348
56. The habitual smokers of ganja in some cases
add dhatura and aconite to it in order to intensify
the effects.
58, 70. I am unable to give any information re-
lating to this chapter, as I am not acquainted with
administration, taxation, and control of hemp.
31 Evidence of KHAN BAHADUR NAWAB MUHAMMA.D SALAMULLA KHA.N,
Jagirdar, Deulghat, Buldana District.
1. My information is based on local inquiries
made by me from the persons concerned with
hemp drugs and on what little I have seen of
hemp consumers.
2.The hemp is not cultivated at present in this
district. Its cultivation is almost ceased since the
prohibition. made by the Government for its culti-
vation without a license, and I am told that when
it was cultivated in this district even then its culti-
vation was very limited and only ganja and bhang
were the products of the cultivation. Charm was
not being obtained from the plant.
3. Hemp is not grown here at present, but I
am told that it is grown in the Khamgaon taluk
about the village Sutala, and hemp grown there is
almost sufficient for the wants of the province.
5. It could be grown in any rich soil in this
district, provided it is watered freely.
6, It is dense.
S. Since the introduction of the license system,
there has been great decrease in the area under the
cultivation of hemp, and the reasons of this decrease
are as follows :
—
1st—The cultivators think it troublesome to
obtain a license.
2nd—The cultivation of hemp is not always
successful, and if the male plant called
bhangra is not picked by experts, the whole
cultivation ruins and the cultivator risks
the tax of the license.
3rd—There is not much demand for ganja, as
the cultivator cannot sell it by retail, and
he is to sell it to lice
n s e d c o n t r a c t o r s , w h o k n o w v e r y w e l l t h a t n o o n e b e s i d e s t h e m
would purchase it and therefore buy it at
a fallen price.
10. The persons who cultivated hemp for its
narcotic properties were not of special class, but
ordinary cultivators, but only those who had rich
soil and good supply of water used to cultivate it.
13. Vide answer to question 1.
16. Yes ; bhang is generally prepared by the
people in their houses from the ganja leaves, and it
can be prepared from hemp plant leaves wherever
grown, but the quality differs according to the
quality of the ganja.
I have not met a man who has seen charm pre-
pared in this district.
17.By no particular class of people.
19.Ganja is used for smoking; charas is hardly
used by the people of this district, and it is not
obtainable here. Ganja leaves are also used for
making bhang. Some people on some ceremonial
occasions mix a few ganja leaves with curry pow-
der and cook the curry and also mix leaves with
g r a m f l o u r a n d m a k e
b h a j i a s .
T h e e a t i n g o f t h i s
curry an. divas a most turns the eaters half mad,
and it is supposed to be a fun, but this kind of
usage is amongst very low class people of Hindu
and Muhammadans and sometimes it has produced
very bad effects.
20.There is not a particular class of people who
smoke ganja. Muhammadans, Hindus, low caste
Mahars, etc., have been found in the habit of smok-
ing ganja all over the province ; but if there should.
be called the special class, I should call the
Muhammadan fakirs and Hindu gosais and bai-
ragis as a class who smoke ganja.
22.Charas is not used and obtainable in this dis-
trict.
23.I do not understand. this question. What
is called bhang here is prepared this way : the
leaves of ganja plant are washed and boiled in the
water and afterwards according to the means and.
taste of the indulger are mixed with sugar, pepper,
etc. and taken. The preparation is called bhang,
and it cannot be used for smoking.
24.There is no particular class as I have said.
before, but the proportion of people who eat and.
drink bhang is very limited all over the province.
25.I believe the use of ganja, charas and bhang
is on decrease. All the people who are dedicated to
its use are found to be old persons, and I have hard-
ly noticed any young man dedicated to the habit ;
and it is not the case that people of elderly age
take to these habits
'
and I have also ascertained.
from contractors that now the consumption is
much less than it was before.
31.Yes, it is easily formed and it is difficult to
break, and there is a tendency in the case of any
of these drugs for the moderate habit to develop
into excessive. I am told the habit of consuming
ganja is taken by smoking it with friends.
32.There is no social or religious custom
amongst Muhammadans of consuming ganja,
bhang or charas. The use of all these drugs is strictly
forbidden by the Muhammadan religious codes,
and the persons dedicated to the use of any of these
drugs are looked down upon even by the lowest
society of the Muhammadans. Muhammadan
fakirs of low class use ganja and bhang openly and
publicly, but they are vey severely reprimanded by
the ministers of religion.
3 3 . T h i s q u e s t i o n h a s b e e n a n s w e r e d i n t h e a b o v e .
34.It will be a serious privation for the class
of the consumers, as it is always hard upon one
to be deprived of any narcotic habits ; but I have
no idea of the number of each class. I have al-
ready said before that the number is very limited.
35.Yes ; it would be quite feasible to prohibit
the use of all these drugs, and it would not be illicit-
ly consumed ; if the cultivation of hemp is prohibit-
ed all over India and its import is also prohibited.
and keeping of it in the house is made punishable,
its illicit use would be impossible. There is no
doubt that this prohibition would occasion a serious
discontent among the consumers, and such discon-
tent would form a discontented class of people who
would be a dangerous class of people at the time of
any political outbreak. No doubt the prohibition
would lead the consumers to take to some other
drug according to each individual's fancy and con-
venience.
36.I do not think alcohol is substituted for
these drugs. Taking to alcohol is a different ques-