100
prescribed as one of the ingredients of the medicine
to be administered in cases of dysentry and
diarrhœa. In Yoga-ratnakar an oil prepared from
bhang with some other things is prescribed for
white leprosy. Bhang smoking is also prescribed
against poisons of fish and scorpions. Ganja is
also administered to animals by way of medicine.
41. When used in small quantities, ganja acts
as a stimulant, and sometimes invigorates and
refreshes body and mind. It also quickens diges
-
tion, and acts as febrifuge or preventive of disease
in malarious and unhealthy tracts. Most of the
gosains, bairagis, and fakirs use ganja as a febrifuge
or preventive of disease in malarious and unhealthy
tracts, and as a drug to give staying power under
severe exertion or exposure or to alleviate fatigue.
The moderate habitual use of ganja brings on these
beneficial effects.
42. The moderate use is not only harmless, but
positively beneficial.
43. Yes; moderate ganja smokers are inoffensive
to their neighbours.
44. The moderate use of ganja produces the
following immediate effects on the habitual con
-
s u m e r : — I t r e f r e s h e s h i m . I t e x c i t e s h i s h u n g e r .
It creates appetite. The effects last for an hour
or so after smoking. It does not produce intoxi
-
c a t i o n . Y e s , t h e w a n t o f s u b s e q u e n t g r a t i f i c a t i o n
produces uneasiness.
45. The habitual moderate use of ganja, if accom
-
p a n i e d b y g o o d n o u r i s h m e n t , d o e s n o t p r o d u c e a n y
of the noxious effects mentioned in this question.
However, in old age and decline of health all these
effects are produced. It does not impair the moral
sense or induce laziness or habits of immorality
or debauchery. It does not deaden the intellect or
produce insanity. On the contrary, it is said that
it sharpens the intellect.
46. Habitual excessive use of ganja produces
all the noxious effects mentioned in question
No. 45. The insanity produced, howèver, is
temporary, and may disappear when the use is
stopped. But the symptoms may again be
reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from
restraint. ^nsanes from ganja-smoking confess
to the use of the drug.
47 and 48, The habitual moderate use of
ganja does not appear to be a hereditary habit or
to affect in any way the children of the moderate
consumers.
49 and 50. No.
51. Most of the persons of bad character are
habitual moderate smokers of ganja. However,
all ganja smokers are not necessarily persons of
bad character. The moderate use of this drug
has no connection with crime in general or with
crime of any special character, except that this
drug is often used by the criminals to fortify
themselves to commit crimes especially perpetrated
in day times.
52. The same as above, except that in fortifying
themselves to commit crimes, criminals never
resort to excessive use of ganja.
53. Not necessarily. I am not aware of any
case in which the excessive indulgence in ganja
smoking has led to temporary homicidal frenzy.
54. Yes; they are so used sometimes.
55. Yes; occasionally. Complete stupefaction
can be induced by smoking ganja without
admixture.
56. The admixture of ganja with dhatura
(thorn apple) makes the ganja more intoxicant
for personal consumption as well as for adminis
-
tration to others. The use of this admixture in
moderation as well as in excess is injurious to all
physically and mentally. It impairs the constitu
-
tion and injures the digestion; causes dysentery,
bronchitis and asthma, and deadens the intellect
and produces insanity.
47. Evidence of DADABHAI BURJORJEE GUZDER, Parsi, District Abkari In
-
spector, Ahmednagar.
1. After my transfer to the Ahmednagar dis
-
trict in the month of May 1890, I began to know
of the cultivation of ganja. After a lapse of time
I tried to make myself fully acquainted with the
cultivation thereof. On receipt of Government
Resolutions (Revenue Department ) Nos. 5139
and 6601, dated respectively the 14th July and
11th September 1893, I began to collect the in
-
formation in detail about same. Before my
transfer to this district I had no knowledge re
-
garding the cultivation of ganja.
2. In this district "siddhi," "subji," or
" patti," are not known. The product known is
that of hemp plant, otherwise called ganja, bhang,
and charas. Flat ganja is simply known in this
district. It is obtained from the dried heads
or tops of the hemp plant trodden. Charas is a
sticky or gummy substance which sticks to the
hands of the persons while plucking the heads of
the hemp plant. This substance is taken off by
rubbing the palms, which is called "charas."
Bhang is the powder-like substance that remains
at the bottom of the ganja collected. This is
called bhang. But in fact this is not a genuine
one. The genuine one is cultivated in two
talukas of this district for the requirement of the
seeds, and the remaining leaves after being
separated and dashed against forms the genuine
bhang. The definitions of "charas" and
"ganja" given in this query may safely be
accepted for this province, except that round
ganja is unknown to this province. Each of
these products is locally known by the respective
name given to each of them as above in the
query.
3. From the information collected by me, I
learn of no instance of the spontaneous growth of
the hemp plant anywhere in the Ahmednagar
district.
4. It is simply known by one name only,
namely, ganja.
5. I do not know that any special conditions
o f c l i m a t e , s o i l , r a i n f a l l , e l e v a t i o n a b o v e s e a l e v e l ,
etc., are necessary for the growth of the wild
hemp. The wild hemp, the cultivators say, does
not grow in this district. In the district of A
h -
mednagar the male plants (otherwise called
bhangoda) are called wild plants by some of the
cultivators, and they are removed from the fields
if grown along with female plants. For they
convert the whole crop of ganja to useless seed
-
producing plants. The information asked for in
this question is not forthcoming, as the growth