branches and prepared
for smoking, eating, or drinking as detailed be-
low:—
(a) Smoking—Dry leaf of bhang is used for
smoking purposes, like ganja, by
poor peasants and fakirs of some
places where ganja is not within the
reach of the consumers. The cases
are few.
(b) Eating—Dry leaves of bhang are ground
with black pepper and swallowed in
the form of pills.
(c) Drinking—The above preparation in (b)
is diluted with water and drunk.
16. Bhang is generally prepared by the people
in their houses. It can be prepared from the hemp
plant wherever it grows.
17. The above preparations of bhang are gen-
erally made by the people, who form the consum-
ers and the peasantry, consisting of almost all
classes of Hindus.
18. Ganja.—It does deteriorate. It entirely
loses its effect in time. It keeps good with
ordinary care for about two years. When it is old
and kept for some time, it loses its effect. Damp
climate and want of ventilation make it lose its
effect rapidly. When placed above the surface of
the ground or in tin-lined boxes and in ventilated
places, rapid deterioration can be averted.
Bhang.—It does not deteriorate for about two
years. It begins to lose its effect after two years.
It keeps good with ordinary care for about three
years. The causes of deterioration are the same
as of ganja. To prevent deterioration the same
special measure may be taken as for ganja.
Charas.—It is never used in this district.
19. Ganja is used for smoking purposes only
in this district. Charas is not used in the district.
20. The Hindu mendicants known as Jogis
and Sadhus invariably, and almost all the differ-
ent classes of Hindus more or less smoke ganja.
The proportion of Hindus who smoke ganja to
those who do not is 1 to 20. Ganja smoking is
not confined to any particular locality. No
Muhammadans, except some low class of them,
specially professional singers and other low charac-
ters, are given to it.
21. The smokers are indifferent to the kind of
ganja, but chur is extensively sold, probably be-
cause it has no twigs. Flat and round ganjas
are also broken into chur for retail sale.
22. No charas is in use in this district.
23. Vide answer to Question 15 (A).
24. Hindus of all classes eat or drink bhang.
No proportion can be given. One and the same
man eats as well as drinks bhang, but the season
for each is different. In hot and rainy seasons the
drug is drunk, and in the winter it is eaten. It
is not confined to any particular locality.
25. The use of bhang and ganja both is on
the decrease. The reason in our opinion is that
formerly both the drugs were cheaper, and conse-
quently even persons of very small income could
afford to have them in larger quantity at a less
cost, while under the present circumstances they
cannot do so. Better administration of the Excise
Department in respect of bringing to justice
persons having in their possession a large quantity
of bhang or having in their fields wild-grown