121
57. Evidence of MR. F. T. V. AUSTIN, District Superintendent of Police, Surat.
1. From personal observation in different parts
of the presidency and in Sind, in which province it
is extensively used.
2. The definitions given by Dr. Prain may be
generally accepted as correct. Bhang and its pre
-
parations are known in Gujarat as bhang or subji,
maya, vijia, and Shiva's butti. Charas is known
by that name, but is not sold or used in this
district. Ganja is the name given to the dry
flowering tops of the female plants. Flat or
chepta ganja is also sold, but round ganja is not
specially prepared,
3. The hemp plant, so far as I know, does not
grow spontaneously in any of the Gujarat districts.
I t i t s a i d , h o w e v e r , t o g r o w w i l d i n t h e P a l a n p u r .
Superintendency.
7. Hemp is cultivated to a small extent in this
district for use as bhang, from 20 to 25 acres be
-
ing under cultivation in the Chorasi and Olpad
talukas.
8. There has been a decrease during recent years
in the acreage under hemp cultivation in this
district. In 1889 some 30 to 35 acres were so
cultivated in the Chorasi taluka alone; but the
cultivators not being able to sell it to the licensee
it had to be destroyed, as they cannot otherwise
dispose of it.
9. Yellow loam or sandy soil is the best. It
does not grow well in black soil. The ground
requires to be well ploughed and frequently har
-
rowed, and all clods broken, and the growing crop
to be well weeded, The male plants, called bha
n -
gro, are also uprooted. Two crops are obtainable
in the year, but not on the same ground. The
kharif crop is said to contain more narcotic pro
-
perties than the rabi.
10. The cultivation of hemp is not restricted to
any particular class of cultivators.
1 1 . N o t t h a t I a m a w a r e o f .
13. Hemp is not cultivated for ganja in this
district, or in any part of Gujarat, so far as I
know.
14. Bhang to the extent of 150 to 200 mounds
is produced in this district, but neither ganja nor
charas is prepared.
15. Bhang is prepared as follows :—After the
plants are cut down they are allowed to dry for
some days. They are then tied up in bundles and
beaten on the threshing floor in order to separate
the seeds and leaves from the stalks. The seeds
and powdered leaves are then passed through a
sieve for the purpose of removing the small bits
of broken stalk.
16. Bhang is generally prepared by people in
their own houses. By this I mean the prepara
- t i o n o f t h e b h a n g a s d r u n k f r o m t h e b h a n g s o l d
in the shops and not the preparation of bhang
from the plants themselves. Bhang can be pre--
pared from the plant wherever grown, I believe,
and so also can ganja, but I cannot say whether
ganja and charas can or cannot be prepared from
the wild plant.
17. By no particular class as regards the pre-
paration made in this province.
18. Bhang deteriorates and loses its narcotic
properties if kept for more than about 12 months,
and, if allowed to get damp, gets mildewed and
useless much earlier. Keeping it in closed
receptacles and free from moisture will retard this deterioration for a few months. The placing of
mercury in open vessels among the bhang is said
to prevent it from getting worm-eaten.
19. In this district ganja is used only for
smoking; charas is not obtainable.
20. The smoking of ganja is not restricted to
any particular class ; but it is chiefly so used by
the lower classes, and specially b y f a k i r s , s a
bairagis, etc. I do not believe that anything like
5 per cent. of the people of this district smoke
ganja.
21. Flat ganja is much preferred. Broken
ganja, called kani or chur, is said to contain less
narcotic properties and to cause cough. Round
ganja is generally used in the Deccan, and chur
or broken ganja in Sind.
22. Charas is not used in this district.
23. Not that I am aware of.
24. Very few people eat bhang. About 5 per
cent. of the population of this district, made up
from persons of all classes, drink bhang. I doubt
if even 1 per cent, eat it.
25. The use of ganja and bhang is, if anything,
on the decrease in this district, and probably
throughout Gujarat, The decrease in the use of
ganja is mainly attributable to its increased price,
which prevents the very poorest classes from
using it to the same extent as formerly, and the
decrease in the use of bhang is owing to the
increasing disinclination of the better classes to
take the necessary trouble in preparing it, and to
the more general use of liquor, especially the cheaper sorts of Europe spirits.
26 Ganja .—Assuming that 3 per cent. of the
people of this district smoke ganja, which is
probably over the mark, then of habitual moder
-
ate consumers there might be 2½ per cent., of
habitual excessive consumers 0.50 per cent.,
occasional moderate consumers 1½ per cent., and of
occasional excessive consumers 0 . 50 per cent., and
the same percentages would fairly represent the
proportion of bhang drinkers falling under these
several descriptions.
27. While the smoking of ganja is more gene--
rally confined to the lower classes, no such limit
-
ation applies in respect to the drinking of bhang,
and although the habitual use of it is deemed
disreputable, the occasional indulgence of the
habit is not looked upon as degrading.
2 8
. G a n j a —
Habitual moderate consumer, 1 to 1½ pies
worth.
Habitual excessive consumer, 3 to 4 pies
worth.
B h a n g —
Habitual moderate consumer, 2 pies worth.
Habitual excessive consumer, 3 to 6 pies worth
a day.
2 9
. G a n j a –
(a) Tobacco is ordinarily mixed with ganja fo r
smoking, the ganja being first washed to cleanse
it from impurities.
(b) Sometimes ganja is washed in rose water
and cardamom seeds added. Dhatura is not, so
far as I know, so used. Sometimes a chillum is
made from a piece of sugarcane, and ganja so
smoked is said to have an increased intoxicating
effect; but the chief reason for the admixture
vol. v ii.
T