424
hemp and bhang belong to the same natural order,
and when both the species grow to the same height,
and in all external appearance they present the
most striking resemblance, and both the species un-
deniably possess the narcotic principle, and speci-
ally because the growth of wild hemp is never ad-
vanced by the destruction of male plants, wild
hemp may, under proper care, become ganja. It
may also be supposed that hemp, in its degenerated
and wild condition, becomes what we call bhang or
siddhi. I have myself seen that such bhang
plants as have a luxuriant growth bring forth
leaves, which sometimes get matted together, and,
if collected before inflorescence, might, to some
extent, serve the purpose of ganja.
17. The answer to question ten (10) applies to
this question also.
18. The narcotic power of ganja deteriorates by
keeping. It loses its active principle totally in
the course of time, retaining its effects for about
two years with ordinary care. I believe that this
gradual destruction of its effects is simply due to
the atmospheric influence; consequently if this
drug be preserved in cases hermetically closed, the
effect will keep intact for a comparatively longer
period.
19. So far as my experience goes, I think ganja
is generally used for smoking purposes. I must
here note that I use the word smoking in a quali-
fied sense for narcosis only. There are, however,
occasions when people of small means use it as
medicine in such skin diseases as scabies, etc.
They boil ganja with a little of raw sulphur and
camphor in mustard oil and apply this medicated
oil over the parts affected. I must here note that
medical science has still now very considerable doubt
as to the effect of this drug when administered
externally. Dr. Bruce, in his well-known Materia
Medica and Therapeutics (page 375), says—"Posi-
tive knowledge on these points is wanting; Can-
nabis indica is never used externally." But I
can say from my own experience that the medi-
cated mustard oil, as described above, has comple-
tely cured scabies when acid boracic, and carbolic
and sulphate of zinc failed.
Ganja has, however, other uses than those al-
ready mentioned. Assistant Surgeon Dr. A. C.
Khastgir of Calcutta made a tolerably extensive
trial of this drug in nervous and spasmodic di-
seases. He made his patients smoke ganja like the
ordinary Indian smokers with what may be called
marvellous success.
I am aware of no other use of charas than smok-
ing. I believe that medicinal use of ganja is com-
mon to the people of lower class all over the pro-
vince of Bengal.
20. Ganja is generally smoked by people of
lower class. It is sometimes found to be indulg-
ed in by the middle class. But the instances are
very rare, and by those only who get morally
debased. The use of charas is, as a matter of fact,
comparatively less. An attempt to give the exact
proportion of the consumers of these drugs would
be too risky, inasmuch as there are no Govern-
ment statistics to warrant such figures, nor is there
any possibility of other trustworthy source of infor-
mation.
21. Of the three kinds of the ganja, flat, round
and chur, round is the strongest and the flat
and chur possess the same narcotic strength. The
round ganja is in great request in Calcutta, 24-
Parganas and Hughli, the flat in the Eastern and
Northern Districts. I do not think that there is
any very great difference in the taste of these
different varieties. I believe preference for smok-
ing does not depend on the kind of the drug, but
on the habit each man gets accustomed to. Acci-
dent alone, in my opinion, can explain the cause
of one's getting used to any particular kind of
ganja. The smoker of round would like to smoke
only the round, and so forth.
22. Charas is manufactured in Nepal and Go-
rakhpur. The Nepalee charas being superior, is
generally used by the consumers.
23. Bhang is never used as a smoke when the
object in view is to get intoxicated; nor is it made
a substitute for ganja unless the smokers are
driven to extreme privations. But I know that pure
bhang is smoked by asthmatic patients when the
spasmodic fit is on. It is antispasmodic, and is
generally a sure means of arresting the progress
of the disease for the time being.
24. Bhang is generally used as a drink. In
Bengal, I think, there is no section of the com-
munity in which this drink has obtained anything
like a regular idulgence. Dyspeptic patients of
all classes sometimes take to this drink as a stoma-
chic with some benefit. There is, no doubt, no
want of instances in which such drink is resorted
to for the sake of pleasure alone; but the instances
are rather casual.
In the North-Western Provinces and Oudh
bhang drink is in much request, and it is perhaps
very generally used by all sections of the people.
The North-Western Provinces men eat bhang
occasionally, but drink is their favourite. The
different use of bhang, as set out in this question,
is perhaps not confined to any particular class or
classes.
25. The consumption of charas and bhang being
comparatively rare, no statistics with any accuracy
may be given. But with regard to ganja it may,
I think, be said that the consumption is rather
steady, What leads me to come to this conclusion
is that the area of land under ganja cultivation
and its annual production have ever since 1876
remained, on the average, stationary; the area is
about 2,000 bighas, and production ranges be-
tween seven and nine thousand maunds a year.
26. I am unable to answer this question sup-
porting it with exact facts and figures. But I
may say from my knowledge that the number of
habitual moderate consumers is the greatest; next
comes the class of habitual excessive consumers,
and then occasional moderate, and lastly occasional
excessive consumers.
27. I believe the habitual moderate consu-
mers mostly belong to the labouring class, and
the habitual excessive smokers come from the
sanyasis, musicians and debauchees. I think
those that are given to one kind of intoxication
may sometimes be induced, either for pleasure or for
curiosity, to indulge in hemp-smoking. So no de-
finite idea can be formed of the source that supplies
the units of the occasional moderate consumers.
As for the occasional excessive consumers, the
number is, I think, so small that nothing definite-
ly can be said as to what particular class they come
from. The habitual moderate smokers resort to
this drug in order to remove their fatigue and to
refresh themselves after the hard work of the day.
The sanyasis, musicians and other habitual exces-
sive consumers, with a view to concentrate their
thoughts to one particular thing, get themselves
addicted to this habit. Mere satisfaction of fancies,
I believe, leads the smokers of the two other classes
to indulge in hemp-smoking.