487
229. Evidence of BABU GOWREE SUNKER ROY,* Kayasth, Secretary, Cuttack Print-
ing Company, Cuttack.
1. Long contract with persons who use the
drugs and general observation.
2. Yes. The local names are charas, ganja,
and bhang or patti; the ganja being of two sorts,
desi or Gurjati (grown in the Tributary Mahals)
and Calcutta (imported from Bengal). The
distinction between flat, round and chur is not
much recognized by the people here.
19. Yes, but charas is almost out of use at
present. In rare cases ganja is powdered and
eaten with sweetmeat.
23. No.
28. (a) One pice or three pies.
(b) About one anna.
29. (a) Tobacco leaf. (b) I am not aware
of any.
The chief or indispensable ingredients of bhang
massala is black-pepper (golmirich); other spices,
such as aniseed, mace, cloves, etc., are added accord-
ing to taste.
30. Only ganja is smoked in company by male
adults; children do not consume any drug.
31. Yes, and it is as easily shaken off. There
is no such necessary tendency unless a man
chooses to go into excess in the case of ganja-
smoking only.
32. The only religious custom among the
Bengalis is to take a little bhang on the Bijaya
day (last day of Durga Puja). There is no such
custom in Orissa. Where the custom prevails it
is used very moderately, and it is not likely to
form a habit or inflict any injury.
36. None at all, and it is not likely, because
alcohol is too expensive and forbidden by Hindu
religion. On the contrary, some persons resort to
hemp drugs to give up liquor-drinking.
37. Charas, as stated above, is not now used.
The effect of ganja-smoking is immediate but
transient, while the intoxication of bhang lasts
for twelve hours or so.
39. Only ganja is used in smoking, and I
believe it is more injurious than drinking or eat-
ing bhang. I think ganja-smoking affects the
lungs, for I have seen persons using it excessively,
constantly coughing and throwing off thick
mucous matter. I also know of two persons
smoking ganja habitually turning insane.
40. Bhang alone is used as a medicinal drug by
all native physicians without distinction. I am
not aware of its being used for cattle disease.
41. (a) It is generally believed that the use of
ganja or bhang promotes hunger and helps
digestion.
(b) I have seen that palki-bearers, boatmen,
etc., who use ganja are able to do their work
well after taking a dose when required to work
extra hours.
(c) and (d) I have no special knowledge.
42. I consider the moderate use of ganja or
bhang harmless, especially the latter. Bhang is
preserved by many as a household medicine for
all sorts of bowel complaints and colic pain, and
as a cooling beverage in the hot season. Indeed,
some go so far as to say that the restriction of
the sale of bhang by the Excise Department has
deprived many of a ready cure in cases of bowel
complaints and even cholera. This popular belief
and undue restrictions of the department help, I
am afraid, to keep up the illicit trade in bhang.
44. Persons using ganja or bhang say that they
feel refreshed after taking a dose, and complain
of want of appetite and dullness if kept long with-
out it. My observations lead me to think that
the intoxication must be of a mild nature, as the
generality of ganja-smokers look calm and talk
properly when under influence of the drug, and
the want of subsequent gratification does not seem
to produce any unbearable uneasiness.
45. I am not aware of any such effects.
46. I have already said I know of two cases.
In one case the ganja-smoker, a tailor, used to
get periodic fits of insanity lasting each time for
a week or so, at intervals of two or three months.
After some years the fits came at longer intervals
till he died at the age of about 40 years. The
other ganja-smoker was a moharrir in the court.
He suddenly resigned his post and became insane.
After a few months one of his friends kept him in
custody in his house for two or three months and
was not allowed to smoke. He got well. One
day he went out and smoked ganja and became
as insane as before. He is still alive and lives
by begging.
47 and 48. I have no reason to think so.
49. I cannot say; but I know that several
native medicines directed to that end contain
bhang as one of the chief ingredients. Very few
prostitutes use ganja or bhang. I have never
heard of impotency being produced by use of
hemp.
56. I am not aware of any admixture with
ganja or bhang.
57. I think when ganja is eaten or drunk the
effect is the same as of bhang, the only difference
being that it is more intoxicating.
In conclusion I have no other information to
give. I am of opinion that the habit of using
hemp drugs is on the decrease and the means
adopted by the Excise Department are sufficient
to check its growth. Abolition or undue restric-
tion would be considered a grievance and cause
needless sacrifice of revenue by encouraging
smuggling, and might lead persons addicted to
these drugs to resort to more harmful intoxicating
substance.
* Was invited to attend at a meeting of the Commission for oral examination, but failed to appear.