544
11. Evidence of CAPTAIN A. E. WOODS, Officiating Deputy Commissioner, Naga
Hills.
51. Not in this district. Most of our bad
characters do not use drugs at all. No connection
with crime in this district.
52. No experience of any excessive use of
drugs in this district.
53. Cannot say, as there is no excessive in-
dulgence in drugs in the district. No.
54. Certainly not in this district. In other
parts of India doubtless in some cases they are
used for that purpose. Sepoys often before run-
ning amok drug themselves.
55. (a) Have never come across a case of it.
(b) Cannot say, having never tried it.
12. Evidence of MR. C. W. E. PITTAR, Officiating Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup.
1. Such slight information as I have on the sub-
ject has been obtained by conversation with native
gentlemen in a position to know facts about the
use and effects of the drug, and by questioning
one or two ganja-smokers who were willing to
give information.
It is therefore with the greatest diffidence I
offer my opinions and have accordingly confined
my replies to the questions in Chapter V and a
few in Chapter VI, neglecting other chapters as
relating to matters of which I have not sufficient
experience or about which such information, as I
have obtained, is not wide enough in its range to
carry weight.
19. Ganja is only used here for smoking.
Charas is scarcely known.
20. The poorest classes both in towns and in
the interior.
21. All kinds are in demand.
22. From Rajshahi.
23. Used but so seldom as to be inconsiderable.
24. There are no regular consumers.
26. Mostly habitual moderate consumers.
28. (a) One or two pice worth, representing
about the one-sixteenth or one-eighth of a tola.
(b) Four pice worth or 1/4 tola.
29. Chiefly tobacco. It is said that ganja
mixed with tobacco becomes deleterious, is more
intoxicating and has after-effects, while pure
ganja has no after-effect. Smokers, however, say
tobacco makes the preparation milder.
30. Smoking ganja is ordinarily practised in
solitude but often in company. Smokers some-
times have a sort of partnership in their ganja
and smoke together from the same pipe. It is
mainly confined to the male sex. Children do not
smoke.
31. The habit of smoking is easily formed after
the first experience. It is easy for moderate
consumers to break off the habit. An excessive
consumer informed me he had once left off the
habit and taken to it again. An excessive consumer
feels rheumatic pains for a period and requires
medicine, but otherwise the habit can be given
up without much difficulty.
32. A little siddhi is drunk by the better
classes on the last day of the Durga Puja for
its cheering effect; this does not lead to the
habit. Women drink it on this occasion.
33. Eating and drinking are not thought much
of. Smoking is considered vulgar.
34. It would; for this reason that not only
they but non-smokers look upon the habit as
harmless. Smokers themselves firmly believe that
they work better when under the influence of
the drug.
35. It would be very difficult and the drug
would probably be obtained from the hills. The
discontent would not amount to a political danger
as the class affected are not powerful. Profes-
sional agitators might perhaps make capital of it.
36. No; the relative price of alcohol and
ganja will affect their consumption. Ganja-
smokers sometimes indulge in liquor as a treat.
37. Charas is said to be more intoxicating.
38. They are said to be less intoxicating and
generally less harmful in the order named.
39. Smoking is considered more injurious than
the preparations that are drunk here.
42. I have known ganja-smokers whom I never
suspected of being addicted to the habit until I
found them out. I cannot say what the effect
would be in such cases in the long run.
43. Yes.
44. The drink is said to be refreshing and ex-
hilarating. Smoking induces a kind of intoxi-
cation which is not so much marked in old con-
sumers. I saw two men smoke an anna's worth
of ganja together. The one who smoked the
larger share of the pipe, admitted that his vision
was slightly affected. There was nothing parti-
cular in his appearance to indicate intoxication.
I have gathered from smokers and others, who
have tried the drug, as siddhi, through curiosity,
that the effects resemble to some extent those of
alcohol in so far as they tend to bring out a man's
real character.
The moderate use of the drug is not supposed to
be more harmful than the moderate use of alcohol.
46. The excessive use is not supposed to have
the same ill after-effects as alcohol when used in
excess.
47. No.
51 and 52. In my experience as a Magistrate, I
cannot recall a single case in which it was sug-
gested that there was any connection between
either the moderate or excessive use of the drug
and a particular crime. I have not therefore had
occasion to enquire how far bad characters coming
before my notice were ganja-smokers.
53. I cannot cite any instance, but I can ima-
gine it doing so in the same way as excess of
alcohol in an individual of a naturally violent
temperament, but not in a peaceful subject.
54. Not in my experience.
55. Not in my experience.