399
10. The persons who cultivate hemp for its
narcotic properties do not form a special class.
The cultivators of Rajshahi and Jessore are mostly
Muhammadans.
13. Hemp plant is grown in the districts of
Rajshahi and Jessore. Damp soil favours the
growth of hemp from which ganja is produced.
16. Bhang is not generally prepared by the
people in their houses. Leaves of wild male hemp
do not make good bhang, and are seldom used.
Ganja and charas cannot be prepared from the
wild plant wherever grown.
18. All the three drugs (ganja, charas and
bhang) deteriorate by keeping for more than about
six months. They lose their effect in time. If
kept in well covered receptacles, and exposed to
the sun from time to time, deterioration could be
prevented. In fact, it is so done at present by the
licensed vendors.
19. Ganja and charas are used only for smok-
ing.
20. Cultivators, fishermen, night watchmen,
ascetics, musicians, and other people whose occu-
pations involve hard bodily labour or exposure to
inclemencies of the weather are generally addict-
ed to smoking ganja, and in a very small per-
centage of cases charas. Some even of the better
class of people smoke ganja and charas. Amongst
the better class of people the habit is more preva-
lent in Behar than in Lower Bengal. The use
of charas is declining amongst all classes of the
people given to smoking hemp.
21. The round species of ganja are preferred
for smoking.
22. The charas of Nepal and Gorakhpur is
chiefly used.
23. Bhang is very seldom used by more than
a very small number for smoking.
24. Bhang is eaten and drunk mostly by the
up-country people. In Lower Bengal it is used
by a very small percentage of the people of all
classes.
25. The use of charas has very much decreased,
but the use of ganja and bhang is on the increase.
The reasons of the former, so far as I have been
able to ascertain, are (1) the higher price of
charas as compared to that of ganja; and (2)
ganja is considered a more lively intoxicating
agent than charas. The reason of the latter is
that both ganja and siddhi are used as a cheaper
and less harmful substitute than spirituous
liquors.
28. (a) Habitual moderate consumers require
quarter to half anna worth each.
(b) Habitual excessive consumers one anna to
two annas worth each.
29. Ganja is usually mixed with tobacco leaves.
Bhang massala consists of poppy seeds, petals of
roses, seeds of cucumber, aniseed, and pepper.
30. In Lower Bengal ganja and charas are
rarely smoked by women or children. The use
of all the three drugs is mainly confined to the
male sex.
31. The habit of smoking ganja and charas is
not easily formed. The habit of eating or drink-
ing bhang is easily formed. When the habit is
contracted it is difficult to break off. There is not
very great tendency in the case of any of these
drugs for the moderate habit to develop into the
excessive,—not to that extent as in the case of
spirituous liquors.
32. In Lower Bengal bhang is drunk by the
Hindus on the day that the image of Durga is
consigned to the water, which is generally called
the Bijoya. This is partly religious and partly
social custom. The use of bhang on that day is
temperate. Surely this does not lead to the for-
mation of the habit, nor is it injurious in any
way.
33. The habitual use of these drugs has been
always deprecated. There is no custom of wor-
shipping hemp by any sect of the people so far as
I know.
34. It would be a serious privation to several
classes of consumers if they are forced to forego
the use of these drugs.
Persons whose occupations constantly expose
them to inclemencies of weather, or who have to
be in water for a long time or to keep up nights
or who work in water-logged and swampy places,
find in the use of these drugs sufficient protection
from the dangers which their hard lives expose
them to. Their number is large.
40. The kabirajes or native doctors use ganja
and bhang in the preparation of some of their
medicines. Bhang is also used in the treatment of
cattle disease.
41. Moderate use of ganja and bhang is benefi-
cial as giving staying power under severe exertion
or exposure, as alleviating fatigue, and as febri-
fuge; they possess also medicinal virtues. Bhang
is believed to be beneficial in cases of chronic
diarrhœa.
42. I consider the moderate use of these drugs
to be harmless for the reasons stated in my answer
No. 41.
43. The moderate consumers of these drugs are
never known to be offensive to their neighbours.
44. The immediate effect of the moderate use
of these drugs on the habitual consumers is that it
is refreshing. They do not intoxicate the habitual
consumers. They do not allay hunger, but are
believed to be good appetizers. The effect of these
drugs lasts about three or in some cases four hours.
45. The habitual moderate use of these drugs
does not impair the constitution or injure the diges-
tion or cause loss of appetite or impair the moral
sense.
Excessive use of these drugs deadens the intel-
lect, and sometimes produces insanity.
51, 52, 53. There does not appear that any spe-
cial kind of crime or crimes in general has any
connection with the use of these drugs, either
moderate or excessive. I know of no case in
which the use of these drugs has led to temporary
homicidal frenzy.
68. There is no licensed house for smoking
ganja, bhang, and charas. There is license for
shops for the sale of these drugs.
69. The wishes of the people are not consulted
before a shop is opened in any locality; nor does
it seem to me to be necessary to do so.