201
taken from the common people are also inoffensive
to their neighbours. The moderate use of these
drugs never tends to make the consumer trouble-
some and offensive to his neighbourhood.
44. The immediate effect of the moderate use
of all the three drugs on the habitual consumer
is indeed refreshing. Being habitual, it doss not
produce intoxication, but it infuses vigour and
strength in the system. It would never allay
hunger, but would whet appetite and help diges-
tion Comparatively the effect of bhang lasts for
a longer time than that of ganja. So long as the
e f f e c t o f b h a n g c o n t i n u e s , i t a c t s a s a d i g e s t i v e , b u t a f t e r i t h a s g o n e d o w n i t p r o d u c e s w i n d i n e s s .
The use of charas and ganja necessitates the
use of milk, sugar or sugarcandy, and ghi (clarified
butter), for without them health would be under-
mined. But if they are taken, strength of body
would increase. Similarly, if proper food be not
taken, health would be seriously undermined, and
blood would consume away. Those who use these
two drugs like very much to eat sweetmeats, and
believe that without the latter the body would be
wasted away.
45. The moderate habitual use of charas or
ganja makes the consumer easily irritable and
impatient of contradiction. It also impairs his
virile powers seriously. The use of bhang, on the
contrary, makes the consumer of a very quiet and
considerate disposition, and his virile powers get
stronger.
As said above, ganja and charas impair and
undermine the health if proper food be not taken
after their use. The food should be necessarily
cooling in order to counteract the effects of these
drugs. Ganja and charas do neither injure diges-
tion nor cause loss of appetite, but, on the
contrary, whet it. Bhang, so long as its effect
continues, creates appetite, bat after it is over it
produces flatulency and loss of appetite.
46. The habitual excessive use of chains and
ganja totally destroys the virile powers and makes
the mind irritable and defiant at the least provoca-
tion. Ganja causes strong constipation of the
bowels.
47. I can say that even the moderate habitual
use of charas or ganja produces certain perma-
nent effects on the system of the children. The
child becomes irritable and constipative ; its eyes
get weak ; the growth of hair on the head is very
small ; it does not grow vigorous, and it.s limbs
do not develop so much. Toe form remains
diminutive.
48.
T h e h a b i t u a l e x c e s s i v e u s e o f g a n j a o r c h a r a s
produces similar effects in a proportionately
greater degree. But in both these cases, if
proper and cooling food be taken, the effects are
counteracted.
49. As has been more than once incidentally
stated in answers to some previous questions, the
effect of ganja and charm tends to produce im-
potence; and greater the use, the greater the
tendency to that end. Bhang strengthens the
virile powers and makes the consumers disposed
to it.
51. A good percentage of bad characters may
be habitual consumers of ganja, moderate or
excessive; but the use of this is not the cause of
their committing crimes. Neither are all ganja
and charas consumers criminal classes or bad
characters, nor do all criminal classes or bad
characters use them necessarily. Crime has no
connection with the use of these drugs.
55. Sometimes I have heard of cases in which
the smoking of ganja, or the drinking of bhang,
or the eating of the majum of bhang, has been
the preliminary, whereafter the victims of it were
made to do things which in their consciousness
they would never have done, e.g., of signing a
document detrimental to the signatory's interests,
or the parting with of an ornament without
knowing its consequences.
105. Evidence of RAO BAHADUR GOVINDRAO RAMCHANDRA GARUD, Pleader
Dhulia, Khandesh .
1. From enquiries and general information.
2. The only products known in this district of
the hemp plant are bhang (leaves of the plant)
and ganja (the flowering top). The definitions
given in question may be accepted for this district.
3. The hemp plant does not grow
spontaneous¬ly in the district of which I have knowledge.
4. It is known by two names, i.e., bhang and
ganja as mentioned in answer No. 2. Yes ; they
refer to the same plant.
5. I have no personal information on the point.
6. It does not grow wild in this district, so I
can give no information.
7. Yes, in some villages, particularly in the
Jalgaon Taluka.
(a) For the production of ganja.
(c) For the use of bhang.
Reliable statistics of the area under cultivation
can be obtained from the Collector of the district.
8. I hear there is no considerable increase or
decrease in the area of cultivation.
10. There is no special class which cultivates
hemp for narcotic properties; so far as I know it
is cultivated by ordinary agriculturists.
vol. vii.
11. It is not produced from the seed of wild
hemp.
12. No, so for as I know.
13. Yes, it is restricted. It cannot he culti-
vated without a license from the Collector of the
district.
14. Ganja and bhang. In the Jalgaon taluka
to a small extent.
15. Cultivated hemp plant is used for smoking,
eating and drinking, and prepared in the following
methods :—
For smoking .—The flowering top of the plant is
rubbed on hand and repeatedly washed with
water, and then mixed with tobacco and
smoked in the pipe.
For eating.—The pounded leaves are eaten
without any admixture ; but in rare cases
sugar is mixed in it. Also sweet cakes are
prepared from the decoction of the leaves
called majum or yakuti.
For drinking .—The dry leaves of the plant are
usually used for drinking purposes, They
are reduced into paste and then mixed
with water, and the solution thus pre-
pared is strained through a cloth more
than once, and when thus prepared, it
2 F