by the farmer during a year in the three last terms
for which he held the farm :—
TERM.
AVERAGE QUANTITY BROUGHT
IN A YEAR.
Popula-
tion during
term.
Ganja and
garda.
Bhang.
Charas.
Ind. Mds. Ind. Mds. Ind. Mds.
1884-87
.
.
358
71
8
773,196
1887-90
.
.
417
65
8
773,196
1890-93
.
.
380
70
6
821,764
Drug.
Quantity.
Cost.
Ganja
.
.
. One tola
. Two annas with tobac-
co, etc.
Bhang
.
.
.
„
„
. Nine pies with pepper.
etc.
Garda
.
.
.
„
„
. Half an anna with pep-
per, etc.
Charas
.
.
. One-half tola Two and a half annas
with tobacco, etc.
Habitual excessive consumer's allowance per diem.
Drug.
Quantity.
Cost.
Ganja
.
.
. Three tolas Six annas with tobac-
co, etc.
Bhang
•
.
Two tolas . One and a half annas
with pepper, etc.
Garda
.
.
. Three tolas . One and a half annas
with pepper, etc.
Charas
.
.
. One tola
. Five annas with tobac-
co, etc.
38. Evidence of MR. W. ALMON, Assistant Collector, Abkari Department, Bombay.
1. The opportunities connected with my duties
in the island of Bombay as Assistant Collector,
Abkari Department.
2. The definitions given may be accepted.
Round ganja is unknown here; only flat ganja is
seen and sold.
(1) Bhang, subji, and maya ;
(2) charas ;
(3) ganja; (4) garda or broken ganja.
7. In the island of Bombay there is no culti-
vation of the hemp plant for ( a ), (b), (c), or (d).
14. I am aware that ganja is prepared in the
districts of Ahmednagar, Satara, and Nasik, and
that bhang is prepared at Surat. We receive
supplies from these districts.
18. Ganja, charas and bhang deteriorate, I am
told, by keeping, and eventually lose their narcotic
properties. They keep good, it is said, for a year
or two. In Bombay the deterioration is attributed
to atmospheric moisture and dampness. The
drugs should be stored in a dry godown. A
godown where ganja is stored should be kept
free of rats. Rats like hemp seed, and injure the
ganja in their search for the seed. I know of one
instance in which ganja was destroyed by white-
ants.
19. In Bombay, ganja and charas are used only
for smoking. Garda, that is broken ganja, is
used for drinking. It is also sometimes given to
buffaloes and cows as an appetizer. Garda is
sometimes smoked mixed with ganja.
20. Ganja is smoked principally by Hindu
sadhus and labourers, and by Muhammadans of
the working classes, and by fakirs. A few of the
better classes of both communities, chiefly among
the Hindus, also smoke ganja. In Bombay but
little charas is used. It is smoked by Pathans,
fakirs, sadhus, and people from northern India.
I estimate that there are of all classes about
2,000 to 2,500 ganja smokers, and from 100 to
150 charas smokers in Bombay.
21. Flat ganja is smoked in Bombay. There
is no round ganja. A little garda is also used for
smoking, mixed with flat ganja.
22. Very little charas is smoked in Bombay.
The charas smoked is generally brought from
Amritsar. I do not know if this charas is Indian
or foreign.
23. So far as I know or can learn bhang is not
smoked in Bombay.
24. Bhang is chiefly drunk in Bombay by
Hindus from Guzerat, Kathiawar, and places
north of Bombay. The Deccani and Konkani
Hindus use it occasionally. I believe that bhang
drinkers will be found chiefly among those classes
of the people to whom the use of alcohol is pro-
hibited. There are fewer bhang drinkers among
the Muhammadans than among the Hindus here.
But little bhang is eaten in Bombay. It is used
in this way by the Hindus who drink bhang. I
estimate that there are about 400 bhang drinkers
altogether in Bombay. Garda is chiefly consumed
as a drink in Bombay, and 1 estimate the con-
sumers of garda in this way are from 400 to 450.
25. My belief is that the use of all these drugs
is about stationary or slightly on the decrease in
Bombay. The following figures show the aver-
age quantity of each drug brought into Bombay
27. Hemp drug consumers are confined to no
particular class. These drugs are mainly consumed
by labourers and religious mendicants. The bet-
ter classes are chiefly habitual moderate or occa-
sional moderate consumers of hemp drugs.
I would say (1) that the desire for an intoxi-
cant of some kind, which is a pretty general feel-
ing among all races ; (2) religious prohibition to
the use of alcoholic drinks ; (3) association with
hemp drug consumers ; (4) want of money to
purchase liquors in the case of very poor people ;
and (5) the use of a hemp drug as a medicinal
agent,—are the chief circumstances which lead to
the practice of consuming hemp drugs.
28. Habitual moderate consumer's allowance
per diem.
The costs here shown are for ordinary prepara-
tions. Exceptional preparations would be more
costly, according to the ingredients used.
29. Ingredients ordinarily mixed—
With ganja, tobacco in about equal parts.
With bhang, black pepper mixed in water; some-
times sugar is added. With garda, black pepper
mixed in water; sometimes sugar is added.
With charas, tobacco.
Ingredients exceptionally mixed–
Very exceptionally ganja is washed in rose
water, mixed with tobacco and a particle of musk
added and then smoked. Bhang is mixed in
milk with dried rose buds, black pepper , sugar-
candy, poppy seed, almonds, white pumpkin seed,
melon seed, cardamoms, saffron and other ingre-
dients. Garda is not usually prepared in a special
manner. With charas goorako is smoked instead
of tobacco.