147
23. Bhang is never used for smoking, so far as I
know.
28.
Habitual moderate
consumer.
Bhang
Average
allowance.
¼ to ½ tola
Cost.
½ anna per tola..
Ganja ¼ tola. 2 annas per tola.
Habitual excessive
consumer.
Bhang 2 to 4 tolas ½ anna per tola.
Ganja 1 to 2 tolas 2 annas per tola.
29. Ganja is seldom, if ever, smoked by itself.
It is always washed in water until the water
comes out clear, and thoroughly mixed with an
equal part of tobacco. Every drop of water is
squeezed out of this mixed mass before it is used.
Bhang is always mixed with black pepper in the
proportion of 10 grains (dried fruits) to every tola
of bhang. It is finely rubbed on a curry stone, and
strained through a piece of fine muslin. Persons
who drink bhang for mere pleasure always add,
besides black pepper, the following ingredients for
flavouring the potion :—
Poppy seeds, ½t ol a
Dried rose buds, ¼t o
l a S u g a r , ¼ s e e r o r a c -
cording to taste
Almonds, peeled, I
tola.
for every to
la of bhang.
The usual quantity of water for the above
mixture is half a seer. All these ingredients are
finely rubbed with bhang on the curry-stone.
This quantity is meant for two persons, who may
be considered moderate in the use of the drug,
or those who drink it only occasionally for mere
pleasure, at any rate not for the purpose of getting
intoxicated or becoming helpless.
Some add an equal or double the quantity of
milk instead of water, which is a luxury. Ordinary
bhang is drunk cold, never boiled. Bhang made
with milk is called ludgi and is always boiled
before use. If the drink of ludgi is required
stronger, only half the quantity of milk is used.
In this district I have never heard of dhatura,
opium, nux vomica, cantharides, or betel-nut being
mixed with either bhang or ganja. The bhang
drinkers and ganja smokers value the respective
articles for their own sake pure and simple in
addition to the flavou
r i n g a g e n t s a n d t h e t o b a c c o m e n t i o n e d a b o v e .
I do not know of any preparation such as bhang
massala or any other massala being sold for the
purpose of being mixed with either bhang or
ganja.
30. In solitude a man may smoke a quarter of
a tola of ganja all by himself and be none the
worse for it. He may, after his smoke, follow his
usual avocations without inconvenience. In the
case of confirmed yet moderate smokers, a man is
decidedly all the better for his smoke. He feels
refreshed, if not enlivened, and works with all the
more energy. He would be certainly miserable
without it.
In company a larger quantity of ganja is required
than that given above. The quantity under such
circumstances depends on the number of persons,
as also their respective smoking capacity. When
in company, the chillum goes round from mouth
to mouth in the manner of the " loving-cup " of
wine drinkers. Moderate smokers, when by them-
selves or in a company of three or four, seldom
exceed a couple of chillums.
With regard to bhang, the man who drinks it
in solitude must be looked upon as "given to it."
In company bhang is drunk solely for pleasure
vol. vii.
and for the lively talk that follows such potions.
Such persons seldom exceed half a tola per head.
Drinking bhang and smoking ganja, so far as
I can judge from personal knowledge of the better
classes of people, are absolutely confined to the male
sex. It would be a gross breach of good manners
were such a drink or smoke ever offered to the
female sex. It is never allowed to children.
Bhang preparations are, however, allowed to
children medicinally in appropriate doses, and in
such cases are doubtless productive of good. Boys
in former days, so far back as thirty years,—such
of them at any rate as had the misfortune to fall
into bad company,—were known to me, who
played the truant at school, and occasionally in-
dulged in a clandestine drink or smoke ; but the
number of such truants has always been very
small. Such boys have always been looked down
upon, and in my experience have always turned
out bad men in after-life.
31. In a well-regulated Hindu family it is diffi-
cult for young men to form the habit of smoking
ganja or drinking bhang. Such practices in the
commencement are always indulged in out of
doors, in bad company. The reason is this. In
the first place a boy has to know how to prepare
ganja for smoking or bhang for drinking. The
process of their preparation for use is always an
elaborate affair. The use of either of these drugs
is entirely different from that of tobacco or liquor.
The latter are always obtainable ready for use in
shops. Thus, if boys or young men were to com-
mence such practices at home, they stand the risk
of being discovered and reprimanded, for although
a father may be a ganja smoker or bhang drinker,
he very seldom is so depraved as to allow his son
to follow in his footsteps ; possibly he is aware that
he himself is indulging in a bad habit, and would
rather that his son did not imitate his example.
Judging from the effects bhang drinking and
ganja smoking have on a novice in the vice, I
should be inclined to the belief that it is not easy
to contract either habit, unless the person is
otherwise a depraved being who takes to bad habits
at any cost. On the uninitiated, either drug acts
as a distinct narcotic, and it does not take any
thoughtful person long to find out that it is vicious to continue indulging in it.
The real beginning of a systematic use of either
of these drugs, which constitutes a habit, is made
under the impression that it relieves certain ail-
ments. These ailments may be real or imaginary.
For in the majority of cases of confirmed bhang
drinkers and ganja smokers that I know of, the
history is that they resorted to either of these for
relief from their ailments. Ganja smokers say they
took to ganja on account of chest complaints, such
as asthma, and the bhang drinkers say that they
took to bhang originally to relieve dyspepsia or habi-
tual constipation. I must say as a medical practi-
tioner of near eighteen years' standing that in such
cases their initial use of the drug was thoroughly
justifiable, though I do not for a moment suppose
that their continuance of the practice can be con-
sidered to be equally justifiable, or even requisite.
The habit, whatever may be its origin or cause,
when once formed, is difficult to overcome. The
man wants his smoke of ganja or drink of bhang
a t t h e h o u r h e i s a c c u s t o m e d t o h a v e i t , o r e l s e h e i s
unfit for his daily avocations. He misses it, and
would do anything to have his customary allowance.
The habit is difficult to form, but when once formed
still more difficult to break off. So far as I know,
there is no tendency in the case of ordinary men
of moderate habit, living in society and in the
Y 2