200
sionally on occasions of dinner parties and feasts
are much fewer. Habitual drinkers of bhang all
round the year cannot be more than 200 in the
whole of Gujarat. If the number of zaveris
(goldsmiths) and shastris who drink it, perhaps
habitually, for brightening their perception and
memory, be added, the whole number would stand
at about 400 in the whole of Gujarat.
Ganja smokers other than sadhus, etc., cannot
be more than 5 per cent. Charas is hardly to be
had in Gujarat. Consequently, there is no appre-
ciable number of men who smoke it.
35. It would neither be feasible nor advisable
to totally prohibit the use of these drugs, because
they are in that case sure to be consumed illicitly.
And I am sure among the sadhus, bairagis, etc.,
the prohibition of ganja would occasion serious
discontent, because besides being used as a pas-
time, it is looked upon as a necessity by the con-
ditions of their order of life, and especially as
curbing the carnal desires.
I cannot exactly say whether total prohibition
of ganja would or would not cause political
danger if it were extended to the whole of India.
But I can say for Gujarat that the number of
consumers is so small and ever changing —most of
them being sadhus, etc., moving about the coun-
try—that no political danger is to be feared from
a total prohibition of the use of ganja, though
serious discontent cannot be avoided at such
uncalled-for interference. But in the north of
India, and all over the country, there is such a
large portion of the population who are sadhus
that these, having nothing at stake, and being
reckless and easily irritable people, it would not be
politic to meddle with them.
As a great portion of the ganja and charas con-
sumers are sadhus, etc., they are not likely to take
to alcoholic stimulants, these being forbidden by
the religion and their order. A great portion of
those from the common people have already taken
to alcohol, the lower classes who live upon manual
labour. Those who are habitual bhang drinkers
are also not likely to have recourse to alcoholic
stimulants if the use of bhang be prohibited.
Most of the bhang drinkers being taken from the
good and respectable classes, they are, as said
above, not likely to take to alcohol. But the
remaining people who use it for intoxication are
likely to migrate to alcoholic use, and I am able
to say that some already have.
36. Yes ;the liquor shops having been too
temptingly located without any exercise of the
right of local option, alcohol has been of late to a
great extent substituted for bhang and ganja
and opium. This substitution is due
—
1 s t l y — t o
t h e t o o t e m p t i n g l o c a t i o n o f t h e s h o p s
in all the parts of towns, this being due
to the present farming system whereby
it is the interest of the contractor to raise
as much revenue and as much profit by
his business as possible ;
2 n d l y —
t h e
w a n t o f l o c a l o p t i o n , w h e r e b y t h e
wishes of the inhabitants of the neigh-
bourhood are disregarded as to the loca-
tion of the shops ; and
3 r d l y
—the article being sold ready-made, requir-
ing no accompaniments or paraphernalia
as bhang, ganja, or charas would do, and
being for the above two reasons ready at
hand, is preferred to both of these.
As for the proof of the substitution of alcohol
for these drugs among the common people, the
increase in the revenue derived from alcoholic
stimulants is a sure indication of this and of
nothing else.
37. The difference in the effects of charas from
ganja smoking, so far as I have been able to
ascertain from the sadhus, etc., is that while the
former does not cause constipation of the bowels,
the latter does so long as its effect lasts. If
ganja is smoked just at the time when one is dis-
posed to answer the call of nature, his bowels
would be constipated so long as the effect would
last; but alter the intoxication has gone down
they would move.
The smoking of lilavo ganja causes taja garmi,
as the native doctors call it—a disposition to skin
diseases. It also brings on headache.
Charas, garda, or baluchar smoking does not
cause these just mentioned effects. It simply
brings on a refreshing sort of rosy intoxication.
38. Except the effects of smoking lilavo ganja
which are mentioned in the just preceding answer
those of gardo and baluchar differ only in degree.
40. In cases of lohiwa (a disease of women of
daily menstruating blood instead of at the menses
time) the use of bhang is considered as a medicine,
and it produces a beneficial effect. The strength
and staying-power imparted for sexual purposes
by bhang when used as a drink is also well-
known.
41. (a) The moderate use of charas and ganja
creates good appetite and acts as a food-digestive.
It also increases strength of body.
The use of bhang as a drink also whets the
appetite and acts as a food digestive, but so long
as its effect continues.
Both the moderate habitual and the moderate
occasional use produce the same effect in the case
of the drugs ; the latter on account of being not
assimilated with the system as a habit, being in
degree more effective than the former.
(b) Charas and ganja, in proportion to their
respective intoxicating power, keep great warmth
in the body in cold season and countries ; owing to
their use, cold does not affect the body ; the
effects of sleeplessness and fatigue are counter-
acted and idleness is removed. Sadhus, bairagis,
etc., use these two drugs more than any other
because by their help they are enabled to live and
lie in open air in severe weather without anything
to spread or cover their body, and because they ca
n safely bathe with cold water in any weather
w i t h -
out feeling cold or shiver. For these effects the
moderate habitual use of the drugs is necessary.
(d) The habitual moderate use of charas and
ganja removes moodiness, keeps the mind cheerful,
enables full concentration of mind in their worship
and prayers, weakens and destroys the semen virile,
and thereby deadens sexual desires—the most
necessary desideratum for sadhus, etc.—makes the
body vigorous and energetic, and increases courage
and promotes the power of sufferance.
Charas and ganja are used by sadhus, bairagis,
etc., for these purposes, so that they may be able
to worship God with concentration without any
fatigue and the effects of exposure, etc.
The sanyasis use bhang, but never ganja or
charas, for the purpose of concentration in study
and meditation.
43. The sadhus, etc., use these drugs in order to
be able to bear with cheerfulness the toils and
programme of their order of life ; consequently
they are necessarily inoffensive to the public at
large, and the moderate consumers of these drugs,