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29. Evidence of R. N. MUDHOLKAR, L.M.S., Private Medical Practitioner,
Amraoti.
1. I had no special opportunities of obtaining
information regarding the hemp drugs, except what
information I was able to collect since the receipt
of these questions.
2. These definitions may be accepted for our pro-
vinces. The products are locally known as ganja,
bhang and charas.
19. Ganja is generally used for smoking, and is
very rarely used as a drink by those who are ex-
cessively addicted to the drug. Charas is always
used for smoking.
23. Bhang is never used for smoking. It is
always used as a drink.
28. ( a) Habitual moderate consumers can smoke
or think about an ounce of ganja or bhang in a day.
The cost of an ounce of ganja is one anna, and that
of bhang, is one pice.
( b ) Habitual excessive consumers can smoke or
drink about eight ounces of ganja or bhang in a
day.
29. Ganja is ordinarily smoked with tobacco.
The rich and luxurious people mix jaya-patri and
powder of sandalwood with ganja to give fragrance
to the smoke.
The ingredients of bhang massala are:—Pepper,
aniseed, rose buds, cucumber seeds, poppy seed,
almonds, milk and sugar.
30. Ganja, is smoked in solitude, but bhang is
drunk in company generally. No; it is not • con-
fined to the male sex only. Many Muhammadan
prostitutes and other low caste women can be found
smoking ganja. Children never consume any of
these drugs, although exceptions may be found of
children drinking bhang only.
32. In Northern India, and especially in the
North-Western Provinces and among the Mar-
waris, bhang is generally drunk in the hot weather
and on the Maha Shivaratra day. Among the
Hindus during the Holi holidays, bhang is drunk
if there is any social gathering
36. I do not think so.
37. There is no cultivation of ganja in this pro-
vince, and therefore charas is not known and never
used by anybody. Whatever ganja or bhang is
consumed is brought from outside. Hence I could
not get any information about this.
44. The immediate effect of ganja smoking is
drowsiness and tendency to sleep. It is not re-
freshing. It is, on the contrary, depressing. It
does not produce intoxication in habitual consumer.
Soon after ganja is smoked or bhang drunk there
is craving for food. The effect lasts for from two
to six hours. The after-effects are giddiness, head-
ache, sometimes vomiting.
47. No; the habitual moderate use of the hemp
drugs does not produce a hereditary habit, nor does
it affect the children of the moderate consumer.
49. No; it is never used as an aphrodisiac. It
is never so used. by prostitutes. The use of hemp
does not tend to produce impotence.
30. Evidence of G. V. KOT, Brahmin, Medical Practitioner, Amraoti.
1. As head of the Medical Department in the
State of Rutlam and also in connection with my
private practice.
2. Yes. By the same names of ganja, charas
and bhang.
8. I hear the area of cultivation is extremely
limited by order of Government.
10. No. They are of the same classes as other
agricultural cultivators.
13. I hear the cultivation is restricted from
information received. I hear that the hemp plant
can be and was cultivated in many parts of Berars.
16. Yes.
1. I hear they can be and are prepared by any
classes who are interested in their production.
2. Yes, they deteriorate and lose their effect.
For nearly two years. The causes of deterioration
in my opinion are exposure to air and on account of
the volatile nature of the resinous substance adher-
ing to it. The measures for prevention of deterio-
ration should be its packing in hermetically sealed
tins as is done for bird's-eye tobacco. Such tins
being opened at the time of using.
19. Yes; they are used for smoking only, except-
ing for medicinal purposes. In Berar charas is not
obtainable.
20. Ganja is used generally by the lowest classes
of Hindus and Muhammadans, and the proportion
is about 2 per cent. for the whole population.
However, there are persons in the best classes of
Hindus and Muhammadans who smoke ganja, and
the proportion of such cases, I think, is about 1 in
1,000.
21. Smokers make no difference in flat or round.
They say chur is less powerful.
22. Charas, I hear, is not imported in Berar.
23. I hear it is not used for smoking.
24. The practice of eating or drinking bhang is
more prevalent in the inhabitants of Guzerat,
Marwar, Mewad, Central India, the Native States
of Central India, and the inhabitants of Northern
India than it is in the other remaining parts of
India.
A proportion of the inhabitants of the above-
mentioned parts, wherever settled, will be found
eating or drinking bhang. It is used by the
inhabitants of other parts of India, but very
occasionally.
25. On the increase certainly, and this will be
found from the statistics of sale from Government.
26. Ganja smoking.
Bhang eating or drinking.
1.70 per 100
0.30 per cent.
0.10 per 100
.10
„
0'10 per 100
1.50
„
0'10 per 100
0.2
„
The above percentage refers to smokers and
drinkers only and not to all the inhabitants of a
town or country.
27. The smokers are generally of the lowest
grades of society and the respectable who have been
addicted to smoking are generally through contact
or association with the low, or occasionally the habit
has been induced to allay pain or infirmity. Bhang
e a t i n g o r d r i n k i n g i s m o r e p r e v a l e n t i n t h e r e s p e c t - a b l e t h a n g a n j a s m o k i n g , a n d t h i s c u s t o m h a s