326
29. The moderate consumers of any of these
drugs mix ordinarily tobacco in ganja while smok-
ing, and exceptionally the excessive consumers mix
kuchalla and dhatura seeds with it. Some drink
bhang with water and sugarcane, while some with
sugar, milk and other perfumery things.
The excessive consumers mix dhatura seeds in
ganja while smoking with the intention of making
it more intoxicative.
30. Bairagis, fakirs, etc., use any of these drugs
in company consisting of four or five members.
The labourers smoke ganja at their own houses.
The people think that ganja smoking is one of the
mean acts. Those who are addicted to ganja
smoking smoke at each other's houses. Bhang is
also not prepared by one and drunk : it also requires
a company of five or ten men. If any gentleman
wishes to take bhang, he prepares it at home and
drinks. It is mainly confined to the male sex of 20
years of age and above. Children never consume
any of these drugs if they are under control; very
scarcely any of the children take to these drugs.
In Muharram alone it is said that bhang is drunk
by all, i . e . ,
f r o m y o u t h s d o w n t o e l d e r l y p e r s o n s .
31. The habit of consuming any of these drugs
is easily formed. It is difficult to break off at once.
There is a tendency in the case of any of these drugs
for the moderate habit to develop into the excessive.
32. There is no custom, social or religious, in
regard to the consumption of any of these drugs,
but in bairagis they consider it a religious custom
and they drink. Drinking is generally excessive in
them. It is likely to lead to the formation of the
habit, and is thereby injurious.
33. Ganja smoking has been considered to be
one of the mean acts by the people, because thereby
one loses memory and health ; it brings on cough
and so forth. If bhang is taken moderately
during the hot season it won't affect. There is no
custom of worshipping the hemp plant in this taluk.
34. It is a serious privation to any class of con-
sumers to forego the consumption of any of these
drugs at once, because thereby they will not digest
their food : they will suffer from purging, and so
forth. This will last for two months and then it
will be stopped. It is said that if any one wishes
to break off this habit, ganja can be kept in butter-
milk instead of water and then smoked, and there-
by the habit of ganja smoking will be easily broken
off. It is not injurious to drink bhang. There is
a general custom to drink bhang in this taluk, and
this habit can easily be broken off.
35. It is not feasible to prohibit the use of any
of these drugs, because it is of a long standing. As
there is a great number of the consumers of these
drugs, it is impossible to stop it at once; and if it
is so stopped the people will consume the drug
illicitly. If the Government wants to prohibit the
use of these drugs, I propose that some tax should
be imposed on the consumers of any of these drugs,
and thereby the number will be reduced. The
quantity for the retail sale should also be reduced,
but with all this, I don't think that it can be
stopped at once. There is no doubt that there will
be discontent amongst the consumers of these
drugs, but it will not amount to a political danger,
because the number of such people is not large.
The prohibition will be followed by recourse to
alcoholic stimulants by those who have got means
to spend for them, and the rest will take to other
drugs.
36. Reliable information on this head cannot be
supplied.
37. So far as intoxication is concerned, there is,
it is said, difference in the effects of charm and
ganja smoking. Charas is too strong in its effect ;
ganja is not so : it can be smoked five, seven, and
ten times during a day.
38. Reliable information on this head cannot
be supplied.
39. The smoking of any preparation of the
hemp plant is more injurious than eating or drink-
ing, because by smoking it brings on cough and
weakness. It is not mentioned in the medical
books that ganja should be smoked.
40. Ganja is used in the treatment of cattle-
diseases ; but it is said that if it is administered
to cows, buffaloes, etc., their milk is stopped. It
is also used by native doctors as medicine, and
they state that they have got authority in the
medical books.
4 1 . T h e m o d e r a t e u s e o f a n y o f t h e s e d r u g s i sb
e n e f i c i a l i n i t s e f f e c t s
(a) as a digestive ;
(b) to alleviate fatigue under severe exertions ;
(c) as a preventive of disease in malarious and
unhealthy tracts;
(d) in no other way.
Labourers only use moderately any of these
drugs for the purposes above named. The ex-
cessive use of any of these drugs is injurious to
the health.
42. I consider the moderate use of any of these
drugs is harmless.
43. The moderate consumers are inoffensive to
their neighbours.
44. There will be no immediate effect of the
moderate use of any of these drugs on the habitual
and excessive consumers. It is refreshing to the
moderate consumers : it produces intoxication ;
it creates appetite. The effects of it last for one or
two hours. There are no after-effects.
45. (a) The habitual moderate use of any of these
drugs produces noxious effects.
(b)It does impair the constitution in any
way.
(c)It does injure the digestion and cause
loss of appetite.
(d)It does cause dysentery only.
(e)Reliable information on this head cannot be
upplied. But if any new man takes to these
sdrugs lie is naturally to lead to immorality and
debauchery.
It does deaden the intellect and produce insanity.
It produces insanity in the case of excessive con-
sumers. It is temporary and may be remedied
if early steps are taken.
46. The reasons given above apply to this ques-
tion also.
47. The habitual moderate use of any of these
drugs does not appear to be a hereditary habit
and effect in any way the children.
4S. See answer above.
49. Some people use any of these drugs as an
aphrodisiac. It is also used by prostitutes. The
use for this purpose is injurious. Reliable inform-
ation on this cannot be supplied.
50. It is said that the excessive use of any of
these drugs brings on impotency.
51. The bad characters that we have got in this
taluk are not generally the habitual moderate
consumers of any of these drugs. Some of them
are used to these drugs. I don't think that the