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33. Evidence of MANGHANMAL ALUMAL, Bhang, Ganja and Charas, and Opium
farmer, Karachi.
tii
1. I am acquainted with the subject myself. I
have managed a hemp drugs business for many
years. I am acquainted with men who take bhang,
charas and ganja. I am therefore able to answer
the following questions.
2. Ganja and charas are not produced in Sind,
but bhang is. One kind is called pani and another
ghundi.
3. Bhang does not grow wild in Sind.
4. Bhang, is called bhang or the plant of Shiva.
There are three kinds of bhang, kaki, sall and ghundi.
6. The wild hemp ordinarily grows scattered.
7. Bhang is cultivated in my province and is
used for drinking; and majum is also made from it.
In Shikarpur, Bubak, taluka Sehwan, Khebar, zilla
Hyderabad, and in taluka Tatta bhang is culti-
vated.
10. The cultivators are zamindars, and among
other crops cultivate bhang.
13. Ganja is not made in Sind.
14. Nothing else is made from bhang except
majum-- vide question 7, chapter II.
17. Zamindars.
18. These drugs deteriorate by keeping them
long. They lose their effects if kept long. They
can keep good for twelve months. These drugs
deteriorate by exposure. No special measures are
taken to prevent deterioration.
19. Ganja and charas are both used for smoking.
20. Hindus, Mussalmans, sanyasis, fakirs and
Marathas smoke them in tikanas, dharamsalas,
dairas (Mussalman inns) and generally in houses.
21. Round ganja is preferred.
22. Charas imported from Amritsar. It is pro-
duced in Yarkand, Ladak and Bokhara.
23. Bhang is not used for smoking.
24. Bhang is drunk by Hindus and Mussalmans
generally.
25. It is on the increase.
27. The consumers of the drugs are mainly
Hindus. Adult men of all classes drink it habi-
tually.
29. Dhatura is not mixed with bhang, but mas
- sala is ; the ingredients being poppy seed, carda-
mons, hemp seed, almonds, saffron, dry rose leaves,
aniseed, pepper. Ganja and charas are smoked
along with tobacco.
30. The bhang is mainly drunk by the male sex,
but in some parts the female sex also drinks it as a
cooling beverage ; but it is not taken by children.
People in Karachi keep vessels full of bhang handy
in the hot weather and distribute it by way of
charity to any one who wants it.
31. Certain persons gradually get into habits of
excess by continually smoking it. It is difficult to
abandon the habit.
32. Whenever in Karachi a panchayat is conven-
e d i t i s t h e c u s t o m t o d i s t r i b u t e b h a n g . T h e
bhang mixed with sugar and powder is distributed
to the members. The same practice is observed at
Shivaratri, when bhang prepared with sugar is first
offered to Shiva along with powdered bread and then
distributed to all those who come to the Shivalaya
to worship the Linga. After they have finished
the worship, they drink the bhang and eat the
powdered bread there and then go home to their
houses. Bhang is called the plant of Shiva. The
use of bhang in the above manner does not lead to
a habit of taking it, nor is it injurious.
33. Bhang is generally drunk as a digestive and
as a cooling draught. It is liked by most people.
The use of ganja and charas is not, as a rule, re-
garded favourably by people. No custom of wor-
shipping any of these drugs prevails.
34. It would cause serious privation to most per-
sons if they had to forego the use of bhang.
Bhang drinking helps the powers of digestion.
Bhang is beneficial in many other ways.
35. It would be difficult to prohibited the use
of it. The prohibition would cause serious dis-
content, and if it were prohibited by a weak
Government, it would cause much disturbance.
The bhang, drinkers would not have recourse to
alcoholic stimulants, but ganja and charas smokers
would be greatly discontented, for they would be
much inconvenienced by such a prohibition.
36. No. The use of bhang has taken the place
of alcoholic stimulants, for many men have given
up the habit of taking alcoholic stimulants and
taken to bhang, for bhang has cooling effects.
37. Charas is more intoxicating than ganja.
38. Round ganja is more intoxicating. Chur
and flat ganja are less intoxicating, hence round
ganja is preferred.
39. The best bhang is cultivated in Shikarpur.
The zamindars pluck off ghundis from the plant
and pound and drink them. These ghundis (knot-
ted leaves and young twigs) form a kind of ganja.
The ghundis after they are pounded and drunk are
as intoxicating as ganja. This is called bhang of
ghundis. If ganja is to be prepared, it can pro-
bably be prepared from the ghundis.
40. Bhang is used in the treatment of cattle
disease and is used in many human diseases. It is
prescribed by Unani (Greek) physicians and Hindu
doctors in some diseases.
41.
(b)
Bhang is used as a digestive. It gives
staying-power and alleviates fatigue.
(c) The moderate use of ganja and charas is a
stimulant and produces appetite.
42. In my opinion moderate use is harmless.
43. Moderate consumers are inoffensive to their
neighbours and others.
44. Bhang produces appetite. Ganja and charas
produce heat in the constitution. If consumers
cannot get the drug, they are greatly inconveni-
enced. The effect lasts for one or two hours. It
creates appetite and produces heat. It is beneficial
in cases of flatulence and enlarged spleen.
45. Moderate use produces no noxious effects.
Moderate use of bhang is not injurious.
Excessive use of ganja and charas is injurious,
because it brings on coughing.
46. Excessive use of ganja and charas is injurious
to the consumer.
47. No.
49. Yes ; many use it as an aphrodisiac. Yes ;
prostitutes also so use it. The use of bhang does
not produce impotence but ganja and charas pro-
duce impotence and debility in old age.
55. Complete stupefaction is not produced by
any of these drugs.