302
It is thought by some that the moderate use of
bhang is beneficial. Some think that it should al-
together be abandoned. Ganja and charas are
dangerous both to life and health.
34. If the use of bhang were foregone, it would
cause much inconvenience and difficulty. Several
persons think that it is necessary to use bhang as a
cooling drink. It aids the power of digestion and
ppetite
35. In my opinion the prohibition of bhang
would occasion discontent. The prohibition would
not be followed by recourse to alcoholic stimulants,
but on the contrary alcohol consumers often forego
alcohol in favour of bhang. All the three can be
prohibited without any fear of political danger,
although it will at first occasion discontent.
Ganja and charas consumers can give up these two
drugs in favour of bhang drinking. I know this
from experience.
36. No; on the contrary, the use of alcohol is to
a certain extent foregone in favour of bhang drink-
ing.
37. The effects of charas smoking are more in-
toxicating and more injurious than those of ganja
smoking.
38. Round ganja is preferred to the other two
kinds, for it is more intoxicating.
40. Bhang is prescribed by native physicians
along with poppy seeds as an antidote against cold
in the head, and bhang unmixed with other ingre-
dients is also prescribed ; and it is also used in the
treatment of cattle disease.
41. Bhang is beneficial in aiding the powers of
digestion. Charas and ganja give staying-power
in cases of severe exertion and of exposure. This
is because of their intoxicating effects.
42. The use of charas and ganja should be put
a stop to, for moderate use leads to excess. Hence
cough and asthma are produced, and the eyesight
is affected and the manly power is weakened. Even
moderate consumers suffer from cough, asthma and
heart-burning. The moderate use of bhang is not
at all injurious.
43. If the ganja and charas smokers do not get
the drugs at their usual time for taking them,
they will prattle foolishly.
44. The immediate effects of g anja and charas
are as follows. The smoker gets perfectly silent
and his eyes become red. If the habitual smoker
takes the drug at the proper time, it creates
appetite. The effect lasts for about one hour or
two hours; after the effects are gone, he falls into
yawning and laziness and. gets thirsty. Bhang
drinking has an intoxicating effect which produces
appetite, which lasts for two or three hours.
45. Bhang
, drinking .oduces no noxious effects,
49. Yes. Some use bhang as an aphrodisiac.
Prostitutes also use it for the above purpose.
Charas and ganja produce impotence, but bhang
does not.
50. The excessive use of all the three drugs is
very injurious. See question 45.
52. See question 50.
53. Excessive consumers, if prevented from tak-
ing the drugs, prattle foolishly.
54. Consumers of these drugs are timid rather
than violent like alcohol drinkers. Hence no
violence is committed by them.
55. If any of these drugs be administered to a
person who is not in the habit of taking them, it
is no wonder that he can be robbed, for he loses
all consciousness.
56. The bhang drink prepared on the night of
Shiva is mixed with dhatura and then offered to
the god, and bhang mixed with dhatura is given to
any one whom it is intended to plunder or stupefy,
and sometimes the following ingredients are mixed
with it, in order to make it more intoxicating :-
Juari, gram, sesamum seeds, chhabar grass and
grain.
58. It is not necessary to improve it.
59. The farm is ordinarily given to one man, and
for that reason he buys very bad charas and ganja
at very low rates and sells them high. For this
reason the smokers are much injured ; and the
bhang and charm and ganja farm should be regu-
lated on the same system as opium and liquor now
are, i.e., small licenses should be given to many
licensees.
65. The taxation on ganja, charas and bhang
should be raised, for thereby they would sell very
dear and hence few will use them.
69. The wishes of the people of the neighbour-
hood should be consulted before opening a shop, for
the purchasers of these drugs being often illiterate
and ignorant and foolish persons, prove very offen-
sive to the neighbourhood.
but ganja and charas produce asthma and cough,
etc. ; the eyesight is weakened and the manly
power is diminished.
Charas.-Ganja and charas smokers appear black
.and feeble. The use of these two drugs deadens
the intellect and excessive use of bhang also deadens
the intellect.
46. The moderate use of charas and ganja is
injurious ; necessarily the excessive use is more
injurious.
47. It does not appear to be a hereditary habit.
48. Bhang, charas and ganja taken excessively
are very injurious.
31. Evidence of PESUMAL .NARUMAL,
1. I• am a farmer of bhang. I have been taking
farms for many years, either myself or in part-
nership with others. I have money dealings with
Haris (cultivators). I am for the year 1893-94
the farmer of
cr
bhan, charas and ganja of the
Thar and Parkar bhang, In this business I
have had many opportunities of obtaining inform-
ation regarding the matters with regard to
which I am now required to answer questions.
2. The above definitions will do for bhang, but
after the bhang is pounded, mixed with water,
and sifted through cloth, it is called sukho, pango,
Farmer and Merchant, Hyderabad.
abo,
sai and sabzee. The dry leaves are
called booti (plant) and ghundhi.
Ganja and
charas are known by the same names here.
3. The wild hemp plant grows in the hills, and
hemp seeds, lying here and there on the hills,
spring up.
4. The wild plant of the hills is called akoi.
7. Yes. It is cultivated in Khandu Khibar and
Mahar, taluka Halla, district Hyderabad. It
used to be cultivated in Mori Mungar, taluka
Hyderabad, and it can be cultivated in any kind