88
appetite to a small extent The effects last for
about an hour or an hour and a half. Yes; the
after-effects are general depression of spirits,
moroseness and unwillingness to work. Want of
subsequent gratification produces longing as well
as uneasiness.
45. Habitual moderate use of the hemp drugs
is observed to cause the following infirmities.
Whether these results can, and if so by what
scientific process, be connected with the consump-
tion I am not in a position to say. A person long
given to the habit of ganja consumption, even in
a moderate form, is found to be very thin and
generally weak, with impaired digestion, and
suffering from bronchitis and, in a few cases,
from asthma. He becomes lazy and averse to
hard work; but his moral sense is not impaired,
nor does he acquire habits of immorality or de-
bauchery. I am of opinion that a long use of
the drugs would result in a loss of appetite for
sexual passions, owing probably to the affection
of the nervous system.
I am not in a position to say definitely to what
extent the use of these drugs is connected with
the production of insanity.
46. The above injurious effects are observed in
an aggravated form in an habitual excessive con-
sumer. His constitution is completely pulled
down, and he becomes quite useless for work.
He suffers from bronchitis and asthma of a worse
type. and is labouring under constant headache,
uneasiness, and vacantness of mind.
47 and 48. No, not to my knowledge.
49 and 50. I have no information on these
points.
51. I am not of opinion that any large propor
-
tion of bad characters are habitual moderate con-
sumers of these drugs. The classes generally
known to be of bad character in this part of the
country are :—Gopals, Wasudevs, Phaseparadhis,
Dombaries, Katkaries, Chitrakathis, Kaikadis,
Berads, Garudis, Lamans, and Bhamtes. These,
as a rule, are wandering tribes, never remaining
in one place, but moving from place to place,
showing their tamashas and juggleries, and beg-
ging alms. I have never found any of these tribes
especially addicted to the use of these drugs.
Their mode of life, their frequent movements from
one place to another during the dark nights and
their encampments in lonely jungles removed from
human habitation, naturally require them to be
always very watchful and alert. They must
always be active and ready for any kind of action.
Any long use of these drugs, even in a mild form,
would make them lazy, idle, weak, and quite unfit
for such work as they are called upon to perform
for the very maintenance of themselves and their
families. They, therefore, scrupulously avoid, I
think, indulging in such narcotics.
The moderate use of these drugs has, I think,
no connection with crime in general or with crime
of any special character. There does not seem
to be any intrinsic quality in the use of the drugs
to create a tendency to commit crime. On the
contrary, infirmity and weakness, which are the
necessary consequences of a long habit of ganja
consuming, make a man useless for the commis
-
sion of crime. Ganja consumers may sometimes
be found to be inclined to commit petty thefts
when they are hard-pressed for money. But this
inclination is common to the use of all other
narcotics when the consumers are reduced to
similar circumstances. Opium eaters and alcohol
drinkers are often reported to have committed
thefts when hard of cash. And this inclination
must naturally be much less powerful in ganja
c o n s u m e r s , a s t h e n a r c o t i c r e q u i r e d b y t h e m i s
comparatively very cheap.
52. There is nothing, I think, even in the exces
-
sive use to stimulate crime. Such use would, I
think, by making a man still weaker, make him
more incapable for commission of crime.
53. I don't think excessive indulgence in any
of these drugs incites to unpremeditated crime.
It may make the consumer peevish, liable to easy
provocation, and sometimes quarrelsome, but would
not stimulate him to commit unpremeditated
crime of a violent nature. I know of no case in
which it had led to temporary homicidal frenzy.
54. I don't think these drugs are ever used by
criminals with the special object of fortifying
themselves for the commission of a premeditated
act of violence or other crime. There may be
some persons who are bad characters, and at the
same time addicted to the use of these drugs.
Such persons may sometimes indulge in such
drugs before proceeding to commit an act of vio
-
lence, but that is not for the particular purpose of
fortifying themselves, but is in accordance with
their usual habit of taking a dose before commen
-
cing any work , good or bad, which requires con-
centrated exertions or hard labour. In old times,
we read stories of a dacoit or thug smoking a
c h i l l u m o f g a n j a b e f o r e p r o c e e d i n g t o d o h i s w o r k
of thuggy. But such instances are now very rare.
55. Yes, sometimes such cases are said to have
occurred, though none has officially come before
me. Itis said that sweetmeats prepared from these
drugs, being most suited to avoid suspicion, are
generally used. The victims selected are gener
-
ally persons of tender age, and in some instances
simple ignorant women. These can be easily in
-
duced to partake of the sweetmeats. Such cases-
if any, must no doubt be very few.
56. I have no information on the point.
57. Charas is not used. The forms in which
ganja is eaten have already been mentioned in
reply to question No. 15. I have also briefly
noticed, in reply to question No. 55, the use of
such eatables made by the criminals to facilitate
the commission of crime. I have nothing to add.
58 and 59. The present system is working
satisfactorily, with the exception of a few points
which will be noted below under appropriate
headings.
60. Under the present system the cultivation.
of the ganja-bearing plants and the process of its
preparation are, I think, sufficiently controlled.
A cultivator, though he is not prevented by law
from cultivating hemp plant, is not at liberty to
prepare ganja from it without first obtaining a per
-
mit from the Collector of the district. Hemp
plants as such, being of no use as a narcotic, unless
ganja is prepared from them, no restriction seems
necessary on their cultivation. The present control
on the preparation and the import, export, and
transport is quite sufficient to guard against smug-
ling and the loss of excise revenue.
There is, however, one point which seems to me
to be objectionable. Under the present system
the cultivator of the hemp plant is placed some
-
what at a disadvantage. He is not allowed to take
the ganja produced by him to the open market,
and sell it there to any customer who may offer
to him the highest price. He must sell it to the
ganja farmer. He must either submit to the
terms, hovever disadvantagous they might be,