2
1887-88, 6,550 maunds; and the lowest, in
1892-93, maunds 5,451. This is the amount on
which duty was paid. Charas has increased in the
last 10 years; but the total sales are only 10 or 12
maunds at most. In 1880-81 811 maunds of
bhang were sold against 1,064 in 1891-92. The
increase is small.
26. The great bulk of the ganja smokers are
habitual moderate consumers. Bairagies and such
like are habitual excessive consumers. I should
say there were very few of classes (c) and (d).
27. The lower classes in East Bengal, boatmen
and such like, nearly all consume ganja moderate-
ly. Hindu religious devotees are those who habit-
ually consume in excess, and also Muhammadan
debauchees.
28. (a) About a pice worth.
(b) Six or seven times that amount, or even
more.
29. (a) Tobacco.
(b) Dhatura.
In the case of (a), it is the ordinary mixture.
In the case of (b), it is used as a stimulant and
drug.
30. Both in solitude and company, chiefly the
latter. It is most used by males. I have not
come across any consumption by children.
31. The habit is easily formed and not easy to
break off. Looking at the enormous preponder-
ance of moderate habitual smokers, I should say
the tendency to develop into excess was small.
32. Ganja and bhang both enter into the Hindu
festivals; but on this point natives will give
better evidence.
33. Ganja smoking is not held to be respect-
able; but I do not think there is much feeling
against it. Seeing it is used so much by devotees,
religious public opinion cannot be against it.
Here again native evidence will be best.
34. I do not think the hardship is very great;
but my experience is drawn from jails. I refer to
moderate consumers. Excessive consumers feel it
more.
35. (a) I do not think so.
(b) Certainly.
(c) It could not be enforced without an en-
ormous preventive service and much cost.
(d) and (e) I think the discontent would be
great, amounting to a political danger, and that
the cry of interference with religion would be
raised.
(f) Yes, and to illicit growth of the hemp
plant.
36. No. It is the other way, if anything, but
not very markedly.
37. I know of no difference.
38. None, so far as I am aware.
39. This is more of a medical question; but I
should say smoking was the less harmful.
40. I believe so; but the evidence of native
doctors may be taken.
41. I should say yes to all questions. The
boatmen of East Bengal use it largely and thrive
on it. It is, like most other things, good when
not taken in excess. I refer to moderate habitual
use. As noted in reply to question 26, few use
the drug occasionally.
42. See above.
43. Absolutely so. In this view alcohol renders
those under its influence much more offensive than
ganja.
44. Ganja smoked in moderation produces ap-
petite and revives the spirits. It does not produce
intoxication.
The effect lasts some time. I have never noticed
any after-effects in the case of moderate consump-
tion.
45. (a) I do not think so.
(b) I have never seen any instance; but doctors
can say.
(c) No, quite the contrary.
(d) Not to my knowledge.
(e) I do not think so.
(f) Immoderate use is said to cause insanity;
but I doubt it, else the proportion of insane
Bairagies and such like would be greater than it is.
I fear ganja is held responsible for more cases
of insanity than are really due to it. I never
heard of bhang being blamed for insanity. I
think ganja affects some men more than others,
as I have seen the same man sent time after
time to an asylum and always come back.
46. See above. I believe habitual use of bhang
is bad for the digestion.
47 and 48. Not to my knowledge.
49. Ganja is certainly so used, also bhang,
generally in the form of majum. It seems rather
to strengthen existing desires than to be an active
aphrodisiac, and for this purpose it is generally
mixed with other drugs. A man who uses hemp
for this purpose necessarily wears himself out
more than he otherwise would do, and in this way
it is more injurious.
50. I cannot say if hemp produces impotence.
51. My experience is that most bad characters
consume ganja. I hold that in itself ganja does
not dispose to crime; but it may strengthen the
will to commit crime if it is already there. I do
not know that the moderate use of ganja is con-
nected with any particular form of crime.
52. The above applies generally. Men under
ganja sometimes commit murder; but it is hard
to say how far the ganja is responsible.
53. Generally premeditated.
I have known
cases of temporary homicidal frenzy.
54. To some extent.
55. Dhatura is generally mixed when drugging
is intended. Ganja alone, unless taken to an
enormous extent, would not cause complete stupe-
faction. In fact, I am not sure that alone it
would ever do so.
56. See question above. The ordinary ganja
smoker does not use dhatura.
57. I know of no such cases.
58 and 59. On the whole it works well, but is
capable of improvement.
Ganja.—I think the cultivation is sufficiently
controlled, but the preparation and storage arrange-
ments can be improved. The rules contemplate
a public gola; but as a fact, there is no public
gola for storage, nor, under existing circum-
stances, would it be possible without enormous
expenditure to have a public gola.