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any medical treatment and died after about four
months of complete lunacy. In this case, no one
would have ever considered the man to be an
immoderate consumer, and it was believed that
it was because he was ill fed and insufficiently fed
that the drug produced its evil results.
B. In this case the man was in Government
service. He was a habitual smoker for fifteen years,
and during all his time he never gave his superiors
any reason to reprimand him. He also used occa-
sionally to drink.
On the full moon night of Aswin, the well-
known kojagari night, ghota, otherwise called
dudhiya ( i.e ., drink of ganja prepared with milk
and sugar), was prepared. There was a party in
which all but this man were persons who never
smoked nor drank ganja and who had all consented
to have the drink as a curiosity. They had, as is
usual on this night, kept up throughout and drank
each a cup more than once. The one man B alone
drank about three cups at each time. At about
7 A.M., the man was off his brain ; he continued
to be so about eight months and had again a lucid
interval of six months ; he continued thus about
for sixteen years and died at last of consumption.
He used to smoke to the last. He was deprived of
the indulgence when he was insane. The only
important feature about him was that he was
never dangerous even when he was stark mad.
His wife, children, neighbours and friends were
never afraid of him.
C was first a student in the school. He was
the most clever and bright in his class. Every-
body liked him. He made his progress up to the
5th Standard in the vernacular school. Unfor-
tunately at the age of 18 he contracted the habit
of ganja smoking. The effect of the drug was
so speedy in this case that within a few months
since his initiation he became completely mad.
He was married, but he never cared for his wife
and mother, and he never lived with them. The
man who was once very intelligent, and in whom
his relatives had good hopes, was found quite
useless for his family. He did not care so much
for the food as he did for the drug. He used to
do the duties of water-carrier. When people
employed him, they paid him some remuneration
for his services. But he never demanded more
than what he required for buying the drug for his
consumption. He was never offensive. He con-
tinued mad till his death, about the age of 35.
D. Here the victim is a schoolmaster. He was
led to the use of this accursed drug ganja by his
association with the " Vedanti Club." They told
him that he could never be able to contemplate the
image of God unless he had a steady and undis-
turbed state of mind, and they recommended him
their holy stuff as a sure means of concentration of
mind. Evidently with the object of making him-
self incapable of being stirred by the worldly con-
cerns, he began to use the stuff, the result of
which was that he shortly appeared with all the
signs of insanity. He is out of his service now.
I know of half a dozen more cases ; in none of
them was a man looked upon as dangerous.
If the use of alcohol, even when it is occasional
is added to a habitual consumption of hemp drugs,
insanity is almost certain.
47. I know of instances in which the father
smoked and the son did not. But I have not
come across instances on this side of India where
ganja was habitually used for two or three genera-
tions. I cannot therefore offer any remarks on this
question as to the transmission of the vice by
heredity.
49. It is said that the drug is sometimes used as
an aphrodi s iac. I have not much faith in the as-
sertion. A drug which, if moderately used, sharp-
ens appetite and gives tone to one's health. But
the drug has been a favourite with the class of people
like bairagis and fakirs, whose object is the very
reverse of vice. In these days, at least when
every vernacular newspaper mentions about half a
dozen patent medicines which are specially termed
aphrodisiacs, I do not think the demand for this
drug, for that purpose, exists on this side.
There may be a few prostitutes using the drug,
but I do not know of any such case. It is be-
lieved that the ultimate effect of long use of the
drug in immoderate quantities is impotency.
51 and 52. There is not the least connection
between the moderate and immoderate use of any
of the narcotic drugs of hemp and the perpetration
of crime.
53 and 54. No indulgence in the use of the drug
ever incites the consumer to commit unpremedi-
tated crime. I do not know any case which led
to homicidal frenzy.
Criminals, however, very naturally fortify
themselves to commit a premeditated act. Even
a tobacco-smoker or a snuff-user takes a pinch if
he wants to refresh himself for an action. There
is therefore nothing extraordinary if ganja is used
by criminals who are about to proceed with their
criminal act. It is generally said ganja does not
make a man desperate and rash as liquor does.
The consumers of ganja are generally nervous
when they are under its influence.
55. Ganja sweetmeat mixed with dhatura is
supposed to bring about complete stupefaction.
This is practised very rarely.
56. Moderate smokers, of which however the
number is comparatively very small, smoke ganja
mixed with tobacco. Those who want to make it
strong ( of this class the number is largely to be
found amongst " bairagis, " "fakirs " etc.), mix
it with a part of the seed of nux vomica, dhatura,
bachnag. I am not in a position to give the exact
proportion.
57. As I have said before, few people habitually
eat or drink ganja on this side, because the habit
is comparatively very costly. The occasion on
which drinks are prepared by occasional and habi-
tual consumers are too few and far between to
afford any basis of any general deduction.
58. I think the excise administration as regards
the hemp drugs is working well, and neither the
contractors, nor the consumers, nor the people in
general, whom I have questioned have any griev-
ances to complain of.
60. The cultivation of ganja in these parts is on
a very small scale and is well controlled.
62. I do not think what purpose can be gained
by checking cultivation unless and until the
demand for the drug diminishes. It is the cheap-
est intoxicant. Six pies a day is not a heavy
charge. The temptation for smuggling is not so
great, and no particular arrangements are needed
to control the cultivation.
65. I am not at all of opinion that, compared
to alcohols, the hemp drug is unreasonably taxed,
and no complaint in that direction exists as re-
gards ganja, bhang, etc., etc.
67 I have no objection to the present method of
taxing.