364
break off. . Moderation and excess depend on one's
temperament.
32. The consumption of these drugs is due to
custom, and is not enjoined by any religion.
Hindus generally use bhang on marriage occasions,
or when they are in a large company with a view
to feast. On such occasions the use of these drugs
is considered essential by way of custom, and
persons do often use them to an excess. Certainly,
owing to these customs, people contract a habit for
consumption of these drugs.
36.In this part of the country alcohol is never
substituted for bhang. A person used to bhang,
charas or ganja will never be satisfied until he
gets the particular drug to which he is habituated.
To a certain extent opium may be substituted for
it.
37.The effects of charas and ganja are very
nearly identical ; the only difference is that ganja
produces its effects sooner than charas. Charas
and ganja cause sleepiness and affect lungs. The
bhang, having in it two different properties, at
first increases appetite and afterwards produces
bilious matter.
39.I have never heard that any preparation of
the hemp plant is used in smoking, but for drink-
ing or mixing with majum or gulkand (confec-
tion). Its oil is used in confections, which is ex-
tracted by boiling it with milk. Its excessive use
sometimes produces melancholia.
40.In some diseases Hindus are prescribed
bhang. It is also used for treatment of cattle-
disease.
41.With my experience, I do not know if
ganja and charas ever produce beneficial effects ;
their evil effects are many. No doubt bhang is
useful to appetite and digestion. It is also used to
ward off fever in special cases. It alleviates
fatigue after severe labour of habitual consumers.
42.As far as my experience goes, ganja and
charas are injurious to health, whether used moder-
ately or otherwise, because they affect brain and
lungs, contrary to bhang, which, if used moder-
ately, is not injurious, but beneficial.
44. Bhang brings on intoxication after some time
even to habitual consumers, contrary to ganja and
charas, which produce it at once. The bhang intoxi-
cation creates appetite ; its effects depend on the
temperament of the consumers, who feel giddiness
and breaking of limbs if they would not get it.
45.Bhang in the beginning produces refresh-
ment, brightness on face, increases hunger and sex-
ual power, but in the endinduces laziness, giddiness,
causes darkness in vision, mania, melancholia and
dropsy. Ganja and charas cause insanity, bron-
chitis and asthma. These drugs, even in moderate
use, produce bronchitis, pain and sleepiness.
Debauchees use them for sexual power ; their
excessive use impairs intellect. In the beginning
they produce temporary effects. As soon as intoxi-
cation increases, irritation begins, which affects
brain, and at last does injury. As long as its
effect is temporary, insanity too, which may be
caused by it, will be temporary ; when it fully
affects the brain, insanity caused will take its root.
After temporary liberation, people may be addicted
to the drugs when re-used.
46.The excessive use of bhang is also injurious,
and produces the diseases mentioned above.
47.The moderate use, so long as it has not fully
produced its effect on mental powers, does not affect
children.
48.The children of those persons who consume
these drugs excessively are weak. Their excessive
use is a preventive even to beget children.
49.Prostitutes generally use these drugs, especi-
ally bhang. It first increases sexual power, but in
the end tends to produce impotence. Its excessive
use is injurious, but moderate use is beneficial in
special cases. Ganja and charas are primarily used
for sexual power, to which they are injurious in the
end. When bhang is excessively used, it too dimi-
nishes sexual power.
50.The evil effects arising from the excessive
use of these drugs have been detailed above.
56.The ingredients of bhang, which are ordinari-
ly mixed, have been described above. Their ad-
mixture modifies its effects. Charas and ganja
without any admixture produce irritation and con-
fusion in brain. In this district consumers do not
appear to mix opium and nux-vomica with these
drugs. If they do so, it will tend to cause death.
57.As far as my experience goes, I can say
that even the moderate use of these drugs is injuri-
ous to health ; especially the age of ganja and
charas consumers shortens, and. various diseases,
such as asthma, bronchitis, etc., are produced.
Even the moderate use of bhang in the end
weakens liver and mental powers.
7. Evidence of JATI AMAR HANSA, .Baid, Ajmere.*
19. Ganja and charas are only used in smoking,
and they do not appear to be used for any other
purpose. Ganja is used for some medicinal pur-
pose even in this country.
23. Bhang is never used for smoking, or if it be
.ever used as such, I never saw or heard of it in
Marwar and Meywar.
28. The consumers of these drugs might know
their average allowance and cost. Some people
take bhang in one masha dose, some more than
this. At first they use it in small quantity ; there
is no fixed dose for it. I know nothing of its
price ; those who sell it know about it. Bhang,
ganja and charas are habitually used—some use
moderately.
29. Bhang is usually taken mixed with black
pepper. Some people mix it with certain in-
gredients (massala) according to their tempera-
ments. Those who are of malarial temper take
with it ajwayan, cloves, saffron and almonds, and
those who are of bilious temper mix it with
cardamom, cucumber seeds, anise, rose flowers, and
sugarcandy or sugar, and those of lymphatic
temperament use it with cloves, saffron and ginger.
The constipated men take it with anise, rose
flowers, almonds and black pepper. The bhang
drunkard does not mix in it dhatura, nux-vomica,
kanair (a kind of Hindustani poisonous tree),
opium and betel-nuts. When oil is extracted from
bhang dhatura and kanair root are mixed with it.
The opium consumers when they drink bhang do
not put opium in it, nor do people mix opium with
bhang when they extract oil from it.
30.Some people take this drug secretly, some
daily and some in company with their friends and.
in marriage-feasting parties with their caste-fellows.
I do not know to what extent they are used.
* T r a n s l a t i o n .
•Tranelation.