115
impaired memory, though they preserve good
health.
43. Yes.
44. The immediate effect of the moderate use
of ganja is the partial obscuration of the vision,
dryness of the throat, tongue and the lips and a
feeling of drowziness, which are followed by
cheerfulness of spirit and a proneness to loquacity.
It is somewhat refreshing and produces intoxica¬
tion. It does not allay hunger. It creates
appetite. The effect lasts three or four hours.
The after-effects are languor and a longing for
further gratification, and some uneasiness if the
longing is not satisfied. Bhang does not produce
instantaneous effect on the consumer. In about
twenty to thirty minutes the consumer's throat,
tongue, and lips begin to get dry, the eyes contract
and turn somewhat dim. He becomes jolly and
laughs often. It does not allay hunger, but pro¬
duces a ravenous appetite. The effect lasts about
twelve hours. The after-effect is a feeling of weak¬
ness and a depression of spirit. For a habitual
consumer there is a longing for further gratifica¬
tion, but for one who takes it for the first time
there is a feeling of dislike for it.
45. Ganja produces noxious effects, physical,
mental, and moral, but bhang produces noxious
effects, only mental. Ganja impairs the constitu¬
tion, but bhang does not. Ganja or bhang does
not injure the appetite. Ganja induces bronchitis
and asthma as well as dysentery. Bhang does not
do so. Ganja impairs moral sense and induces
habits of immorality, but not so does the bhang.
Ganja deadens the intellect, but does not produce
insanity. Bhang does not produce insanity, but
impairs the intellect a little. The evil effects of
ganja do not operate on fishermen who use the
drug moderately in pursuit of their callings. I do
not know of any insane having no recorded ganja
history confessing to the use of the drug.
46. Ganja produces all the noxious effects
mentioned in Answer 45, and in addition, it is apt
to induce insanity. Habitual excessive use of
bhang does not produce any noxious effects on the
consumers beyond what it produces on moderate
consumption.
47 and 48. Habitual moderate as well as exces¬
sive use of ganja or bhang does not appear to me
to be a hereditary habit, and does not affect in any
way the children of the consumers.
49 and 50. It is said by many that some ganja-
smokers make moderate or excessive use of ganja
as an aphrodisiac, and that it is so used by some
prostitutes. The use for this purpose must be
more injurious, inasmuch as there is in this case
the loss of vital fluid in addition, and the desire
being very ardent, the loss the more. The habi¬
tual excessive use of ganja tends to produce
impotence. I do not know of the bhang being
used as an aphrodisiac.
51. (a) No.
(b) No connection.
52.
Ditto.
53. Excessive indulgence may incite to unpre¬
meditated crime. I know of no case in which it
has led to temporary homicidal frenzy.
54. Not known in this district.
55. Not known in this district. Complete stu¬
pefaction can be induced by ganja without admix¬
ture when tried on a person unaccustomed to the
drug.
56. The intoxicating power of ganja or bhang
may be tempered by boiling the drug in milk, but
this is not done by the consumers. The intoxicat¬
ing power of ganja or bhang may be increased by
the admixture of sugar, opium, pumpkin root, and
dhatura seed. Sugar is often used in the prepara¬
tion of the bhang by both moderate and excessive
drinkers; but I have no personal knowledge of any
consumer addicted to use ganja or bhang by
admixture of the other ingredients. I know of no
person using the admixture of dhatura for personal
consumption or for administration to others.
57. I know nothing of this.
58 and 59. The present system of excise ad¬
ministration is working well.
60. Ganja is produced in the province; but
having never been in the ganja-producing tract, I
am not in a position from personal experience to
answer this question.
61. Charas is not produced in this district, and
I know nothing about it.
63 and 64. I have no objection.
65. I have no knowledge of charas; but I think
the taxation of ganja and bhang with reference to
each other and to alcoholic or other intoxicants is
reasonable.
66. There should be, and in fact there exist at
present, different rates of taxation for different
kinds of ganja produced in Bengal. The rates are
as follows:—
Rs. A.
Duty levied per seer of flat ganja
6 0
Ditto
round do.
7 4
Ditto
chur do.
8 0
The above rates of duty with reference to each
are fair, seeing that one seer of flat ganja yields
about twelve chittacks of ganja when separated from
the woody portion, and one seer of round ganja pro¬
duces about fourteen chittacks of ganja when sepa¬
rated from the woody portion, while one seer of chur
or broken ganja yields one seer of ganja having no
woody portion to be separated therefrom. It will
thus be seen that the duty levied on ganja, whether
in the shape of flat, round, or chur, really comes
up to Rs. 8 per seer only; in the case of round
ganja, annas 4 is charged in excess.
67. I have no objection as to ganja and bhang.
68. In this district there are shops licensed for
the sale of ganja and bhang, but not for their
preparations; neither are the drugs consumed on
the premises. The shops are so situated that they
very well meet the requirements of the consumers
and have no objectionable features about them.
69. The wishes of the people are consulted be-
fore a shop is opened in any locality. Excise
inspecting officer visits the locality, ascertains the
fact whether the shop is needed, and whether the
people of the locality have any objection to urge
against its being opened. Local public opinion
should be always considered before issuing a license
for a shop.
70. There has been no case of importation or
smuggling of hemp drugs from Native States into
this district. I have no facts regarding the im¬
portation or smuggling of such drugs from such
States into the province to which I wish to draw
attention. In this district duty is really paid in
respect to the ganja and bhang used. As far as I
know, there is no use of untaxed drugs in this
district.
s 2