425
28. The cost of a habitual moderate ganja smok-
er for the drug would vary from half to one anna,
and that of a habitual excessive smoker from two
to four annas a day.
29. The smokers of ganja invariably mix tobacco
leaves with ganja. I should here specially note
that I have gathered information about this fact
from a lot of confirmed ganja smokers. The ma-
jority of them are unintelligent beings and do not
know the how and why of such admixture. How-
ever, the conclusion I have come to, is that tobacco
leaf does neither increase nor decrease the narcotic
principle of the drug. I believe tobacco is smoked
by about ninety per cent. of the natives of Bengal.
It is a peculiarity of tobacco smoking that it al-
ways causes a temporary irritation of the air pas-
sage. But the smoking of pure ganja does not
produce any such, and its narcotic effect is almost
instantaneous; consequently there is every likeli-
hood of there being very long and bold whiffs,
thus making the indulgence a fatal one. That is
why ganja is mixed with tobacco. This mixture
makes the bold whiffs to some extent very difficult.
I believe originally this admixture of tobacco leaf
was introduced as a safeguard against any such
accident. To explain the admixture briefly, it may
be said that it serves the purpose of a safety-valve
with the hemp smokers. I am not aware of dha-
tura being used as an admixture with ganja
for ordinary smoking purposes.
Those who drink bhang for pleasure's sake
use the following ingredients with it:—(1) seeds
of cucumber; (2) black pepper; (3) aniseed; (4)
poppy seeds.
To increase the active principle of the drug
(bbang), people generally mix the following arti-
cles with it:—(1) stalks of betel leaves; (2) grass
(durba roots); (3) rice (atab powder); (4) sugar;
(5) pumpkin roots.
To make the drug sweet to the taste and to
increase the flavour of the drink the following are
added:—(1) milk; (2) sugar; (3) spices; (4) rose
water.
30. Ganja is generally smoked by the lower
class of people in company; but those that have
some status in society indulge in it in solitude.
It is generally smoked by the male sex; but
prostitutes of a very low order are sometimes
found addicted to this drug. The smoking of
ganja has no concern with any particular time of
life.
It is not usual for children to consume any of
these drugs.
31. The habit of smoking ganja, I believe, is
very easily formed, and it is at the same time not
very difficult to shake off.
It is the characteristic of all narcosis to develop
into excess. Ganja being one of the intoxicants,
there is no reason why the general law would not
obtain in this case.
32. I am aware of no religious custom which
makes the consumption of any of these drugs
essential. In some parts of Bengal, people drink
bhang on the Bijaya Dashami day; but this even
is neither universal nor essential. It is generally
temperate, and is not calculated to lead to the
formation of the habit. Such drink is not regard-
ed as injurious.
33. I think public opinion, either social or
religious, is not in favour of the consumption of
any of these drugs. On the contrary, the con-
sumers are looked down upon by the society.
The reason why they are held in such disrepute
lies, perhaps, in the fact that the consumers gene-
rally come from the lowest class of society and
form the dregs of it.
I am not aware of people worshipping the hemp
plant on any occasion.
34. I do not think that the habit of smoking
ganja is such that consumers cannot shake it off.
I have enquired of a number of persons who have
been addicted to ganja smoking, and their unani-
mous testimony is that the habit may be broken
off. I kept a notorious hemp smoker, after I had
got these questions, in close custody for about
nine hours, and it did not seem that he felt any
very serious uncomfortableness at this privation.
Jail reports of the newly admitted prisoners bear
this fact out.
35. I think it is feasible to prohibit the use of
all these drugs without creating any very serious
discontent, though there might be some at the
beginning. Our past experience shows that any
political danger is, to say the least of it, an
impossibility. The only case in which the
suppression of any social custom or religious
rites by any legislative enactment brought on
political danger was that which caused the
Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. But the history of
India has other illustrations to hold out, which
prove that there is no such apprehension. The
suppression of the Thugs, the sati during the
Viceroyalty of Lord William Bentinck, and the
enforcement of the Consent Bill in the teeth
of such universal opposition from every province
of Bengal have not led to any disturbance.
These were customs which affected the whole
country very intimately. But the consumption
of these drugs, which has obtained only among
an infinitesimally small fraction of the popula-
tion, and that of such a nature as are without
both light and culture, cannot, if prohibited,
bring on any sort of disturbance. Such a state
of things is never expected from these loyal
subjects. I don't think that the prohibition
will tend to introduce illicit consumption—even
if it does, it is sure not to endure long; I think
the present consumers of these drugs may then
get addicted to alcoholic drinks. The only
means for such prohibition is legislative inter-
ference.
36. Yes, there is some reason.
These drugs are generally used by people be-
longing to low class, and they are looked upon
as dregs of seciety. But nowadays persons who
have some status in society, and who are reputed
to be men of education and culture, are found
to drink liquors without any censure from the
general public, provided they remain within
proper bounds. This opinion of the age induces
certain persons to substitute alcohol for these
drugs. Formerly Muhammadans, as a rule, and
person of other castes used to be excommunicated
for the vice of drinking; but at present the
Muhammadan and such other societies have learnt,
seeing the tendency of the age, to overlook these
vices and to indulge in them.
37. The effects of charas and ganja smoking
are different. The effect of ganja smoking is,
as Dr. C. J. Waring puts it, to produce increased
arterial action and great exhilaration of spirits,
remarkable increase of appetite, unequivocal aphro-
disiac and great mental cheerfulness. But charas
smoking brings on a sort of uncomfortable burn-
ing sensation in the eyes, idleness, drowsiness,
and ultimately culminates in catalepsy.
38. Practically there is no difference.
3 L