330
29. Tobacco is one of the ordinary ingredients
mixed with ganja, but exceptionally kuchala, dha-
tura seeds, etc., are mixed with ganja to make it
stronger. Bhang massala is described in answer
No. 15 ( C) above.
30. The consumption of each of the these drugs
is practised by males of 20 years of age and above
in solitude or in company. Children never consume
any of these drugs.
31. The habit of consuming any of these drugs
is not easily formed. It is not difficult to break
off. There is no tendency in any of these drugs
for the moderate habit to develop into the exces-
sive.
32. These drugs are not used as one of the social
or religious customs, and hence the further parti-
culars cannot be satisfactorily described.
33. The consumption of each of these drugs is
generally regarded as a mean act by the people.
The consumers of each of these drugs are generally
disrespected. It is the opinion in general that these
drugs are injurious to the consumer's health. The
hemp plant is never worshipped on any occasion;
but in case the habitual consumer dies, the hemp
plant is kept near his corpse at the time of his fu-
neral ceremony. The use of any form of the nar-
cotic is generally in disrepute, because there is a
firm opinion among the public that the use of these
drugs is one of the mean acts, inasmuch as the so-
cial or religious customs are concerned.
34. There would be no serious privation to any
class of consumers to forego the consumption of the
drugs they use. These drugs have got one or two
more troublesome effects than. the opium, liquor,
etc. Still in opium and liquor there are some per-
manent effects which are impossible to be checked
at once, and hence .there would be a serious priva-
tion to the consumers of these to forego the con-
sumption. This is not applicable to the hemp
drugs consumers.
35. It is feasible to prohibit the use of all these
drugs. By this I mean that the cultivation of
ganja should be stopped. The prohibition of all
these drugs will not, I think, occasion serious dis-
content amongst the consumers, and it would not
also amount to a political or social danger.
The consumers of these drugs are generally
bairagis, fakirs, kanphatias, etc. The number of
such people is not large in this taluk. In family
men such habits are very rare. If the use of the
hemp drugs is prohibited, these men will have re-
course to alcoholic stimulants or other drugs pro-
ducing intoxication, without which they will not
pull on.
36. It appears that the men who are used to the
hemp drugs are addicted to a certain extent to
alcohol. I attribute this change to the causes of
getting the alcohol ready, and they have got a pe-
culiar taste. I cannot offer any proof of its
reality, but it is said that the liquor is much con-
sumed.
37. As the Charas is not used in this taluk, the
information on this head cannot be given.
38. There are different kinds of effects on the
consumers of ganja and bhang, of which the former
i s
s t r o n g e r t h a n t h e l a t t e r i n i t s e f f e c t s .
39. The smoking of the hemp drugs is more in
- j u r i o u s t h a n t h a t o f d r i n k i n g o r e a t i n g , b u t t h i s
habit is not so commonly in use as that of smoking.
40. See medical officer's report attached.*
41. Moderate use of ganja or bhang is beneficial
in its effects as a digestive, and also gives staying-
power under severe exertion or exposure and alle-
viates fatigue, and is also effective as a medicine in
malarious and unhealthy tracts. No information
can be given for clause ( d).
The labouring classes naturally use this drug in
order to alleviate fatigue. But in this taluk such
people generally use liquor instead of this drug, and
next to this they use opium.
42. Moderate use of these drugs is to some ex-
tent beneficial, for which the explanation is already
offered. It seems that the moderate use of these
occasionally would be harmless, only perhaps it
may harm during its intoxication for a short time.
43. Moderate consumers are inoffensive to their
neighbours.
44. The immediate effect of moderate use of any
of these drugs on the habitual consumers is of a
pleasing sort. It produces intoxication. It does
not allay hunger. It creates appetite in some
degree. The effects of these drugs last for about
four hours on habituals and for twelve hours on
beginners. Yes, there are after-effects.
45 and 46. Vide Medical Officer's report attached.*
47. The habitual moderate use of any of these
drugs does not appear to be a hereditary habit, but
in some way it affects the children of the moderate
consumers.
48. The excessive habitual use of any of these
drugs does not appear to be a hereditary habit, but
it affects the children.
49 and 50. Vide Medical Officer's report attach-
ed.*
51. The bad characters only are used to these
drugs. The proportion is not based on the popu-
lation. The bad characters generally commit petty
offences with the intention of defraying the costs
of these drugs. The consumers of liquor require a.
large amount to spend for it, while the consumers
of these drugs can manage with a small amount.
52. This has been solved ill answer No. 51 above.
53. The excessive indulgence does not, it appears,
excite the consumer to unpremeditated crime, vio-
lent or otherwise, unless the consumer has not been
out of his senses.
54. These drugs are not used by criminals in
order to fortify themselves to commit a preme-
ditated act of violence or other crime.
55. The criminals induce their victims to partake
of any of these drugs, and so stupefy them in order
to further their designs. Complete stupefaction
can be induced by admixture.
56 and 57. Vide Medical Officer's report attach-
ed.*
58. The present practice of control is rather satis-
factory. For the present the Revenue Officers have
been entrusted with powers in these matters ; but
if a separate officer be appointed for these matters,
the control, etc., will be more satisfactorily exercised
than at present.
59. The improvement can be effected by opening
a separate department, and also by giving powers to
the patels, etc.
60. Information on this head cannot be supplied,
as there is no ganja cultivation in this taluk.
61. Charas is not known in this taluk.
62. See answer No. 60 above.
63. No improvements are necessary in the
present system of wholesale or retail vend of these
drugs.
*Not received by the Commission.