38
will not influence good people, who form the larg
- e s t m a j o r i t y . N o r w i l l t h e s t o p p i n g o f t h i s d r u g
lead to the use of alcoholic drinks.
36. I have seen a person weaned of the habit
of drinking liquor by the moderate use of bhang.
39. Smoking is admittedly more injurious than
drinking or eating. Smoking affects the lungs
and brain more immediately and directly than the
latter.
40. Yes; in the case of dysentery bhang is
prescribed. It is used as tonic to the convalescent.
Garda is administered to horses and cattle.
I n t h e g a n j a i m p o r t e d i n t o t h i s d i s t r i c t , a q u a n t i t y
of dust or fine powder, most probably of leaves
and flowers, is mixed. When separated, it forms
the "garda," which also contains the seeds.
41. (a ) Bhang taken in small quantities is
good for digestion and to stimulate appetite.
Ganja does the same with greater force
.
(b) There is staying-power as far as the ex
-posure is concerned. A ganja smoker is not
considered to be able to work much. Fatigue
is alleviated by a smoke of ganja, as it induces
sleep.
(c) It is said that ganja smoking and bhang
eating serve to prevent fever more or less.
(d) smoking is said to concentrate attention
or rather prevent distraction. It is why some
singers and musicians have a smoke before they
can play their best.
These effects are observed in the moderate habi
-tual and moderate occasional use.
42. Moderate use of bhang is useful as well
as harmless, but I cannot say so of ganja
smoking, which is injurious even to one who is
well fed. Smokers, however, have a saying as
follows.* It is, I believe, meant more to ensure
t h e c l e a n i n g o f t h e g a n j a s m o k e d t h a n t o e x p r e s s
its qualities and to point out bad effects.
43. Yes, ganja smokers are sometimes inclined
to quarrel when under intoxication. Occasional
consumers are loquacious and divulge secrets of
others and even of their own.
44. The immediate effect is to drown all anx
i-ety, to remove mental depression, and to exhi--
larate the spirits. A drink of bhang not much
spiced and sweetened is refreshing. Such a drink
does not cause intoxication, so to speak, beyond
the raising up of spirits. Hunger is not allayed;
on the contrary, it is very slightly stimulated.
The effect lasts from two to six hours, the length
of time depending on the state of health and the
quantity used. No after-effects. Want of grati
-fication does produce
longing as also uneasiness, and there is an unwillingness to work and a dis--
position to take offence.
45. Smoking affects physically and mentally,
but it is doubtful whether it has any effect on
one's morality. It affects the lungs and the brain
and impairs the constitution. The effects are
slow in the ease of persons who live well, In-
digestion and loss of appetite follow weakness
of body, brain, and lungs.
It is known to cause asthma and bronchitis, but
is said not to cause dysentery. It does not pro--
duce habits of debauchery or immorality, but in--
duces habits of laziness.
Habitual moderate use only blunts the intellect.
It is not said to cause insanity
.
46. In the case of habitual excessive use the
abovementioned effects appear earlier and with
greater severity. An ill-fed excessive consumer
can be easily distinguished by his sunken eyes,
black lips, pale face, and emaciated body. In-
-sanity, both permanent and temporary, and several
mental affections, are said to result from excessive
use.
49. It is said to be so. It is not used by
prostitutes for this purpose. Excessive use leads
to impotence, I am told.
51. Use of these drugs, as far as I know, has
no connection with crime. I do not know
whether a large proportion of bad characters use
this drug. Some of them do so, not because they
have to commit crime, but because they are bad
characters and are addicted to vices.
52. I am told that excessive consumers of this
drug are unfit to commit serious crime, because
they are constantly under its influence. The
intoxication caused by the drug is said to cause
nervous depression or inactivity.
53. I have not heard of a single case of
suicide nor of unpremeditated crime.
54. No, as far as I know.
55. I believe this is done sometimes, but I do
not remember any instances. A person unaccus
-tomed to the use of this drug can be completely
stupefied by an over-dose of this drug.
58. The present system is working well. I
have no suggestions to make for its improvement.
62. In my humble opinion it is unnecessary to
control the cultivation and the preparation of
these drugs.
63. and 64. None.
65. In my humble opinion the tax on ganja is
not sufficiently high to check its consumption or
to prevent increase of consumers and consumption.
Bhang need not be as highly taxed as ganja.
Manufacture and import of bhang must be
encouraged with the object of preventing the
people from using ganja for eating and drinking.
Ganja is so used because bhang is not imported.
As compared with liquor, ganja is exceedingly
cheap, and a reasonable increase in its taxation
w i l l n o t l e a d t o t h e u s e o f a l c o h o l .
68. None in this district.
6 9 . N o .
70. There is much smuggling from the Native
States, where the ganja is had much cheaper
than in this district. This is due to the fact
that sales of ganja farms there are not so honestly
and carefully made as here.
23. Evidence of RAO BAHADUR K. M. THATTE, District Deputy Collector, Nasi
k.
1. In the districts in which I have served hemp
drugs are not extensively consumed, nor consumed
in a manner to have pernicious effects on society at
large.
51. My answer to this question is in the nega
-tive.
Considering the different classes of bad charac
-ters which have come under my observation as
*Vernacular saying not printed.