406
is more in use in all parts of the districts I men-
tioned.
22. I can give no correct answer to this.
When
at Dacca I had only one or two shops under me.
I think charas used to be brought from Calcutta.
23. I have not seen nor heard that bhang is
ever used in smoking.
24. Bhang consumers generally belong to the
middle class of the population. Low people do
not use it as narcotic or for intoxication. It is
difficult to give population, which, by guess, I
would assume to be not more than 2 per cent.
25. The use of ganja and bhang is on the de-
crease. Domestic expenses increased to a very
great extent, and the people can hardly afford to
spend money in luxury and debauchery; besides,
education is now more spread and its effect is
gradual reformation of society.
26 and 27. I cannot give any correct, or that
may be approximately correct, proportion of the
different heads.
28. Average daily allowance by guess may be
assumed as follows:—
(a) ¼ of a quarter tola (i.e., 4 annas worth
in weight) cost little
above one
pice;
(b) ¼ of a tola (i.e., 4 annas worth
in
weight) cost 5 annas.
29. In the districts I mentioned before, no in-
gredient of any sort is mixed; at least I am not
aware of any mixture. Dhatura I learn on en-
quiry is never used. I know nothing of "bhang
massala."
30. Consumption of bhang and ganja is gener-
ally practised in solitude, but on some occasions
it takes place in company. In rare cases ganja-
smokers assemble in the house of one of their
members, who may happen to be comparatively a
well-to-do man in the village, and there smoke
every night at his cost. Females of bad repute
smoke in some cases. It is not usual for children
to smoke ganja or drink bhang. I am not pre-
pared to say that ganja smoking is confined to
any particular time of life. It is more generally
used by male than female sex.
Amongst the Hindus of all classes, there is a
custom in Lower Bengal to use bhang, almost
universally, on the evening of the last day of
the Durga Puja, i.e., on the Navami day, when
prepared bhang powders mixed with sugar are
offered to god and goddess Mahadev and Parvati
and then used by all. The powder is used in such
small quantity that it never produces any intoxi-
cation. Even children of ten or twelve years take
little bhang on this occasion.
31. The habit is easily and gradually formed.
It is difficult to break it off, and there is tendency
to grow a habit for using in excess.
32. I am not aware of any social custom, but
low class Hindus who are ganja-smokers some-
times perform a ceremony which they call " union
of three gods," in which songs in praise of the
gods are sung, and smoking ganja in new pipes
takes place. On these occasions smoking in excess
takes place very often. The religious custom or
practice of using bhang I have noticed in my
answer to question No. 30.
33. The consumption of both the drugs, bhang
and ganja, is regarded unfavourably, socially and
religiously. The public opinion is against any
use of the drugs religiously. General reformation
of social and religious custom and the spread of
education are the causes of these sentiments.
Hemp plant is not worshipped by any class of
people in East Bengal.
34. It would be a serious privation to those
who are addicted to the drugs if they were forced
to forego the consumption. The reason is ob-
vious.
Opium-eaters cannot do without opium
and there are habitual ganja-smokers and bhang-
drinkers who cannot do without them. It is not
easily possible to give any probable number of each
class.
35. Prohibition will not easily be possible or
feasible; if measures be adopted, illicit consump-
tion would be carried on
Government may make
laws against the use and growth of the drugs and
enforce penalty for illicit consumption, but society
would gain little. Government would gain little;
the Police or whoever will have to carry out the
operation of the law will be enriched. The dis-
content amongst consumers will be serious, but
I do not think that there will be any political
danger. I would suggest that Government make
certain rules or laws appointing honest and sober
villagers to form a committee or panchayat.
They ought to be vested with powers to inflict
social punishment, such as excommunication, etc.;
they will have to look to the education of the
mass, and by gradual introduction of practical
reformation and by superior power of persuasion
they may do something in the way of reducing
consumption, and by slow progress may look to
the final object. It will take long time to get
even a slight reformation in this direction. The
prohibition may at first induce the consumers to
use dhatura or any other drug. Alcoholic stimu-
lants will be too dear for them.
36. I am not of opinion that alcohol is now
more used as a substitute for any of these drugs.
On the other hand, drinking is now looked upon
as more expensive and is not harmless.
37. Cannot answer this question.
38. I consulted many consumers who are ordi-
narily my villagers; they one and all deny feeling
any perceptible difference in effects.
39. Ganja is used in the three districts I named,
only by smoking. No other form of using this
drug prevails in this part of the country.
Bhang
is used generally in liquid form and occasionally
in powder form. It is never smoked. I cannot
therefore say if smoking of any of the two drugs
is less injurious or otherwise. My remarks do not
refer to charas.
40. The use of bhang is sometimes prescribed
by native doctors (Hindu kabirajes) in cases of
chronic looseness and in other bowel complaints.
Bhang leaves dried are used in fomentation in
cases of rheumatism. Ganja is used in medicine
for paralysis. Those whom I consulted cannot say
if these drugs are used in the treatment of cattle
disease.
41. My remarks apply only to ganja and bhang
and not to charas. There is a division in the
opinion of the smokers. Some say that a moder-
ate use of ganja is digestive, whilst others deny
this. It is relieving (and this fact is admitted by
many) after severe exertion or exposure. It does
not serve as a febrifuge or preventive of diseases
in malarious tracts. Its use is admitted, even by
the smokers themselves sometimes, as bad in
effect.
Moderate use in bhang is admitted by many as
beneficial in all cases of (a), (b), (c), and (d).