488
230. Evidence of BABU GURUDAYAL SINHA,* Kayasth, Honorary Magistrate, Muni-
cipal Commissioner and Secretary, Total Abstinence Society, Comilla, Tippera.
1. I consulted many ganja-smokers and native
physicians and have some experience in regard
to which my answers are framed.
16. Bhang is prepared generally by the people
in their houses. It is prepared from the wild
hemp plant. Ganja or charas is not prepared
from the wild plant.
19. Charas is not used by the people in this
district; ganja is used only for smoking.
21. Flat ganja is preferred for smoking.
23. Bhang is used for smoking by ganja-smok-
ers when ganja is not available or when they
cannot afford to pay for it.
24. Lower classes of people drink bhang as
medicine for dysentery.
25. The use of ganja is on the increase in this
district. There is no restriction for its sale. It
is easily available. Within last few years a god
by name Tinnath appeared, and it is worshipped
by people as the god of ganja. Ganja-smokers
generally sit together, sing, and smoke ganja, and
thus the number of ganja-smokers is going to be
increased, but it is confined to the lower classes of
people.
26. It is very difficult to ascertain the pro-
portion of different classes of ganja consumers,
but the number of habitual excessive consumers
is on the increase.
27. The lower classes of people who are culti-
vators scarcely get accustomed to it. But those
who serve under others and have time to spare,
generally join the worshippers of Tinnath, which
lead to the practice.
28. (a) Habitual moderate consumers of ganja,
three to four pice per diem.
(b) Habitual excessive consumers, five to
six pice per diem.
29. Dhatura is not used or mixed with ganja.
Bhang massala is not sold here.
30. One-fourth of ganja-smokers practise in
solitude and three-fourths in company. It is
mainly confined to the male sex. It is not usual
for children to consume ganja or bhang.
31. Yes.
32. There is a religious custom known as Tin-
nath mela in which ganja is essential for the wor-
ship of the god Tinnath. It is generally temper-
ate. It leads to the formation of the habit.
33. The public opinion is strongly against it.
The use of ganja is generally in disrepute. The
word ganjakhor (i.e., ganja eater or smoker) is
now a term used by the people towards bad charac-
ters. It is now an abusive term. It (ganja) is
very injurious to health. It spoils the system and
sometimes leads to insanity. There is no custom
of worshipping the hemp plant.
34. I don't think it would be a serious privation
to ganja-smokers to forego the consumption.
35. It would be feasible to prohibit the use of
ganja. The prohibition may be enforced by
stopping import. There is no likelihood of the
drug being consumed illicitly. The prohibition
may occasion discontent among the consumers, but
such discontent would not amount to a political
danger. The prohibition of ganja may be followed
by recourse to bhang, but not to alcoholic stimu-
lants.
40. Bhang is prescribed by native physicians as
medicine in cases of dyspepsia, dysentery and
diarrhœa, but the lower classes of people only use
it.
41. Sanyasis use ganja to alleviate fatigue or
to give staying-power under severe exposure.
42. Ganja is not beneficial in any stage of life.
Even moderate use of it is not harmless.
43. Ganja-smokers generally remain irritable.
They ill-treat their children, wives and neigh-
bours. They commit offences on slight provoca-
tion.
44. Ganja produces intoxication even on mo-
derate use. The want of subsequent gratification
produces longing or uneasiness.
45. The habitual moderate use of ganja pro-
duces noxious effects. It impairs the constitution
and causes dysentery. It also impairs the moral
sense or induces laziness or habits of immorality,
and it produces temporary insanity.
49. The use of ganja tends to produce impo-
tence.
68. Shops are licensed for the sale of ganja and
bhang.
69. Whenever a shop is opened in any locality,
the wishes of the people are not consulted or
considered in any way. Public opinion ought to
be considered before a shop is opened in any loca-
lity.
231. Evidence of RAI BAHADUR RAJ KUMAR SARVADHIKARI, Secretary, British
Indian Association, Calcutta.
In reply to your letter No. 24, dated the 10th
of August last, I have the honour to submit here-
with, by direction of the Managing Committee of
the British Indian Association, the views of the
Committee on some of the points connected with
the consumption of hemp drugs and its effects
on which an expression of their views have been
invited. Such information and opinion as the
Committee are enabled to give have been stated
against the several questions contained in the
question paper. As none of th,e Members of the
Committee is in a position to give further
information on the subject, the Committee are
unable to name a representative who would like to
be examined orally by the Commission.
1. The Committee of the Association is compos-
ed among others of a large body of landholders
who have opportunities of getting information re-
garding the extent and effect of the use of hemp
by people in their estates. As influential members
of society they have also every means of knowing
the extent of consumption of the drugs among
their countrymen and of its results.
* Invited to attend at a meeting of the Commission, but failed to appear.