228
mgs of their sickness in the use of the
drugs.
(d) The lunatics, whose lunacy has been
brought on by excessive use.
28. The average allowance and cost of each of
these drugs per diem are as follows :—
PER DIEM.
COST.
Habitual moderate con-
sumers.
½ tola
2 pies.
Habitual excessive con-
sumers.
not exceeding
2 tolas
8 „
29. All classes consuming ganja, charas and
bhang by smoking ordinarily mix tobacco alone,
or with cloves, mace, nutmeg and cardamom.
Ganja and bhang, when used for eating, are gene-
rally mixed with jagri, or at times with sugar ;
while, when used for drinking, jagri, opium
seed and bada sape are generally mixed ; and at
times, to make the preparation flavorous, sugar,
opium seed, bada sape, black pepper, dried ginger,
cardamom, nutmeg, mace and cloves are mixed.
All classes of people follow the same procedure in
the use of the drugs for eating and drinking.
Tobacco is mixed to lessen the offensive smell ;
sugar and jagri, etc., are mixed to make the
preparation palatable ; the opium seed for intoxi-
cation; and bada sape, dried ginger and black
pepper for digestion. Dhatura or opium is mixed
in exceptional cases to make the preparation
stronger. This is done by only a few people who
are experts.
A preparation known as bhang massala is not
sold for the purpose of being mixed with any of
these drugs. Bhang massala consists of the
following ingredients :
—
Horse radish bark, onion seed, toddy, jagri,
garlic, mustard seed, yellow turmeric, assafœtida,
black pepper, dry ginger, sweet flag, orris root, long
pepper, almond, nutmeg, common salt, ink nut,
chilly.
30. The drugs are consumed by a few only in
solitude and by most in company. It is mainly
confined to the male sex above the age of 15 years.
Females do not generally consume it. There may
be two or three females consuming it in the whole
town of Dharwar. Boys below 15 years do not
use these drugs.
31. The habit of consuming any of these drugs
is easily formed by contracting friendship with
those addicted, It is difficult to break off the
habit when once formed. There is a tendency in
the case of any of these drugs for the moderate
habit to develop into the excessive.
32. There are no religious customs which compel
the use of these drugs. The social custom among
the gosavis, bavas, bairagis and fakirs is to use them
at the time of marriage ceremonies, festivals, etc.,
for the sake of amusement in company. The use
is essential in connection with such custom. The
use is generally temperate in the beginning, and in
course of time it becomes excessive with some con-
sumers, or it becomes the habit. No injurious
effects are produced when used temporarily,
33. The consumption of each of these drugs
is considered objectionable, because they are intoxi-
cating. Public opinion (social or religious) in
regard to the practice is prohibitive. The use of
the drugs is generally in disrepute, because it
absorbs money, obstructs profession, spoils health,
and is generally abominable in the eyes of the
public. The hemp plant is on no occasion wor-
shipped by any sects of the people, except that the
produce is worshipped before carrying it home by
the cultivator as other agricultural produce. The
crop when ripe is also worshipped before being
reaped, and a caste dinner is given in honour of the
same, and offerings are made.
34. It would be a serious privation to all con-
sumers, irrespective of any class, who are excessive
in their habits. Such people, in the absence of
these drugs, become very deplorable, impatient,
irritative, quarrelsome, and shamelessly humble.
The moderate consumers in their absence do not
feel much beyond than that they are uneasy and
restless. The probable numbers of each class are
given in answer No. 26.
35. It would be feasible to prohibit the use of
any or all of these drugs. In that case it would
be consumed illicitly. The only course open to pro-
hibit the use of the drugs is to prohibit the culti-
vation of the hemp plant. The prohibition would
occasion serious discontent among the consumers.
Such discontent would not amount to political
danger, because the number of consumers is pro-
portionately very small, poor, and weak. The
prohibition will create in them a strong incentive
to have recourse to alcoholic stimulants or other
drugs ; but they cannot afford to buy them a
quantity sufficient to satisfy their daily require-
ments.
36. These drugs being available at moderate
rates, there is no reason for thinking that alcohol
is wished as a substitute.
37. The smoking of charas produces stronger
intoxication than that of ganja smoking.
38. Of the three kinds of ganja (round, flat
and chur) round is the best, flat better, chur is the
last in point of intoxication. Round ganja is not
imported into the Dharwar district, because its
produce is limited.
39. The smoking of any preparation of the
hemp plant is a more in j urious form of consumption
than drinking or eating the same or any other pre-
paration, because the smoke gets into the breast,
which is blackened, and consequently the consumer
is impoverished, as is observed from long ex-
perience.
40. The use of these drugs is prescribed on
account of its medicinal qualities b y native doctors,
and they are also used in the treatment of cattle
disease.
41. The moderate use of charas, ganja and
bhang may be beneficial in its effects–
(a) As a food not accessory or digestive.
(b) It has no staying power under severe
exertion or exposure, but alleviates
fatigue.
(c) As febrifuge or preventive of disease to
a certain extent in malarious and un-
healthy tracts when mixed with cloves,
dried ginger, jagri, and pipli.
(d) As tonic when cattle become emaciated
and refuse fodder and water. In such
cases the use of ganja or bhang will create
hunger, strengthen the digestive power,
and enrich the blood.
The classes enumerated in answer No. 27 use
the drug for the above purposes in the proportion
given in answer No. 26. It is the moderate habi
¬ t u a l u s e o f t h e d r u g a n d m o d e r a t e o c c a s i o n a l u s e
in reference to which I have explained above.
42. The moderate use of any of these drugs,
though not pernicious at once, gradually proves so,
because the blood is burnt, strength fails, and the
quantity of food is lessened.
43. The moderate consumers are inoffensive to