166
23. No; bhang is never used for smoking.
28.
SMOKING GANJA.
DRINKING- BHANG.
Tolas.
Cost.
Tolas.
Cost.
(a) 1 to 4 ¼ to 1 anna. 1 to 2 ¼ to ½ anna.
(b) 4 to 8 1 to 2 annas. 3 to 8 ¾ to 2 annals.
29. The following ingredients are mixed with
ganja in smoking :--
(a) Ordinarily—ganja, tobacco.
(b)
Exceptionally-ganja, dhatura, opium,
jawari root, nux vomica.
Drinking bhang—(a) Ordinarily—Bhang, black
pepper, ajwan, water.
( b ) Exceptionally—Bhang, dhatura, nux vomica,
black pepper, nurium oleander or kunher root,
opium, water.
Occasionally by rich—Bhang, black pepper, anise-
seeds, dry rose buds, poppy seeds, cardamoms, saff-
ron, mace, almond, milk, sugar, and water.
The object of admixturing these drugs is to have
less or more intoxication.
I know the following preparations made of
bhang are locally sold as massala :— (1) majum,
(2)shrikhand, (3) yakuti, (4) gulkand, (5) dry
date of bhang massala, (6) bhang massala.
(1)
Majum is prepared when bhang is fried in
ghee and mixed with syrup simple and allowed
to dry into cakes.
(2) Shrikhand is prepared when bhang is fried
in ghee and finally powdered and mixed with
curd, saffron and sugar ; the substance becomes
yellow and solid in moist form.
(3) Yakuti is prepared by mixing bhang powder
with saffron and rose syrup with some spices,
and allowed the substance to dry cakes.
(4) Gulkand is prepared when the fine powder of
bhang mixed with confection of rose made of rose
buds or flowers and sugarcandy, the substance
remains solid and in moist forms.
(5) Dry date of bhang is prepared at Visnoga in
Guzarat. Dry bhang properly washed in water
and well boiled in ghee for two or three hours,
then the ghee is mixed with some spices and
bachnag (aconite) and the cavity of dates filled in
and allowed to soak the substance and preserved.
(6) Bhang massala. It is prepared when bhang
powder is finally fried in ghee and mixed with
sugar and ajwan.
I have seen all the preparations used by some
natives of India, and the last preparation on
several occasions used by the regimental soldiers,
etc., eating this substance with water.
30. The consumption is not to a large extent
b
ut in a small company, and it is mainly confined
to the male sex in youth and old age, and not in
infancy. Bhang is occasionally used by gentry in
hot season, and ganja is smoked extensively by
low caste people or labourers, as well as saints and
fakirs extensively at all times of the seasons
Charas is not used in this part of the country
It is seldom used for children in sickness to mak
e
them drowsy or sleepy (only bhang).
31. Yes ; the habit is easily formed by the com-
pany of smokers or drinkers. It is not difflcul-
to break off the habit.
Yes ; there is a tendency to develop the habit
into the excessive.
32. There is not any custom, social or religious,
for the consumption of any of the drugs in this
part ; but some superstitious people use it for smok-
ing or drinking, as it was said that it was uses
by the great god Shiva. There is no custom or
no account for it. Yes; it is likely to lead to
the formation of the habit and the consequence
is injurious.
36. There is not any reason to substitute
alcohol for any of these drugs ; on account of the
dearness of the liquor a few people have taken
to the use of these cheap intoxicants.
37. Charas is not used in this part of the
country, and consequently I do not know the
difference of effects in them. Yes ; the effect of
drinking bhang differs from smoking ganja. The
effect of smoking is immediate on blood into the
lungs, and hence to the heart, and directly then
to the brain, but passes off soon. Whereas that
from drinking bhang it acts on the general system
and may last from an hour upwards to 12 hours
or more.
39. The smoking of any preparation of the
drug is generally more injurious than drinking
or eating the same quantity. The smoking is a
concentrative form, and whereas in drinking or
eating it is much diluted with spices.
Reasons :—The effect of smoking is in the form
of vapour and the absorption into the blood in
the lungs is very rapid and immediately on the
brain, causing tendency to produce intoxication
with unconnected ideas and immediately forgotten,
affecting general sensibility and furious delirium by
its narcotic effects on the nerve centres and par
alysis, ultimately insanity. While in drinking or
eating the same or such preparations the constitu-
tion is not so soon affected, as the effect of the
drug in this form refreshes constitution and passes
off through the system ; it has less tendency
consequently towards insanity.
40. Occasionally the drug is used by native
doctors for medicinal purposes, in dysentery, head-
ache and colic. Yes; they are also used in cattle
diseases.
41. The moderate use of the drug will be seldom
beneficial.
(a) It may perhaps act as a food accessory
but not digestive.
(b) Yes; it may.
(c)
and (d) No.
42. Yes, very likely harmless; when it is used
moderately and not repeatedly, it does not cause
any mischief or disorder in the system.
44. It generally produces rather refreshing,
cheerful activity, feeling of happiness and con-
tentment, ideas of pleasing kind passing rapidly
through the mind, tendency to talk, sing, laugh
or dance, then giddiness and succession of uncon-
nected ideas, and also intoxication. It does not
allay hunger, but creates appetite. The effect of
drinking lasts ordinarily about 6 to 12 hours,
while in smoking one to two hours. After-effects,
idleness or laziness, uneasiness or longing, loss of
appetite, owing to the want of subsequent grati-
fication.
45. The habitual moderate use of the drug in
certain constitutions produces noxious effects, phy-
sical, mental or moral. Yes ; it generally impairs
constitution from frequent stimulation of nerve
centres; the nervous tone of the system is lower-
ed. Yes; it injures digestion and causes loss of
appetite. Yes; it causes bronchitis and asthma,
and not dysentery. Yes ; it impairs the moral
sense, produces laziness and not habits of immo-
rality or debauchery. Yes; it deadens the intellect