474
21. Flat and round ganja is ordinarily used.
23. To my knowledge, bhang is not used for
smoking.
24. A very small proportion use bhang; may
be one in a thousand.
25. Yes, the use of ganja is on the increase.
There is a greater quantity consumed every year
now than it was five or ten years back.
26. About—
(a) 3 per cent.
(b) 2 per cent.
(c) 1 per cent.
(d) 1 per cent.
27. Boatmen, fishermen, men of the bearer
class and hewers of wood use ganja as a stimu-
lant for doing work. Sanyasis take for religious
purposes. People frequenting a religious gather-
ing called Trinath mela smoke ganja as a sort of
pleasure under sanction of religion. Songsters use
ganja to keep their voice clear and to prevent its
being hoarse.
28. (a) Varies from two pice to four pice.
(b) Four pice to four annas.
30. Generally ganja is smoked in solitude,
except in Trinath mela, where the smokers
assemble at a place at night. It is generally con-
fined to the male sex, but females and children
occasionally smoke ganja. Females of the singing
class generally use it.
31. Yes, the habit is easily formed. It is very
difficult to break it off. Yes, there is a tendency
to excessive habit.
32. Trinath mela is a sort of religious gather-
ing, where people meet and smoke ganja. They
meet at a place at night and smoke away ganja
and sing till late at night. It is indulged in
excessively. Yes, it is likely to lead to the for-
mation of the habit of smoking ganja and proves
injurious to health.
33. Yes. a ganja-smoker is held in disrepute
here. A ganja-smoker is not generally believed.
It is the general belief that if you give a chillum
of ganja to a man you can make him do anything.
A ganja-smoker cannot do without it. In courts
of justice we find sometimes witnesses being cross-
examined as to whether they smoke ganja; if the
answer be in the affirmative, it is sought to be
inferred that the witness is of disreputable charac-
ter and that he has been gained over by the party
producing him to depose in his favour.
34. It would be a serious privation to the work-
ing class, who use it as a stimulant. But their
number is small, say one in a thousand.
35. It is not feasible to prohibit it altogether,
though it may be restricted. In districts where
the drugs are not grown, prohibition would lead
to illicit importation from districts where they
are grown. Prohibition would, of course, occasion
discontent among the consumers, but it would not
certainly amount to a political danger, as the
general public would not sympathise with them.
Prohibition is not likely to be followed by recourse
to alcoholic stimulants or other drugs, such as
opium, as they are more costly and as these stimu-
lants are of a different character.
36. I do not know of any such instances, nor
have I reason to think so.
40. Yes, I am not aware whether they are
used in cattle disease.
41. (a) Cannot say.
(b) Yes.
(c) Cannot say.
I refer to moderate occasional use.
42. Generally ganja-smoking produces injurious
effects on the constitution of the person smoking.
A ganja-smoker (even a moderate smoker) may be
at once detected by his blood-shot and red eyes
and the peculiar expression of his face.
43. A ganja-smoker is not generally riotous in
his conduct nor a breaker of the peace. He smokes
quietly and does not talk much. But a habitual
smoker becomes a bad character and is given to
stealing. A ganja-smoker is generally seen to be
of irritable temper and is liable to fits of anger.
44. Yes, it produces longing and uneasiness.
45 and 46. I am inclined to think that it im-
pairs the constitution.
It produces congestion of
the brain and redness in the eyes. It interferes
with sound sleep. A ganja-smoker may sit up the
whole night without going to bed. It keeps the
system abnormally hot. Yes, it occasionally pro-
duces insanity, both temporary and permanent.
Excessive indulgence only produces insanity.
47 and 48. No, it is not a hereditary habit,
though the example of the father may now and
then be followed by the son.
49. Yes, it is also used by prostitutes now and
then.
52. Yes, a large proportion of bad characters
in the village are addicted to ganja-smoking.
53. Yes, excessive indulgence leads to outburst
of temper, which cannot be controlled, and which
may lead to perpetration of violent crimes.
54. I am not aware of.
63 and 64. Yes, I have. At present too much
facility is given to the people for free purchase and
use of ganja. Ganja should be more highly taxed
and should be sold in head-quarters only. Now
they are placed at the door of the people.
65. Ganja and charas should be more highly
taxed, at least double the present rate.
67. Yes, I have.
68. I am not aware of.
69. Local public opinion ought to be considered.
70 I am not aware of.
222. Evidence of BABU MOHINI MOHAN BURDHAN, Kayasth, District Government
Pleader of Tippera.
1. As a pleader enjoying an extensive practice,
I have had ample opportunities of coming in
contact with all classes of people in the District,
and studying their characters, habits, and modes
of life as they presented themselves to me.
Hence the knowledge that I have acquired as to
the habits of the various sections of the people,
so far as relates to the matter under enquiry, is
partly the result of observation extending over a
period of twenty years and partly of informations
received second-hand.
2. Yes, Dr. Prain's definition may be accept-
ed. But of the three varieties of ganja men-
tioned by him only one species, viz., flat ganja