438
Some women smoke ganja, but not nearly so
many as take opium.
Many boys begin the habit.
31. Habit easily formed. The one difficulty is
a fear of the bad effects (after the first trial); but
this is usually overmastered by a craving for the
pleasing effects. Very difficult to break off.
Great danger of the moderate use developing into
the excessive.
32. (1) On the last day of Durga Puja, when
the image is drowned, it is customary for every
Hindu to drink a little bhang. A mere sip will
satisfy custom, and many go no further; but
some drink to intoxication.
(2) In some parts of Bengal bhang is also
drunk at Sib Puja, about the month of March.
33. By people generally the use of these drugs
is accounted harmful. They consider that it leads
to serious complaints, turns the blood black, grave-
ly affects the chest, and brings on early death.
Some people think that bhang and ganja aid
digestion or keep off malaria; but the general
sentiment is against these drugs. It is very com-
monly known that they are largely taken for their
aphrodisiacal properties.
34. It certainly would be felt as a very great
privation; but in reality health would improve by
that privation. At the usual time for smoking if
the drug cannot be got, there is much uneasiness.
Some say that the eyes begin to water. Then, of
course, there is the craving. But these things are
not "serious." It is the results of use that are
serious, and not the results of leaving off.
35. (a) Yes.
(b) Probably for a time at least.
(c) Cultivation could be checked largely.
(d), (e), and (f) Discontent, but not "serious."
Not the slightest political danger. Probably to
alcoholic stimulants.
Let us hope that other
dangerous drugs, such as opium, will be treated
in the same way, and so be largely out of reach.
36. Mostly a question of price. If consumers
can get intoxicated more cheaply on liquor, they
will probably drift to that. Intoxication is the
goal aimed at, and money is scarce.
38. Chur is the mildest, flat ganja is next in
strength, round ganja is the strongest, and is also
the pleasantest to use.
Chur ganja irritates the throat very much;* flat,
less; round, least.
39. Siddhi is the only preparation drunk. This
is less injurious than ganja smoking.
42. No. The moderate use has an aphrodisiacal
effect, which must be very harmful. And it is
next to impossible for men to keep on moderately
always with substances of this kind. Usually lack
of means is the main argument for moderation.
Consumers wish to enjoy the intoxicating effects.
44. Ganja produces thirst and immediate hunger.
Water is used for the thirst and sweetmeat for
the hunger. This sweetmeat increases the intoxi-
cating effect.
If smoked on an empty stomach the effect lasts
from 3 to 4 hours; if on a full stomach from 11/2
to 2 hours.
Intoxication comes on almost immediately,
before half the pipe is smoked.
The after-effects are nausea, langour, restless-
ness, dullness of brain.
The want of gratification leaves the smoker in a
very restless, irritable, unhappy mood, with very
little appetite for food.
45. (a) Yes.
(b) Yes.
(c) Ganja creates artificial appetite for a time,
but tends to ultimate injury of appetite.
(d) Yes.
(e) Yes.
(f) Yes. The insanity in some cases is not
permanent; but I believe the system suffers a
permanent injury. One young man I knew was
twice insane and twice recovered. But he will
never be the bright fellow he was before. More-
over, a serious uncertainty is introduced into his
whole life. The suggestion quoted by the Lieute-
nant-Governor of Bengal (Excise Report, 1891-92)
"that it is as reasonable to suppose that excessive
ganja smoking may be due to insanity, as that
insanity may be due to excessive ganja smoking,"
strikes me as very unworthy of the gravity of the
subject. In my own intercourse with superinten-
dents of asylums they seemed very confident as to
the cause of insanity. A fanciful witticism is
scarcely the kind of thing to use at this crisis for
minimising the evils done by a dangerous drug.
The question suggested is about as difficult as
could be proposed; meanwhile the possible wel-
fare of thousands is jeopardized by the suggestion.
Even granting any soundness to it, why should
the predisposed to insanity be helped to it by
Government cultivation and sale of ganja?
I believe that this question of insanity from
the use of ganja is a very serious one. The effect
of the drug is so powerful that in some cases
just once using it has produced insanity. Judging
from the ordinary effects of this drug, as des-
cribed by one long its victim, insanity would
appear as the natural and almost inevitable result
of excessive indulgence. It creates such horrible
visions, intensifies so unnaturally all the powers
of mind and body, exhausts physical and mental
energy, and places its victim in the direct line
for the mad house. In the special case of in-
sanity that came under my own notice, the
youth was formerly very bright, and seemed
among the last about whom such a future could
be expected.
49. Yes, largely. More Hindus than Muham-
madans take ganja as an aphrodisiac. In this use
it is most injurious to the community. I believe
it tends to produce impotence.
On the use of ganja as an aphrodisiac I have
very strong testimony. By one who was its
victim for seven years and mixed largely with
smokers very great stress is laid upon this as one
of the chief causes of its use. It seems evident
that many youths and young men and even boys
are tempted into this evil habit of ganja smoking
just to encourage themselves in the excessive
indulgence of sexual vices, and no doubt a very
large amount of impotence is the result.
* This degree of irritation or biting is, however, liked.