575
(d) Any of the above under exceptional circum-
stances—
(a) Hard work, exposures, etc
(b) Vagrancy, idleness, disease, etc.
(c) Orthodoxy or pleasure.
(d) Various.
28. (a) Two to four pice.
(b) Three to eight annas.
29. (a) Tobacco; (b) Betel-leaves; dhatura
seldom mixed. The object of these admixtures
is—
(a) For preventing the ganja from burning
too soon and neutralizing dryness or
pungency.
(b) Is used to enhance the effect.
30. Mostly in company. From the age of 15
upwards. Children very seldom.
31. Habit is easily formed. It can with diffi-
culty be given up. Yes. There is a tendency to
run to excess.
32. The sanyasis and Bairagis take to ganja as
it is said Siva was fond of it. But there is no
social or religious custom. It is generally exces-
sive. It leads to the formation of the habit.
It
is injurious so far as it brings on bronchitis or
dysentery, and increases idlers in the society.
33. It is regarded as disgraceful. The Muham-
madans look upon it as sinful, as all intoxicants
are forbidden in the Koran. Ganjiri or ganja-khor
are terms of bitter contempt, meaning unreliable,
irreligious, good-for-nothing people. In the case
of lower class people, it is looked upon with in-
difference as they smoke ganja out of their neces-
sity.
34. Yes, it would be so to the consumers men-
tioned in (a), question 27. The others can bear
the privation.
35. (a) Not all at once
(b) Yes.
(c) Very difficult.
(d) At first it would.
(e) Would not amount to a political danger.
(f) Yes.
40. Yes, they are prescribed by native doctors
41. (b) Yes. Class (a) in question 27 use it
for the purpose mentioned in (b) of this question.
Both the moderate habitual and the moderate
occasional use is referred to.
42. It is beneficial and harmless to class (a) in
question 27. Or else it is harmful. It leads to
excess and brings on diseases, etc.
43. Yes.
44. (a) It stimulates the system, and makes the
consumer talk a good deal. But it makes the idle
morose.
(b) Yes.
(c) and (d) Yes, slightly. It allays hunger
also.
(e) Yes.
(f) The effect lasts for about an hour or so.
(g) There are after-effects noticeable in the
idlers.
(h) Yes.
45. (b), (c), (d), (e) These are seldom noticeable
in the case of class (a) in question 27.
46. This often produces noxious effects of all
kinds.
47. No, as far as I know.
51. Yes. It is the formation of the character
that leads to ganja-smoking; the converse is much
less the case.
63. In the present state of society the existing
system is the best.
68. Yes. There are licensed shops. They
ought to continue.
39. Evidence of BABU ABANTINATH DATTA, Kayastha, Pleader, Judge's Court,
Cachar.
1. In my earlier days I was constantly among
several confirmed ganja-smokers and had no
alternative but to mix with them. I saw them
preparing and smoking ganja. Moreover, when
I entered the world, I had to deal with many
ganja-smoking people. My observations are re-
stricted to the districts of Sylhet and Cachar.
2. My knowledge is limited to the use of ganja
only. I have never seen people using bhang and
charas, and therefore have not had opportunities
of forming any opinion in regard to the use and
consumption of these drugs. The definitions of
the three varieties of ganja as given here may be
accepted for the districts of Sylhet and Cachar.
Flat ganja is called chipti, and round ganja is
known under the name of gol ganja. Chur ganja
has no other name in these districts.
3. The hemp plant grows spontaneously in
Sylhet and Cachar.
5. I do not feel competent to answer this ques-
tion.
6. The growth of the wild hemp is scattered.
7. The hemp plant is not cultivated in Sylhet
and Cachar.
14. Ganja, charas and bhang are not prepared
in the districts of Sylhet and Cachar.
19. My experience is confined only to ganja.
As far as my experience and observation extend,
ganja is used only for smoking.
20. The lower classes of people smoke ganja
more largely than the upper classes. Those who
get into this habit are invariably low class men.
Among higher classes this habit is to be found
among those whose education has been neglected.
The use of ganja is also noticed among another
class of men who are addicted to hard drinking.
It is a very common vice among the singing party.
The ascetics as a class indulge in ganja-smoking.
It is difficult to make an estimate of the number
of ganja-smoking people, but regard being had to
the large population, one could say that ganja is
smoked by very few persons. Ganja-smokers will
be found all over the districts.
22. The use of charas has never come under my
personal notice.
23. Bhang is never used for smoking.
25. The use of ganja is on the decrease. The
policy of Government affords a check against the
free use of ganja and has raised the price of the
drug, and hence, in my opinion, the consumption
of ganja has been decreasing.