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31. Yes, the habit is easily formed. Yes ; it is
rather difficult to break off. Yes, there is a
tendency for the moderate habit to develop into the
excessive in the cases of charas and ganja, but not
in the case of bhang.
32. There are both religious and social customs
in regard to the consumption of bhang, but not
ganja or charas.
(1) On Shivaratri (the night of Shiv god) his
worshippers offer the bhang drink to his linga.
(2) In the hot weather most Hindus keep
vessels full of bhang drink and water for free dis-
tribution to all.
(3) In all religious assemblies the bhang drink
is prepared and distributed to all
.
(4) On the death of a big saint or sadhu vessels
full of bhang drink and water are kept all along
the way by which the funeral procession proceeds.
(5) Worshippers of Vishnu (god), who are pre-
vented from using liquor, prepare bhang and drink
it in Holi holidays and on other gatherings. On
the above occasions and at other times, the use of
bhang forms a religious or a social duty. On all
these occasions it is used very moderately. Such a
use cannot lead to the formation of a habit.
33. The moderate use of bhang is not considered
by people to be bad; but even the moderate use of
charas or ganja is not taken to be good. There
is a social opinion that the use of bhang is not bad,
but that it is not good with respect to charas
and ganja. The moderate use of bhang, is not
disreputable, but the use of charas or ganja in any
form is disreputable. Reasons. The charas or
ganja smoker generally suffers from asthma and
heart-burning, loses the colour of his face. More-
over, he appears miserable and gets a bad smell in
the mouth. If he has no money, he is tempted
to commit small thefts in order to procure the
drug. But the use of bhang, called neinani buti
(humble plant), is quite free from the above vices,
and often aids in the remembrance of God. I
know nothing of the hemp plant being worshipped.
34. It would be no privation to a moderate con-
sumer of bhang to forego its consumption, but a
moderate consumer of charas or ganja or the exces-
sive consumer of bhang, charas or ganja cannot
forego their consumption without serious privation.
Reasons.T h e y w o u l d f a l l i l l , g r o w l a z y a n d l o s e
appetite. About 50 per cent. of the consumers
would be thus inconvenienced.
35. The use of all these drugs cannot be prohibit-
ed at once; but if the use of charas and ganja be
gradually put a stop to, it would be feasible, but
the use of bhang can never be prohibited. If the
use of charas and ganja were prohibited, they
would not be imported, and hence they would not
be illicitly consumed ; but bhang would be illicitly
used if its use is prohibited, for it is produced in
the country. If the importation of ganja and
charas be prohibited, the prohibition of its use here
can be enforced. The prohibition would occasion
a temporary discontent among the consumers. It
would not be a serious one. The discontent would
not amount to political danger. The prohibition
would not be followed by recourse to alcoholic sti-
mulants or other drugs.
36. No alcohol is now used in place of any of
these drugs.
37. Charas is doubly as intoxicating as ganja is,
because the ganja is not so heating as charas is.
38. Only one sort of ganja is used in Sind, hence
I cannot give my opinion about it.
39. Ganja and charas are never used in drinking.
but are specially used in smoking. Bhang is
specially used in drinking, and its smoking is more
injurious than its drinking, for the smoking of
bhang will produce all the evils of ganja smoking.
40. Charas and ganja are never prescribed by
native doctors, but bhang is prescribed in certain
cases as a drink and is used in majums. It is also
used as an application on piles and other wounds.
It is also used in the treatment of cattle diseases.
41. (a) Bhang aids the powers of digestion.
( b ) Yes.
(c) Bhang is used. as a febrifuge.
(d) Old bhang is used by persons suffering
from syphilis.
Old persons use bhang for aiding the powers of
digestion. Labourers and poor men use these drugs
to give them powers mentioned in question (b).
Fakirs and godly persons use bhang for concen-
tration of their thoughts.
Fi ft y per cent . of t he cl asses ment i oned above
use the drugs. I refer to the moderate use of the
drug.
42. The moderate use of bhang is both bene-
ficial and harmless, but even the moderate use of
charas and ganja is not only not beneficial, but it
is not harmless.R e a s o n s .
M o d e r a t e u s e o f b h a n g
to a certain extent is a necessity for its medicinal
properties, for the religious and social customs
connected with it and for the fact that it creates
fear of God. But ganja and charas in the begin-
ning are taken as a luxury, and are not beneficial,
but end in misery and wretchedness. They have
heating properties, but that very heat of theirs
destroys all manly power.
43. Moderate consumers are inoffensive to their
neighbours.
44. It is refreshing and keeps the man in good
health. It does produce intoxication. The drink-
ing of bhang does not allay hunger. It creates
appetite. The intoxication of charas lasts for one
hour, that of ganja for half an hour, and that of
bhang for four hours. Ganja and charas produce
intoxication immediately, while bhang produces in-
toxication after some time. The want of sub-
sequent gratification of bhang does not produce
any longing in a moderate consumer. The after-
effects of ganja and charas are wretchedness and
misery, and perhaps death. There are special
after-effects of bhang.
45. The habitual moderate use of all these drugs
excepting bhang does produce noxious effects,
physical, mental and moral.
The use of ganja or charas impairs, but the mo-
derate use of bhang does not impair the constitution.
The use of ganja or charas injures the digestion
and causes loss of appetite.
It causes dysentery, bronchitis and asthma.
It impairs the moral sense, induces laziness and
habits of immorality and debauchery.
It deadens the intellect, but it produces no
insanity.
46. The excessive use of bhang, charas and ganja
produces all the evils produced by the moderate
use of charas and ganja, as detailed in the answer
to question No. 45.
47 and 48. It does not appear to be a hereditary
habit, nor does it affect the children of a moderate
consumer.
49. Yes, bhang is, but not charas or ganja. Yes,
prostitutes do so use bhang. The use of bhang