356
36. Yes. Alcohol is substituted in some cases
by ganja or bhang, alcohol being dearer than the
other ingredient. The consumers of alcohol have
recourse to the latter substances.
37. Effects are stronger in the case of charas
than in the case of ganja. The effects in the
case of bhang-drinking are slower in developing
than in cases of ganja or charas.
39. Drinking of any preparation of the hemp
plant is less injurious than in the cases of smok-
ing or eating the same. In the case of eating,
the intoxication is rather severe. In the case of
smoking, the effect is immediate. The excessive
drinking of bhang or smoking of ganja produces
insanity.
40. Yes; native doctors or kabirajes use ganja
or bhang in the several diseases of human beings,
and also in several diseases of the cattle, such as
loss of appetite and diarrhœa.
41. Yes; the moderate consumption of ganja
or bhang primarily gives more appetite and proves
digestive. It gives a staying-power under ex-
posure or exertion, and alleviates fatigue. It
might be used as a febrifuge or preventive of
disease in malarious and unhealthy climates.
This is never used as accessory to food.
42. Moderate use is beneficial under such
conditions, but through the continued use it
becomes harmful. There is another danger, as
from the moderate use it leads to excessive con-
sumption, and is thus productive of the patho-
genetic effects of the drugs.
44. In the case of bhang the effect is refresh-
ing, but in cases of ganja-smoking the effect is
quite different. A feeling of hot sensation is pro-
duced in such a way as to produce perspiration,
and the consumer, while standing, might fall to
the ground. The effect is intoxication when it
allays hunger. It creates appetite in the first
stage. In cases of smoking ganja intoxication
remains from half an hour to one hour, whereas in
cases of bhang drinking or eating, intoxication
remains from five to six hours. It begins about
one hour after its consumption. In cases of ganja-
smoking, nausea and mental dullness are the after-
effects. Heaviness in the head, exhaustion, mental
dullness, constipation, high-coloured urine, ema-
ciation, jaundiced congestion, loss of venereal
power, and shortened lives are the subsequent
effects. In cases of bhang drinking or eating there
are no such kinds of after-effects. Appetite and
digestion improve primarily, but afterwards mental
dullness, loss of appetite, exhaustion, emaciation,
pains in the limb, derangement of the stomach and
intestines producing flatulence, are the subse-
quent effects.
In cases of ganja-smoking, the want of subse-
quent gratification produces longing and uneasi-
ness. In cases of bhang drinking or eating, such
is also the case in a moderate degree.
45. Yes, the habitual moderate use of any of these
drugs produces noxious effects. It impairs consti-
tution, injures digestion, or causes loss of appe-
tite. It causes bronchitis, dysentery and asthma.
It impairs moral sense, induces laziness; and
habits of debauchery are formed. It produces ill-
effects on the brain, producing insanity. It
might prove as an exciting cause of insanity where
there is heredity of the disease.
Bronchitis.—In the case of Mangal Maha, who
was a consumer of bhang, ganja and opium, bron-
chitis was the disease. The patient had good deal
of expectoration and fever. He died from exhaus-
tion.
Dysentery.—In the case of Bissesswar, who was
a habitual consumer of bhang (quarter of a rupee
in weight daily), dysentery was the disease, com-
plicated with liver disease. The patient died from
exhaustion.
Asthma.—In the case of Sheo Narain, who was
a habitual consumer of ganja for about twenty
years, asthma was the disease. He is still living.
46. The excessive use of any of these drugs
produces diseases, but it depends upon the sus-
ceptibility of consumers to be subject to the
various diseases.
47. The habit is formed not necessarily from
heredity, but when the person uses any of these
drugs moderately he forms the habit.
48. In the similar way habit is formed from the
use of these drugs, and not necessarily from
heredity.
49. Moderate use of bhang or smoking of ganja
is practised as an aphrodisiac. Prostitutes do not use
any of these drugs as an aphrodisiac. The use of
any of these drugs as an aphrodisiac tends to
more harm than its use as a narcotic, because the
consumers in the former case are given up to
debauchery. Habitual use of ganja (-smoking)
tends to produce impotence.
50. The excessive use of ganja (-smoking) leads
to impotence.
51. Dhatura is mixed with bhang to increase its
effects for personal consumption and in cases
where it is necessary to put any person into
trouble.
52. Ganja in the form of chur is drunk with
bhang to increase its effects.
In conclusion, in my opinion, the hemp plant
possesses remedial virtues which cannot be dis-
pensed with in our treatment of the most common
diseases of India. It exercises pathogenetic in-
fluences when resorted to in health. In my
opinion, the Government ought only to encourage
and protect the cultivation of these hemp plants to
the extent it is required for medicinal purposes.
145. Evidence of LUCKHMY NARAIN NAIK, Mahanyak, Medical Practitioner,
Cuttack.
19. Only for smoking purposes. Sometimes it
is drunk like bhang.
23. No.
28. (a) The average cost is two pice per day for
the habitual moderate consumers.
(b) The average cost is two annas per day for
the habitual excessive consumers.
29. The ganja-smokers generally mix tobacco
leaf with it, and the following ingredients are
at times mixed with it, in order to increase its
narcotic actions, viz., dhatura, opium, roots of
grass, and also mix sandal-wood and cardamom
to make it soothing and perfumed. Moreover,
there is a preparation called majum, which is ordi-
narily sold by ganja vendors in this country,
which is prepared with sugar, ganja, flour and
milk, i.e., somewhat like lozenges. This majum