469
36. Any of these drugs is not substituted for
alcohol. I don't think there has been any
change. I think the latter dearer than former.
37. The effects are different; and effects of
charas-smoking only give pleasure in the mind,
but serve no medicinal purposes. But ganja cures
many diseases, such as, rheumatic pain, leprosy;
it increases male strength. According to native
kabirajes, hakims and doctors, medicines can be
prepared from ganja.
38. The people here use round ganja. The round
ganja is superior in class, the next in kind is flat
ganja, and chur is the worst of the kind.
39. Majority of people prefer smoking. Very
few occasionally drink and eat. The former sys-
tem is less injurious.
40. These drugs are used by native doctors for
medicinal purposes. I have never heard of its
ever being beneficial to cattle disease.
41. (a) Yes, I have already stated before.
(b) Yes.
(c) Yes.
I know nothing about ganja.
The coolies come from Hazaribag, Purulia, Ban-
kura, Birbhum, to Burdwan and Hughli, for me-
nial service or cultivation purposes. Up-country
men such as panka-puller, palki-bearer, water-
carrier, darwan, constable come to Burdwan,
Hughli, after those districts turned to be mala-
rious; also low classes, Bagdi, Hari, and Chandáls,
use ganja as preventive of fever. The number of
up-country men, who consume ganja is greater
than that of the natives.
42. Yes, if not beneficial, moderate use of this
drug is harmless. Moderate use is refreshing,
and does create appetite, and bad climate can't
injure health; the exposure would not make ill
such, as constables in winter season are required
to patrol in the night. They, I hear from several
persons, keep health for the moderate use of ganja.
They don't use excessively for the fear of being
detected; so it is harmless.
43. Yes, inoffensive.
44. They would get ill and lose digestive
power. Yes, refreshing. Yes, it creates appetite.
According to some, its effects last for twenty-four
hours, and others for more than that. The after-
effects are desire for smoking ganja again. The
want of subsequent gratification produces longing
and uneasiness.
45. The habitual moderate use of any of these
drugs does not produce any noxious effects, phy-
sical, mental or moral. It does not impair the
constitution, nor does it injure the digestion, or
cause loss of appetite; nor does it cause dysentery,
bronchitis or asthma. Moderate use of ganja
with good food does not produce any bad effects
above mentioned. In my entire experience I
have seen many rich men live a long life and
die a good death after a habitual moderate use of
ganja.
46. Excessive use of any of these drugs, and
not accompanied with good food, leads to fatal
consequences.
That the abuse of ganja produces insanity in
special cases is a fact; constant use of ganja
without good food leads to fatal consequences.
It has been seen with men who indulge in ganja
to render themselves subject to the fatal diseases
of consumption, dysentery and insanity, etc., as
an eventual consequence.
As to charas, I have no experience. As to
ganja, I have learned by enquiry, and once I
heard that the consumers have the ganja mixed
in water, and drink the same; and when con-
sumers of ganja don't get ganja, they smoke
subji. The people who are consumers, use and
drink ganja as above for medicinal purposes. I
quote Sanskrit Madanpur. A sanyasi told me
that if some of other drugs be powdered with
ganja and used with water, leprosy may be cured.
47 and 48. No.
49 and 50. I can't answer this question.
51. I have never heard of any such ganja-
smokers ever committing any crime being intoxi-
cated.
52. The same answer as the preceding one.
53. A criminal case was committed to the Ses-
sions Court of Burdwan in which a Brahmachari
sacrificed a human being. The Brahmachari con-
fessed having sacrificed a human body; he said to
me that when he killed the body, he was not in
his proper senses, on account of intoxication of
ganja; he used to smoke ganja excessively.
54. The criminals of this country addict to the
vice of taking liquor, but whether the criminals of
the North-West use ganja or not, I can't say.
55. I have never come across such an accident.
56. Moderate use of ganja with good food im-
proves health. The moderate habitual consumers
never mix any other ingredients with ganja Ex-
cessive smokers use dhatura seed and snake-kholos
along with ganja to make it more powerful and
strong.
57. It is already answered.
58 and 59. This system is good. I have no-
thing to say and suggest about its improvements.
60. In this District of Burdwan, cultivation of
ganja can be made. This I say from experience.
I don't find any reason of modifying the system.
The ganja is produced in force for controlling the
process of its preparation.
61. I don't know anything of it.
I have as-
certained from many consumers that charas cannot
be prepared here.
62. I can't say anything. I have no experience.
Having consulted many a person on the subject,
I come to the opinion that use of bhang is alto-
gether harmless and beneficial to the health of the
consumers; so I suggest that cultivation of bhang
by the public may be permitted, and bhang should
be exempted from the operation of excise law, and
at the same time a heavy punishment should be
prescribed for making ganja clandestinely on
pretence of making bhang.
63. I have no objections.
64. I have no objections. The existing regu-
lations are good. In my opinion there is nothing
to suggest any alteration.
65. In my opinion the taxation is not unreason-
able.
66. When there are different qualities of
different kinds of ganjas, in my opinion, different
rates of taxation ought to be introduced according
to the quality of each kind, on this principle that
taxation would naturally make the price of this
kind of ganja high; that would deter the con-
sumers to use excessively, but moderately.
67. I have no objections.
68. I don't know.
69. No. The public ought to be consulted in
my opinion. At present only neighbouring licensed
vendor is consulted; if he would say that there
is no objection, the new license may be granted.
70. I don't know.