365
They are confined to males only. I have neither
seen nor heard females smoking ganja and charas.
In some countries females drink bhang or take it
in yakuti (a kind of confection) and gulkand (rose
flower confection). It is not usual for children to
consume these drugs. In old age some people use
bhang with some cathartics.
31.Habit of consuming these drugs is easily
formed in company. It is difficult to break it off ;
and if broken, it brings on diseases, such as loss of
appetite, breaking of limbs, indigestion, giddiness,
feeling fatigue on work. At first it is taken in
little quantity, but some increase it gradually and
some not.
32.The consumption of these drugs is not allowed
in religious laws (Dharam Shaster), but they are
used socially or habitually. Bhang is drunk on
occasions of marriages and dinner parties, but so
doing is not considered to be the custom. Its
continual use converts into habit. It is not harm-
ful to habitual drunkards, but in case they leave
it, it will be injurious to them.
36.Men addicted to these drugs do not sub-
stitute wine for them ; and if any one will do so, it
will do him some injury and lie against his religion
as well. I do not know if any one substitutes it.
Some use opium for bhang. In some countries
wine is drunk for bhang, but it is injurious.
37.The difference between the effects of ganja
and charas is that ganja brings on intoxication
soon, which lasts shortly, but charas brings it on
gradually, which lasts longer. Bhang brings on
less intoxication than these two : it produces its
effect too late, but it lasts longer. It is less in-
jurious than ganja and charas.
39.Ganja and charas are used only for smoking
and not for eating and drinking.
Bhang is taken with yakuti and gulkand (rose
flower confection) or drunk like liquor. Smoking
of ganja and charas causes certain diseases, viz.,
it corrupts brain, produces irritation of throat,
mania, bronchitis, asthma.
Confection of bhang is used as a tonic. Con-
sumers of bhang in the first stage feel heat, redness
in both eyes, excitement in brain, creation of ap-
petite, and sexual excitement, but in the second
stage, when its effect subsides, it causes coldness
(which is injurious) and loss of memory.
40.Ganja and charas being injurious are never
prescribed by baids. As stated in Yajur Veda
Shaster, bhang is prescribed in certain diseases to
which it is useful. It is used in the treatment of
cattle-disease.
41. Bhang without ganja and charas creates
appetite, digests food, increases strength (physique),
and is beneficial to cholera, bronchitis, asthma,
dysentery, hœmorrhoids, paralysis, loss of blood
from uterus, brings on sleep, and. generates bilious
matter. It is prescribed mixed with other medi-
cines. Yakuti (confection) prepared of bhang
alleviates fatigue after severe labour. In cases of
intermittent and other fevers, such as continued,
quotidian, tertian, etc., it is very useful when given
with cathartics.
42.Without ganja and charas bhang is
b e n e -
ficial.
44. The effects of ganja and charas have beer
stated in answer No. 37. The use of bhang is
refreshing. These drugs produce intoxication,
create appetite, their effects depend upon the tem-
perament of consumers. When their intoxication
subsides it does injury instead of any beneficial
effects. Excessive use produces senselessness, cold-
ness, laziness, and is very injurious.
45.Ganja and charas are very injurious,
especially to mental powers, and bhang to physical
and not mental power. Ganja and charas increase
appetite, but are not digestive, while bhang is
beneficial to both. Ganja and charas produce
bronchitis and asthma, and bhang cures dysentery.
These drugs impair moral sense, induce laziness and
debauchery. Ganja and charas smoking impairs
intellect and causes insanity ; excessive use of bhang
too produces these effects, but not its moderate use.
The mania caused by ganja and charas lasts for
ever and that by bhang can be cured. The sufferer
of mania caused by the use of ganja and charas is
violent, while that of bhang is generally quiet, but
seldom violent. I never saw any man suffering
from mental anxiety or brain disease who drank
bhang for relief from this complaint and became
insane. I am of opinion that insanity may tend
to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by persons
who are of weak intellect and unsteady mind.
46.Excessive use of any of these drugs is in-
jurious. The consumer becomes mad and dies
Soon.
47.It cannot be known that the habitual moder-
ate use of any of these drugs is hereditary. It
seldom affects the children of moderate consumers.
48. The same as explained in answer No. 47.
49.Use of these drugs creates sexual desire in
proportion to the doses taken. Prostitutes too in
some places use them as aphrodisiac. Their use
for this purpose is more injurious than ordinary.
They cause loss of semen, lung and brain diseases,
and weakness.
50.The excessive use of any of these drugs is
injurious and produces various diseases.
56.The use of these drugs with the admixture
of dhatura, kanair (a kind of Hindustani poisonous
tree), nux-vomica, opium, and betel-nut, etc., is
injurious to moderate consumers and not to those
who use it excessively.
57.Ganja and charas, in this country, are
neither eaten nor drunk.
In conclusion, in my opinion, ganja and charas
are for the use of devotees generally. They use
them because these drugs in the first place extin-
guish desire for sexual intercourse and in the
second place they feel with them very little effects
of cold in winter season, feel no necessity for cloth-
ing, and if at any time they cannot get food they
take these drugs only, and do not mind for it.
The use of these drugs is prohibited to ordinary
people because they do them injury, lose sexual
power, cause sterility, impair brain, and produce
insanity. Bhang is not so injurious as ganja and
charas. On some occasions it is useful, as, when a
jeweller drinks it he examines jewels, when jogis
(fakirs) use it they devote their minds to the wor-
ship of God, and adulterer for adultery. Besides
these it cures diseases, such as cough, paralysis,
cholera, is digestive and refreshing, increases
seminal powers, and produces sleep Ganja and
charas are also prescribed in certain diseases to
which they are beneficial.