443
30. Only a few take ganja in solitude, many in
company. It is mainly confined to the male sex.
Generally taken at youth. Children seldom take
ganja.
Bhang is taken both in solitude and in com-
pany by men, and at all ages.
31. The habit of smoking ganja is easily form-
ed by mixing in the company of persons addicted
to its use. The habit, once formed, is difficult to
break off.
In the case of ganja, moderate habit develops
into excessive.
32. The followers of Trinath observe a custom
by which every member has to subscribe something
for smoking ganja.
Whenever fakirs and Kartabhajas assemble to-
gether for religious purposes, they, as a rule, take
ganja. The taking of ganja is considered by them
essential, and it generally becomes excessive and
consequently injurious to health.
33. The educated and higher classes of the
people have a deep abhorrence for ganja. It is
regarded as injurious both to body and mind.
Public opinion is always against the practice.
34. It would be a serious privation, at least for
some time, for the excessive consumer of ganja
to forego it altogether. But such is not the case
with the consumers of the other two drugs.
35. (a) Yes.
(b) Not possible.
(c) Gradually and by substituting coffee or tea
instead.
(d) The prohibition may cause discontent among
the excessive consumers of ganja only, but for a
short time. No apprehension of political danger
therefrom.
(f) The prohibition would not necessarily be
followed by recourse to alcoholic stimulants or
other dugs, for such are costly, and in most cases
against the religious teaching of the consumers.
36. No. I do not think so.
37. The effects of charas smoking are different
from those resulting from ganja smoking. The
latter is much stronger than the former.
39. Smoking is more injurious than drinking
or eating. Smoking ganja affects the brain and
nervous system instantaneously, whereas the
drinking or eating siddhi acts on the alimentary
canal and helps digestion.
40. The native doctors mix ganja and other
drugs with oil, and this preparation is prescribed
for skin diseases.
Siddhi is generally prescribed in chronic dysen-
tery and diarrhœa and in some forms of chest
diseases.
41. (a) The moderate use of bhang only may
aid digestion.
(b) I have no experience.
(c) No.
I refer to moderate occasional use of siddhi,
which aids digestion.
42. The moderate use of ganja is not harmless.
The unnecessary irritation and excitement of the
brain and nervous system in consequence of ganja-
smoking impairs the vitality, and it often produces
dysentery and even consumption in advanced age,
especially amongst the lower classes, for want of
proper nourishment.
43. Yes.
44. The immediate effect of the use of ganja is
intoxication. It is sometimes refreshing. The
habitual use allays hunger. It creates unnatural
appetite for the time being. The effect lasts for
about three hours. The after-effects are uneasiness
and depression. Want of subsequent gratification
produces extreme longing and uneasiness.
45. (a) Yes, ganja.
(b) Yes; in every way.
(c) Yes.
(d) Yes.
(e) Yes.
(f) Sometimes. Boisterous type of a tempor-
ary nature. Yes, there are typical symptoms.
The man becomes boisterous and sometimes tur-
bulent.
(g) This question is not quite intelligible to me.
An account of the cases with which I am
acquainted.
1. Sriram Singh, an up-county man, residing
at Khulna as a ferry lease-holder, contracted the
habit of smoking ganja at an early age and died
before he attained his fortieth year, of dysentery
and asthma. I believe his premature death was
due to his excessive use of ganja.
2. One Jhani, chaukidar of Khulna, died of
dysentery, which I believe was owing to his habit
of smoking ganja.
3. In one of my preaching tours last year at
Daulatpur I met with a lunatic whose insanity
I learned was caused by the excessive use of ganja.
I also learned from the people that there were
twelve other men of the same kind in and about
the place, all suffering from the same form of
insanity in consequence of their smoking ganja.
4. Jay Sing, a boatman of mine, was addicted
to smoking ganja; he died of dysentery.
5. Two of my preachers in their younger days
used to smoke ganja moderately. Few months
after they got colic pain. The cause was ganja.
They gave up the habit and got well.
6. A Malda man, Prem Chand, nick-named
Amira, employed in a pleader's lodging here,
used to smoke ganja. Of late his brain became
disordered, and he wandered about like a madman
for some time. Having given up the habit, he
became better and attended to his usual avoca-
tions. He has, however, reverted to his old habit
and is. again becoming worse.
7. I am told that a rich landholder of a neigh-
bouring village, Rakhalgachi, who was an exces-
sive consumer of ganja, died suddenly while actual-
ly engaged in smoking the drug.
46. I have already said that moderation in
ganja smoking is impossible, consequently my
answers to question No. 45 apply with greater
force in the case of excessive use of ganja.
47. If moderation be strictly observed, I do not
think the children of the moderate consumers are
in any way affected by the vicious habit of the
father.
48. The diseases engendered by the excessive use
of ganja are sometimes inherited by the children.
3 N 2