127
smoking ganja and easy in case of bhang.
Generally a moderate smoker of ganja becomes an
excessive smoker in no time. Such tendency is
strong in the case of ganja, but not so in the case
of bhang.
32. The custom of smoking ganja at Deuli, as
stated under question 20, is both social and semi-
religious. There is another religious custom in
some Lower Bengal districts called "Tinnath
puja," when smoking of ganja is essential. Only
one pice worth of ganja is prepared, and low class
people of the village congregate and sing in
honour of the god called " Tinnath." It is of late
growth among low class people, and is performed
at night when certain ailment is cured on the
belief of that god. It is not unusual that ganja
smokers smoke in that assembly ganja other than
the pice worth offered at the puja; one pice worth
of betel and betel-nut and one pice worth of oil is
also offered.
The other ceremony, Deuli, is performed in open
fields, chars or jungles, where cattle, specially
buffalos, of several owners are collected together.
The owners of the cattle as well as those that tend
the same, assemble and perform certain religious
ceremony, wash the cattle, rub oil on their horns,
and then sing and smoke ganja to their heart's
content. It is done once a year at the time of
Kalipuja.
The use of ganja is essential in both the above-
mentioned customs. The use of ganja in Tinnath
puja is temperate, but in Deuli it is excessive.
The former tends to initiate young men of low
class to the use of ganja, but the latter is confined
to confirmed smokers, and hence not much injuri¬
ous to them.
33. The consumption of ganja and charas is
regarded by the society as a vice full of injury
to the smokers directly and to his family indirectly.
The smokers of these two drugs are certainly
looked down upon, and shunned by the good
members of the society. The epithet " ganja-khor "
is applied in derision to a person of rash temper
and prone to violence and indiscreet acts and
words. Ganja and charas smoking brings neglect
to business and pursuit, unnecessary burden and
expenditure to the family, and purging of blood
and turning of brain at the end; hence the social
public opinion against the use of ganja and charas.
The use of bhang is not fraught with so much
injuries, and hence not held in so much disrepute.
I am not aware of any religious opinion against
ganja, charas, or bhang, or of any custom of
worshipping the hemp plant.
34. To forego the consumption of any of the
three drugs would be considered as a privation by
habitual excessive smokers only, and not by other
classes of smokers as classified in question 26.
The other classes can forego it with a little effort.
An habitual excessive smoker of ganja becomes
eager for it when deprived of his daily dose, and
seems to be restless till he gets it. But such rest¬
lessness is more imaginary than real; for I have
heard even the most confirmed ganja smokers (e. g.,
sanyasis) say that they can live without it for
a fortnight or a month without any injury to
health. Such religious devotees say that they
smoke ganja only for concentrating their mind
to one idea to the exclusion of others, and not for
any other purposes.
To forego the use of bhang is calculated to
produce indigestion in habitual drinkers; but I
did not try any particular case to watch the real
result.
I have no experience of any charas smoker.
The number of persons feeling the disconti¬
nuance of ganja, charas, and bhang as a sort of
privation will be very limited.
35. I think it is quite feasible to prohibit the
use of ganja, charas, and bhang, except when
bhang is required for medicinal purposes for pre¬
paration of medicines under the Ayurvedic system
by kabirajes. Bhang will to some extent be
used illicitly, as it grows wild. Ganja will not
be available easily without detection. To detect
illicit collection of bhang would lead to petty op¬
pression and unnecessary harassment; but culti¬
vation of ganja is widely known to be prohibitive,
and can be severely dealt with. Preparation of
charas is not, I believe, known to the people, and
hence it will not be heard of after prohibition of
importation.
The prohibition can be effected only by legal
force and strict supervision by an honest class of
officers for at least a period of five years. I would
not leave the supervision entirely to the police,
but to a class of young, active, educated, and
honest officers appointed in the Excise Depart¬
ment constituted as at present.
I do not believe that the prohibition would
occasion any serious discontent among the con¬
sumers. Certainly it would be absurd to believe
that the temporary discontent, if any, among the
limited number of smokers that are disliked and
looked down upon by the vast numbers of the
people who would hail such a prohibition, can
ever amount to a political danger. It is an argu¬
ment that I should call ungenerous to the people
at large and far-fetched on the part of those who
advance it. The prohibition may create a pleas¬
ing grumbling among the smokers, similar to what
was observed on the re-introduction of distillery
system in the town and enhancement of retail
price of liquor both in town and in the interior,
which caused many poor drinkers of liquor to
be thrown out. The majority and better classes of
the people will bless the Government and sym¬
pathize with its action. The ordinary habitual
and occasional smokers among the ignorant mass
will consider, as usual with all Government
measures, that the benign Government of the
Queen has taken this step for their benefit; and
the few murmurers will lament in solitude.
But the public sympathy will be lost; nay, the
public will certainly advocate the use of the drugs,
if prohibition of ganja and charas be followed by a
cess or tax on the innocent.
The prohibition may be followed by having re¬
course to alcoholic stimulants to some extent and
not to other drugs. In my opinion bhang should
be left unprohibited and taxed higher than at
present, so that on the prohibition of ganja, hard
habitual consumers of the same may fall upon
bhang if they like.
36. 1 have seen no instance of foregoing ganja,
charas, or bhang for the adoption of liquor, and
have no reason to believe that such a tendency of
substitution of liquor for drug exists. I am aware
of instances, though rare, of the same person taking
liquor, bhang, and opium.
37. The effect of charas is produced slowly and
by degrees; but that of ganja is quick and very
sadden. Charas is said to be milder than ganja.
38. No, except that the " rolled round " (vide
(b) in answer to question (2) is said, in Bhagalpur,
to turn the head and make one feel giddy.
39. Nil.