390
(d) Prohibition will occasion serious discontent
among the consumers.
(e) Sadhus may create political danger, but
house-holders will not.
(f) Not to alcoholic stimulants, but to other
drugs may.
36. No. But the fact is this that the greater
number of the consumers of bhang and ganja
are among those castes who do not have recourse
to alcohol on account of prohibitive caste rules.
37. Yes; charas-smoking cannot be regarded
as stimulant, but its contrary, whereas ganja-
smoking sometimes serves as stimulant.
39. No; rather I would say, bhang drinking or
eating not injurious at all, but generally bene-
ficial to its consumers, as it cures many diseases,
such as piles, etc., etc., which is not to be expect-
ed from ganja and charas smoking.
40. All the schools of native doctors prescribe
invariably bhang-taking on account of its medi-
cinal properties, and bhang is widely used in the
treatment of cattle disease. Bhang is a sovereign
remedy for the poor in sit-jvara (periodical fever).
41. Ganja may in cases of (b) and (c), and
bhang may in (a) and (b), but not charas.
Sadhus (ascetics) generally use bhang for
purposes mentioned in (a) and (b), and ganja for
(b) and (c), and also for the purpose of averting the
injurious effects of bad climate of several places
when they go on pilgrimage. There is a certain
classs of sadhus called "tapasvi" and "naga,"
large in number, who do not live in houses even
in the winter season, but in open place, and more-
over do not keep cloths upon their bodies, and to
them ganja-smoking is a matter of necessity in
order to warm them. I refer to the moderate
habitual use of ganja, because moderate occasional
use thereof generally ends in moderate habitual
use. In case of bhang I refer to the moderate
occasional use.
42. Yes, harmless. Moderate use of ganja acts
as a stimulant and prevents the injurious effects of
cold upon constitution, climatic or otherwise. The
use of bhang prevents and cures many diseases,
such as piles, indigestion, and fever, and also has
refreshing effect.
43. Yes.
44. Yes; moderate use of bhang and ganja is
refreshing. To habitual consumer, and even to
moderate occasional consumer, the use of bhang
and ganja does not produce intoxication; and if it
ever produces intoxication at all, not of the kind
produced by the use of alcohol, but quite inoffen-
sive. Ganja use does not allay hunger, but bhang
may. Bhang creates appetite, but not ganja. No
after-effects in the use of bhang and ganja. In
case of ganja want of subsequent gratification
produces uneasiness.
45. (a) Of bhang does not; of ganja does some-
times, mental and rarely moral even.
(b) Bhang does not;
ganja occasionally
may.
(c) Bhang does not; ganja occasionally may.
(d No. Answer refers only to bhang and
ganja.
(e) Bhang use does not; the use of ganja
not unoften induces laziness and sometimes even
habits of immorality only to the persons who are
naturally immoral and not to others.
(f) Bhang use does nothing of the kind, but
ganja use may sometimes deaden the intellect,
but cannot produce insanity.
A chela (disciple) of Mahant Ganesh Dass,
the Mahant of Maniari, District Muzaffarpur,
grew insane, who was a habitual excessive con-
sumer of ganja, which he even consumes while
being insane, but there is no certainty of the fact
that this insanity is due to the consumption.
The other insane persons I have met were not
ganja-smokers.
46. There are many eminent sadhus who are
habitual excessive consumers of ganja, but no
kind of injury has thereby been done to them.
But others (besides great sadhus) who are exces-
sive consumers of ganja are more or less injured,
but excessive habitual consumers of ganja are
mostly found among sadhus.
47. No. Answer refers only to bhang and
ganja.
49. As regards bhang, no.
51. As regards bhang, no. As regards ganja,
it is no doubt a fact that many bad characters
are habitual moderate (rather excessive) consumers
of ganja, but there is no connection with their
crime and ganja consuming. It is the bad characters
who have betaken themselves to ganja consuming,
but not the ganja consuming which has made
them bad characters.
53. As regards bhang, no.
54. No (refers to bhang and ganja); but they
may use ganja as stimulant.
55. Complete stupefaction not possible from
ganja or bhang without admixture of dhatura, etc.
57. Ganja is never eaten except as medicine.
62. No; controlling not required.
65. Taxation of bhang not reasonable.
67. Bhang must not be taxed.
68. I have seen ganja consumed in the shops
where they are sold, which ought to be stopped.
69. Wishes of people are not consulted or
considered. Yes; local public opinion ought to
be considered.
70. No. No ganja is allowed to be brought
from Nepal, and sufficient precautions are taken
for this purpose by Nepalese police officers, who
examine the luggage of men coming from Nepal.
172. Evidence of BABU SURENDRA NATH PAL CHOWDHURY, Zamindar, Ranaghat,
District Nadia.
1. As a zamindar owning landed property in the
districts of Nadia, Jessore, Khulna and the
24-Parganas, in all of which hemp drugs are
more or less consumed, Jessore and Khulna
claiming the foremost place.
2. Yes. They are known by the names men-
tioned in Dr. Prain's report.
3. In almost all the districts I have mentioned,
and have experience of, the hemp plants grow
spontaneously, but no use is made of them.