162
are over, he would probably feel himself wretched
and completely worn out and exhausted.
(c) Ganja or bhang possess no febrifuge pro-
perties, nor are they known as preventives of any
other disease in any unhealthy tracts.
(d) Broadly speaking, in no way can the habi-
tual use of ganja smoking or the use of any of
its allied preparations be said to be beneficial.
42. I cannot say that the moderate use of any
one of these drugs may be considered to be harm-
less ; for every one of them is an excitant of
great power, which may lead a man under certain
conditions ( e.g., provocation, vicious company) to
indulge in them more freely than usual, and
whilst under their influence to commit acts of
violence or of murder.
44. The immediate effect of ganja smoking
upon the habitual consumer is of a pleasing and
exhilarating kind. I believe he becomes possessed
of a feeling of happiness and contentment, whilst
he notices all sorts of ideas, both pleasant and
grotesque, rapidly passing through his mind.
His eyes, which perhaps before were dull and
listless, now become bright and shiny, and he
feels himself now up to his usual work, and in
this way the effects may be termed refreshing.
Ganja smoking produces in the habitual con-
sumer a slight heightening or exhilaration of the
spirits, which can hardly be said to amount to
intoxication in him. When the habit of ganja
smoking is first formed, the appetite is said to be
increased ; but when the habit is long continued
and confirmed, it, on the contrary, is lessened.
The want of subsequent gratification produces a
sense of discomfort and a longing for it ; it makes
the man peevish and irritable, and renders him
unfit for the regular or full performance of his
usual avocations for some time.
45. Yes, ganja produces injurious effects, both
physical, mental and even moral. It impairs the
constitution, for a habitual ganja smoker is a
thin, somewhat emaciated man, with sunken eyes
and hollow cheeks. He is seldom known to
be fat or corpulent. It produces loss of appetite
and strength, though its early use occasions in
some a ravenous sensation, not even completely
appeased by food. It is a popular belief amongst
the ganja smokers that a long-continued habit
produces diarrhœa and dysentery, unless these
evils are counteracted by an abundant supply of
wholesome food, with especially a liberal allowance
of ghee and other oleaginous materials. My ex-
perience supports the above-made statement. It
blunts the moral sense and induces habits of
laziness. I do not think it necessarily induces
habits of immorality. The constant irritation of
the bronchi by the ganja smoke leads to their
chronic congestion and to the production of bron-
chitis.
Cases of insanity following upon the habitual
use of ganja, etc., have not come under my observ-
ation, and my experience of this subject is very
limited.
46. In this connection it would be sufficient to
state that the habitual excessive use of the ganja
would produce the same set of evil symptoms as
those mentioned above, but that they would neces-
sarily be more intense and marked.
47. Ganja smoking does not appear to be a
hereditary habit, nor does its use in any way affect
the children of the moderate consumer.
48. Ganja smoking does not appear to be a
hereditary habit, nor does its use in any way
affect the children of the excessive consumer.
49. After a careful enquiry I could not find
that any of these drugs are habitually used as
aphrodisiacs. I do not know if these remedies
are used by prostitutes for a similar purpose. I
have not come across cases of impotence which
could be distinctly traced to the habitual use of
ganja smoking, or of any of its allied products.
8 83. Evidence of HOSPITAL ASSISTANT BHAU SACCARAM, Brahmin, Raipur Dispensary,
Ahmedabad.
1. As a member of the Bombay Medical Subor-
dinate Department, of nearly thirty years' standing,
I have had frequent opportunities of obtaining
information regarding matters connected with
hemp drugs, in regard to which my answers are
framed.
2. The first is known here by the name of bhang
or sabji. The second is named charas, and the
third goes under the general name of ganja,
without any special names for its different varie-
ties.
19. Ganja is used only for smoking ; charas is
rarely, if at all, used in this district, as far as I
know.
23. Bhang is never used for smoking to my
knowledge.
28. For habitual moderate consumers, bhang
half tola, worth one pie, ganja half tola, worth
four pies. For habitual excessive consumers,
bhang one and a half tola, worth one pice, ganja
two tolas, worth one and a quarter anna.
29. Ganja is ordinarily mixed with tobacco,
a n d I a m n o t a w a r e o f a n y e x c e p t i o n a l c a s e i n w h i c h o t h e r i n g r e d i e n t s a r e m i x e d w i t h i t . P o o r
people mix pepper with bhang, but well-to-do
persons mix also sugar, almond, poppy seeds,
rose buds and cardamoms, etc. The object of
these mixtures is to make it more palatable.
I am not aware of the use of dhatura, opium and
other substances mentioned in the question in
forming the mixture.
Yes. The ingredients are the same as those
mentioned above.
30. Habitual consumers of bhang and ganja
use them alone or in company, as it best suits
them. But those who occasionally, and especially
in the hot season, take bhang, generally take it
in company. It is only confined to the male sex,
and to persons above the age of 20. It is not
usual for children to consume any of these drugs,
as far as I know, in this district.
31. The habit of consuming these drugs is
easily formed in the company of persons addicted
to them. It is difficult to give up when once
formed. There is generally a tendency from the
moderate to the excessive.
32. In Gujarat on the Maha Sivaratri holiday
Brahmin worshippers make Abhisheka (sprinkling
b y m e a n s o f a l o t a w i t h a h o l e a t t h e b o t t o m h u n g o v e r t h e L i n g u m ) o f b h a n g w a t e r o n t h e
emblem of Siva, accompanied by recitations of