576
26. It is difficult to distinguish between the
proportion of the different classes of consumers of
ganja. The great majority of consumers of ganja
are habitually moderate as far as my experience
goes.
27. The excessive consumption of ganja is the
largest among the ascetics and those consumers
who are in the habit of hard drinking. The rural
classes and hard-working people are generally
moderate in its indulgence. The number of occa-
sional moderate consumers is very few. These
belong to those classes of people who would not
smoke ganja without putting in offering to
Mahadeb, a deity of the Hindus. The cases of
occasional excessive consumption are few and far
between.
Some got into the habit of ganja-smoking for
pleasure, which its intoxication brings on. Some
began it under a belief that it gave them strength
and enabled them to go through hard work; but
the majority started the habit from the contagion
of bad examples.
29. Water and tobacco are the ingredients
ordinarily mixed with ganja by different classes of
consumers, but rosewater and milk are exception-
ally added to it. I have not seen any one using
dhatura with ganja.
30. As a general rule ganja is smoked in com-
pany. Ganja-smoking is mainly confined to the
male sex. Our women are remarkably free from
it. It is quite uncommon among children.
31. Ganja-consuming habit is easily formed.
It is difficult to give up the habit of consuming
ganja. The consumers cannot give up the habit
of their own will, but they would do so if com-
pelled to it. It creates a hankering after it. There
is a tendency for the moderate habit to develop
into the excessive.
32. Ganja is used on the occasions of Siva-
ratri festival and Sarasvati Puja. It is gen-
erally used on these religious festivals, but it is
not regarded as essential. Trinather Seva is a
religious entertainment among low class men of
Sylhet and Cachar. This Seva is usually cele-
brated in fulfilment of promises made for the
purpose especially when anyone be in trouble. It
takes place at night. The ganja-smokers as well
as spectators meet together at the appointed hour
and employ themselves in celebrating the so-called
fête. They put ganja in offering to Mahadeb, a
deity of the Hindus, who, it is said, used to smoke
ganja, and then invoke him to come and share the
offering; when the invocation is over, the ganja
offered is smoked by the consumers and some of
the spectators who profess themselves to be the
followers of the deity. This is followed by dis-
tribution of sweetmeats and fruits among the
spectators as well as the smokers. Ganja is essential
in this Seva, and it is likely to lead to a habit.
The moderate and excessive use of ganja on this
occasion depends on the nature of the consumers.
33. The general feeling of the people is against
the use of ganja. The term "ganja-smoker" is
a term of reproach. Even the ganja-smokers are
ashamed to admit the habit of ganja-smoking;
but it is not regarded as a degrading habit when
contracted by the ascetics. It is said that Maha-
deb, a deity of the Hindus, used to smoke ganja,
and his followers consider the smoking of ganja
to be a sort of religious service. Ganja-smoking
is generally confined to the dregs of the society
and is looked down upon by the respectable people.
The ganja-smokers are considered to be useless
members of society, because the habit of smoking
ruins mind and body. I therefore attribute that
sentiment to this. I am not aware that hemp
plant is ever worshipped on any occasion by any
sect of people.
34. Yes, it would be a serious privation where
the habit of using ganja has become established.
I have noticed restlessness and depression in the
ganja-smokers, and found them to be quite unfit
for work when deprived of their accustomed use
of the drug.
35. It would not be feasible to prohibit the use
of ganja. Any attempt to restrict its consump-
tion would lead to smuggling and the clandestine
sale of the drug (ganja), and the people would
consume ganja of inferior quality. It would be
very difficult to enforce the prohibition. The
prohibition would cause, I believe, discontent
among the consumers; but I am not prepared to
say that it would amount to a political danger. If
the consumption of ganja be prohibited, the poorer
classes will, I believe, take to other drugs, and the
richer to alcohol. The prohibition could be en-
forced by stopping cultivation, manufacture and
importation of ganja.
36. As far as my experience goes, the tendency
of the people to indulge in liquor has become very
great at the present time, but I do not think that
the people take to it as a substitute for the drug
(ganja).
42. My observation is confined only to ganja.
The moderate use of this drug is not, in my opinion,
harmless. It makes man quarrelsome and irrit-
ant and produces emaciation, and causes bronchitis
or asthma in old age.
43. So far as my experience goes, moderate con-
sumers of ganja are inoffensive to their neigh-
bours.
44. I am not a consumer of ganja, and therefore
I do not feel competent to give any definite
answer, but I was told by the smokers of ganja
that the intoxication of ganja brings on pleasure,
and it gives them vigour and capacity for hard
work. I have seen people eating to excess when
under the influence of the drug (ganja). The
labourers are more inclined for hard work after
a smoke. The above effects take place, I am told,
while the smokers are under the influence of the
drug. They say that the want of subsequent
gratification produces uneasiness and creates a
longing for the drug.
45. As regards the effects of the moderate
ganja-smoking on the physical and mental condi-
tion of the people, I have observed that injurious
effects are produced by its moderate use. It
produces emaciation, and in many cases it causes
dysentery and bronchitis or asthma in old age.
It also weakens the intellect and enfeebles the
mind; but I was told that these deleterious
effects take place for want of good food consisting
of milk and its preparations, besides other articles
of food, which the generality of the smokers of
ganja can ill-afford to have on account of their
straitened circumstances. I know of no case
where ganja-smoking
has produced moral
depravity of any kind. No case of insanity pro-
duced by the moderate use of ganja has come
under my notice. It also causes loss of appetite,
and injures the digestion unless accompanied by
good food, and induces laziness.
46. I have observed that excessive use of
ganja ruins body and mind. I have heard of
several cases of insanity produced by the excessive
use of the drug (ganja). Yesterday I read in