262
labour on land as well as in water and find relief
after such work.
28. As stated by the vendors, the average cost
in the case of a habitual moderate consumer is
one or two pice a day, and in the case of a habitual
excessive consumer about four pice with regard to
the ganja drug only.
29. By almost all the classes tobacco or dokta
is mixed with the ganja to make it more agree-
able.
Tobacco or gurak tamak is mixed with charas for
the same.
In preparing majum, a kind of sweetmeat, con-
sisting of milk, sugar and siddhi or bhang, a little
dhatura or dhuntara is sometimes mixed to make
it strong.
30. All these drugs are sometimes used in
company and sometimes in solitude, according to
the circumstance; the greater number in company.
It is generally confined to the male sex and seldom
to the female sex. There is no limit of age.
Rare cases are seen amongst children to use any
of these drugs.
31. The habit of consuming each of these drugs
is easily formed. No doubt it is somewhat difficult
to break off when a man once gets into the habit
of using any of these drugs, but it is not so diffi-
cult as in the case of opium. There is some
tendency in case of each of these drugs for the
moderate habit to develop into the excessive but
not as a rule.
32. It is the custom amongst the Sanyasis or
votaries of Siva to smoke the ganja and some-
times to drink the siddhi, It is considered to be
essential. It is generally excessive. It forms a
habit, but not so injurious in their cases.
33. The use of ganja is regarded as a bad habit
by the public, because its effects are sometimes
injurious.
34. It would be no doubt a privation, though
not very serious, to the consumers amongst the
lower labouring class of men to forego the consump-
tion of the ganja they use, because they require
it after hard labour for relief. Their number,
however, is not very great.
35. I do not think that it would be feasible to
prohibit the use of all these drugs, specially ganja.
If prohibited, the consumers will try, if possible,
to consume illicitly. I do not know in what way
it could be enforced. The prohibition no doubt
would occasion serious discontent among the con-
sumers. I do not think that such discontent
would amount to a political danger. The prohibi-
tion no doubt would be followed by recourse to
alcoholic stimulants or other drugs.
37. The difference between the effects of charas
smoking and that of smoking ganja, is said to be
this—that the smoking of charas is considered to
be somewhat mild in its effects, but it is not so in
the case of ganja, the effects of which are felt to
be stronger by the consumer.
40. Siddhi or bhang is prescribed on account
of its medicinal qualities by native physicians or
kabirajes, and it is mixed with some of the im-
portant medicines in cases of diarrhœa, etc.
41. As far as I know siddhi or bhang has some
digestive quality, and a moderate occasional use
of it does good to those who suffer from bowel
complaints and some moderate consumers take it
on occasion of festivals, &c., for the sake of
pleasure and for taking more quantity of food than
usual. This practice is followed more by some of
the young men of the upper class chiefly, and not
by men of advanced ages unless they be habitual
moderate consumers of the siddhi drug or suffering
from some bowel complaints. The number of
these men is not very great.
43. Moderate consumers are not offensive to
their neighbours.
44. As far as I have been able to ascertain, the
immediate effect of the moderate use of ganja,
siddhi and charas, is refreshing to the habitual
consumers. It produces intoxication but not in
all cases. It creates appetite. The effects last
long or short according to constitution and dura-
tion of habit. The want of subsequent gratifi-
cation in every case produces longing or uneasi-
ness when the time is over.
45. The use of ganja produces in some cases
noxious effects both physical and mental. Except
in the cases of hard labourers ganja impairs the
constitution to a certain extent. The use of any
of these drugs produces a kind of laziness in res-
pect of the higher class only. Though the
moderate use of ganja does not produce insanity
yet it begets an irritative habit in certain cases.
46. The use of ganja when carried into excess
sometimes produces insanity. In that case it is
generally permanent.
47.It does not appear so.
51. Many of the bad characters are habitual
moderate consumers of ganja.
54. Dakaits and robbers generally use ganja to
fortify themselves to commit crimes with act of
violence.
68. There are licensed shops for the sale of each
of these drugs in these parts.
69. I think the wishes of the people are not
consulted or considered in any way before a shop
is opened in any locality, and as at present the
shop is located in markets generally, the opinion
of the local public is not so much necessary.
100. Evidence of SURGEON-COLONEL R. HARVEY, Officiating Inspector-General
of Civil Hospitals, Bengal.
In reply to your No. 215, dated 11th instant,
I have the honour to state that my attention has
never been specially directed to the question of
the use of hemp drugs. I have never held charge
of a lunatic asylum, and having been engaged in
a special line of practice, have not been in the
way of seeing many examples of the habitual use
of preparations of hemp. The last case which I
can recall at this moment occurred not later than
1871.
I feel therefore that no opinions of mine could
be of the slightest value as evidence; indeed on
many of the points asked I have formed no opin-
ion, while on others I can only go by hearsay.
This being so, I have the honour to return the
paper of questions.
Oral Evidence.
I am officiating as Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals in Bengal. I have twenty-nine years'