331
64. I have no objections to the existing regula-
tions governing the. import of these drugs. As there
is no cultivation of ganja in this taluk, there is no
exportation of the same.
65 to 67. I am unable to solve these satisfactorily.
68 No houses or shops have been licensed for
the sale of these drugs or their preparations where
these may be consumed on the premises.
69. The wishes of the people are not consulted
for the opening of shops. The shops are opened
from information obtained from the contractors as
to the sale of these drugs ; but the public conveni-
ence is always looked to in opening them.
70. The ganja is always imported from other
provinces on a pass after the duty has been paid.
There is no general use of untaxed drugs in this
taluk.
14. Evidence of LAXMAN GOPAL DESHPANDE, Brahmin, Naib Tahsildar, Mangrul
Taluk, District Basim.
1. I have had opportunities. of obtaining inform-
ation regarding the matters connected with hemp
drugs, in regard to which my answers are framed
from the persons addicted to the hemp drugs and
the cultivators of the plant, whenever I came in
contact with them.
2. The said definitions can be accepted, except
the definition of ganja. The name of bhang is
applied to the dry leaves of cultivated female hemp
plants. There are only two varieties known of
ganja—flat ganja and chur ganja. Ganja is
locally known by ganja. Charas is locally known
by charas. Bhang is locally known by bhang,
siddhi, and gadada.
6. The growth of the wild hemp is ordinarily
scattered.
7. There is a cultivation of the hemp plant in
my province—
(a) for production of ganja,
(c) for use of bhang,
in Khamgaon and Pimpri in the Khamgaon taluk
and Sutal in the Malkapur taluk to the slight
extent.
8. There has not recently been any considerable
increase or decrease in the area under such culti-
vation.
9. The cultivators are to procure seeds of the
hemp plant outside of the province. The soil is to
be ploughed down. It requires sufficient manure,
particularly that of cowdung. The process of the
kharif crop is generally followed in the hemp cul-
tivation. The seeds are sown rather late, that
is, in the months of July and August (in the
Nakshatras of Punarwasu and. Pusha). The hemp
crop requires, besides
the rain, well water, from
the Hasta Nakshatra, three times a day. The
crop is ready for being reaped in the months of
November and December (in the month of Marga-
shirsha). To have the crop more stimulative in its
quality the cultivators open the lower part of the
hemp plant, put in the part open needful quantity
of opi um, and t hen bi end i t over ver y t i ght .
10. The persons who cultivate hemp for its
narcotic properties don't form a special class.
They are of the same classes as other agricultural
cultivators.
11. The plants cultivated for the production of
ganja are never raised from the seed of the wild
hemp.
12. I have no reason to suppose that the (so-
called) wild hemp is anywhere specially cultivated
for the production of ganja.
13. The cultivation of the hemp plant for ganja
is restricted throughout the whole province. The
elevated pandhari soil close to villages is necessary
f or t he cul t i vat i on of hemp f or pr oduci ng ganj a.
The soil from which opium crops were used to be
vol, vii,
taken suited best for ganja crop without any
manure. There is no part of my province where
its cultivation would be impossible.
14. The following products are prepared in my
province : —
(a) Ganja ;
(c) Bhang.
For the answer of the latter part of the question,
vide answer to question No. 9, chapter 2.
15. As it is not known that ganja and bhang
are produced from the wild plant, so the distinc-
tion between the methods of preparation from the
cultivated and the wild plant cannot be made.
The following is the method of preparing the above
products : When the hemp crop is ready to be
reaped, cultivators cut off buds with leaves. They
heap the buds with leaves on the surface of the
earth and tread them under foot. The leaves form
bhang, and buds ganja. Buds are put in the water
and after a few minutes they are taken out and
cleared of the dirt they contain. Thus they are
prepared for smoking. The leaves are reduced
to powder, and the powder thus made is used for
eating and drinking.
16. Bhang is not generally prepared by the
people in their houses. It call be prepared from
the hemp plant wherever grown. Ganja cannot
be prepared from the wild plant wherever grown.
17. The preparations of ganja and bhang are
made by the cultivators of the hemp.
18. The drugs (ganja and bhang) do deteriorate
by keeping. They quite lose their effects in time.
They do not keep good more than two years with
ordinary care. I don't know the causes of deterior-
ation. To prevent deterioration they should not
be affected from moisture and rats.
19 Ganja is used for smoking. Chur ganja is
used also for eating and drinking instead of bhang,
when tile latter is not available.
20. The classes of the people that smoke ganja
are mainly formed of travellers, bairagis,
fakirs
gosawis, Raj puts, Brahmins, Kunbis, Marwaris,
throughout the whole province. Their number on
an average probably will come to 20 per thousand.
21. The flat ganja is preferred for smoking.
23. Bhang is sometimes used for smoking when
ganja is not available to the hands of the poorer
classes of the people.
24. Throughout the whole province Brahmins,
Rajputs, Marwaris, bairagis, gosawis, etc., do eat
or drink bhang. The number of consumers will
come to 10 per thousand.
25. The use of ganja and bhang is on the in-
crease. The reason is that the number of the
shops of these drugs is much incr
e a s e d o n t h e r e -
commendation of contractors wherever needed.
2 Y2