133
ganja considered best is known as baluchery ganja,
which is eight times stronger than the ordinary.
2 4
. ( b ) B h a n g i s d r u n k b y B r a h m i n s , S h r a w a k s ,
Gosains, Musalmans, goldsmiths, sadhus, etc., and
even by well-to-do classes in all localities.
Among the Brahmins, Shrawaks, Gosains, the
proportion of bhang drinkers is 25 per cent., and
in others from 1 per cent to 10 per cent.
25. The use of ganja, bhang and charas is neither
on the increase nor on the decrease. Taking the last
fifteen years' experience, the use was on the increase
for the first ten years; but for the last five years,
the use of alcohol (liquor) has considerably counter
- a c t e d t h e s l o w l y g r o w i n g i n c r e a s e . E x p e r i e n c e h a s
shown that many ganja smokers and bhang drink
-
ers have left the drug owing to their intimacy with
liquor.
28. For ganja and charas the cost is —
(a) ½ anna per day per head.
(b) 1 anna per day per head.
For bhang the cost is—
( a ) 1/12 anna per day per head.
(b) ¼ anna per day per head.
29. ( a) With ganja, are mixed ordinarily
tobacco and charas and nothing else.
(b) With ganja dhatura is exceptionally
mixed for stupefying the victim, or by habitual
confirmed excessive smokers. Ganja is also washed
with rose water or milk and opium or musk is
sometimes mixed.
With bhang, ordinarily, only spices, such as
pepper, saffron, nutmeg, cardamon, sugar, rose
flowers are mixed for taste. Exceptionally dhatura,
copper coins, jawar corn are mixed for extra
-
ordinary intoxication. Bhang massala is rarely
sold in the marker, but is prepared by consumers
of bhang for ready use. They eat the powder.
The ingredients generally are bhang, pepper, al
-
mends, and poppy seeds. There are various sorts
of preparations made from ganja and bhang. The
following are ordinary:
(1) majum, sweetmeat, (2) yakuti, (3) chevda,
a p r e p a r a t i o n o f r i c e ,
( 4 )
p r e s e r v e o f r o s e f l o w e r s
called gulkand, (5) sakar pak, sweetmeat, (6)
gram, (7) dry ginger, and several other things.
Ghi or butter is prepared from bhang by the
following processes:—
1st.—A quantity of bhang is mixed with water
and ghi is added. This is boiled for two hours.
It is then removed and passed through a thin
cloth, and the bhang dust or refuse is separated.
It is then allowed to cool, and the ghi is collected
from the surface, the water being thrown away.
The ghi thus collected is used to prepare various
kinds of pleasant sweetmeats.
2nd.—Instead of water milk is mixed and
boiled. The bhang dust or refuse is separated
and curd is added to the milk, and the same is
kept for a night. Butter is then churned out of
the curd. This is more intoxicating than the
preparation obtained by the first process.
30. Children never smoke ganja, but boys of
and above fifteen years of age do smoke rarely. As
for bhang, children of five years and upwards take
it in exceptional cases. It is not usual for
children to use these drugs .
31. Yes, merely by company. In the begin
-
ning it is not difficult to break off; but if the
duration of the habit is longer, then it is difficult
to break off. Yes, there is always a tendency
for the moderate habit to develop into the exces
-
sive.
3 2 . I k n o w o f n o s u c h c u s t o m a t a l l .
33. The consumption of ganja and charas is
regarded with disfavour by the respectable classes.
The consumption of bhang is regarded with less
disfavour. These drugs are considered sacred, as
Mahadey, a god, used to drink and smoke it large
-
ly. Bairagis and worshippers use them on this
account; but this doctrine does not find favour
with the educated classes of the present day.
34. Yes, to habitual excessive consumers and
habitual moderate consumers it will be. The
consumers in both the cases will be debarred from
sharing or enjoying the consequent pleasure in
their estimation, and where any good from a
medical point of view had been attained, the
consumers would be most dissatisfied to lose it.
For ganja—The habitual excessive consumers
may be 1 per cent.
The habitual moderate consumers may be 3 per
cent.
For bhang—The habitual excessive consumers
may be ten per cent. The habitual moderate
consumers may be fifteen per cent.
35. Yes, but the drug will most probably be
consumed by some illicit process. The prohibi
-
tion can be enforced only by legislation. The pro
-
hibition will occasion serious discontent among the
consumers; but it would not amount to a political
danger. (a), (b). Yes, certainly.
36. Yes, to bad company, and a growing
tendency to immorality. It is no shame to take
liquor for a person who has no social restriction;
bat the taking of ganja and charas would be
viewed with disfavour by almost all concerned.
In the estimation of many
castes, whereas liquor
taking is not considered shameful, the smoking
of ganja is a fruitful source of scandal.
37. The effect of charas smoking is stronger
than the same on account of ganja smoking.
4 1 . (
a ) ,
( b ) a n d
( c ) Y e s .
(d) By way of forgetting pain, allaying
fatigue, anxiety, etc., and keeping jolly all round.
Bhang is also used to give nerve power to the
brain, and in this connection, Shrawak jewellers
often drink it, and they profess to be better able
to value jewels.
42. It is beneficial, and the moderate use is
harmless. The reasons are apparent from my
replies to queries Nos. 41, 43, 44.
43. Yes, quite.
44. It is exhilarating and inebriating. The
individual under its effect is for the most part
cheerful and agreeable. It is refreshing and pro
-
duces sleep, quieting the nervous system. It
creates appetite. The effect lasts three hours
generally. Except slight windiness or slight low-
- n e s s o f s p i r i t s , a n d s o m e t i m e s d i a r r h œ a , t h e r e i s
no other after-effect.
Yes, want of subsequent gratification produces
longing and uneasiness.
4 5 .
( a )
N o n e .
(b), (c) and (d) No.
(e) No; but it does induce laziness.
( f ) I n m o d e r a t e d o s e s g a n j a a n d n o t b h a n g i s