45
and stored in the licensed golas of the two first-
named districts, which supply the whole province.
The plant germinates after the rains and comes
to maturity in the following May.
Bhang is gathered in that month and also in
June and July. Ganja and charas are always
smoked and bhang is always drunk. Majum,
which is a confection made from bhang, is eaten.
Siddhi kachauri is a kind of fritter in which bhang
is used.
16. (a) Bhang in small quantities is generally
made by the people in their houses, especially
where the wild plant is abundant, as in the rural
areas of certain districts.
(b) Yes.
(c) No.
17. Ganja, by cultivators of ganja. Bhang, by
wholesale dealers, and by villagers generally.
Majum
Siddhi kachauri
by confectioners.
18. Ganja—
Deteriorates by keeping. Fresher the better.
Most valued during first year: less so in two years;
in fact, is not sold after the first year if new
ganja is available; absolutely unsaleable after the
two years; this with ordinary care, without which
deterioration may take place earlier. Damp and
natural decay cause deterioration. Precaution is
taken against damp. The question of preserving
the active principle of the drug is under consi-
deration with reference to Dr. Prain's recent
enquiries.
Bhang—
Narcotic property deteriorates, but the value
of bhang as a medicine is enhanced by age. Three
to four years. Old bhang is much esteemed
as a palliative in bowel complaints.
Charas keeps longer than ganja.
19. Yes, Gurjat ganja is, however, drunk in
the same way as bhang by the priests attached to
the temples of Jagannath, Bhuvaneswar and
Satyabadi in Puri.
Ganja is occasionally chewed by ascetics.
20. The consumption of charas is confined to
the residents of towns in Central and Western
Bengal. It is difficult to give the exact proportion
of consumers. Some idea may be formed from
the fact that in 1892-93 11 maunds 26 seers 12
chittacks, or, say, 12 maunds of charas, were con-
sumed against 4,711 maunds of ganja (excluding
the quantities sent to the North-Western Prov-
inces and Oudh); and assuming that charas is twice
as effective as ganja, the proportion of charas con-
sumers to ganja-smokers would be 24 to 4,711 or
1 to 196.
Ganja is used by all classes, though in varying
proportions, throughout the province. Hindu
mendicants (sadhus, sanyasis, etc.) use it to a man,
as do the priests and attendants of Hindu temples,
especially of those that are dedicated to Siva. In
Lower Bengal boatmen, fishermen and others who
are constantly exposed to wet and inclement
weather, palki and dooly-bearers and coolies who
have to perform great physical exertion, freely use
ganja; also cooks and artizans. Its use is con-
siderable among cultivators, but limited among
the bhadro log or respectable castes. Its use is
equally common among Hindus and Musalmans.
In Behar, however, Musalmans do not much
indulge in ganja, Of the Hindus its use is rare
among the poorer classes (who seem to be more
addicted to tari and cheap country liquor), but is
general among the middle classes, comprising
Brahmins, Rajputs, and Babhans. Artizans of
all classes freely consume it.
Mds.
S. C.
Total consumption in 1892-93
5,451 14 0
Deduct quantities sent to North-Western
Provinces and Nepal
740 19 0
Consumption in Bengal
4,710 35 0
Population
71,271,080.
Smallest consumption of a moderate smoker,
1 anna or 1/1280 of a seer per diem.
The quantity shown as consumed is thus suffi-
cient for 660,813 or 9 in 1,000 of the total popu-
lation, which is less than 1 per cent.; but the
average quantity consumed by a smoker is pro-
bably higher, and the proportion then becomes
still less. On the above assumption (1 anna per
diem per smoker) the proportion of smokers to
total population is as follows in the undermen-
tioned districts where the consumption of ganja is
large:—
Dacca
15 in 1,000
Mymensing
15 in 1,000
Patna
12 in 1,000
21. In the hands of the consumer all ganja is
reduced to chur at the time of smoking. Yet one
variety is preferred in one district and another in
another district, e.g., round is favoured in Calcutta,
24-Parganas, Nadia and the districts of the
Burdwan and Orissa divisions, and flat elsewhere.
But this preference for one sort is more a matter
of habit and is not based on any real difference in
quality.
22. All foreign. Obtained from Amritsar (Pun-
jab) and Mirzapur (North-Western Provinces),
where they are imported from Central Asia.
Formerly some charas used to be brought from
Nepal, but the trade seems to have died out.
23. Wild bhang is said to be smoked in Dacca
and Mymensing, but only by very poor people.
The extent of such use cannot be large.
24. Bhang is eaten in the shape of majum or
siddhi kachauri. In these forms it is used by the
well-to-do classes in town areas, but the consump-
tion is very small. Out of a total of Rs. 1,984
realized from majum licenses in 1892-93, Patna
contributed Rs. 683, Calcutta Rs. 559, and Cut-
tack Rs. 245. The use of bhang as a drink was
at one time general in Lower Bengal, but is now
very much restricted owing to progress of educa-
tion and breaking up of old habits, and also to the
spread of a taste for imported spirits. In Behar,
among the higher and middle classes, it is still a
favourite drink, though the poorer classes prefer
tari and country spirit.
25. Use of ganja is on the decrease owing
to enhanced cost caused by increasing taxation
and restrictions on manufacture.
Use of bhang is also less general, due to pro-
gress of education and to losing faith in ceremonies
and celebrations of which the consumption of
bhang formed a feature.
26. It is impossible to state the proportion, even
approximately, without a census of the consumers.
But it may be said generally that the great ma-
jority of consumers come under (a). Sanyasis,
sadhus and other mendicants belong to (b).
27. Fishermen, labourers, coolies, boatmen and
others who smoke ganja as a matter of necessity