CH. XIII.] REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. 257
intoxicant to supply Dutch courage. But it seems just as common with him to
desire to keep his head clear, and therefore to avoid all intoxicants. No man,
of course, who was not unaccustomed to the use of hemp drugs would turn to them
for any of these purposes. There would be too great a risk of the unaccustomed
intoxicant disabling rather than nerving the man. There is one class frequently
mentioned in some parts of the country by whom the drugs are no doubt used,
viz., "lathials" or professional clubmen, who are employed occasionally as mer-
cenaries in riots and assaults. These men, like many wrestlers, use the drug
habitually, and no doubt indulge in it before going out on their work.
Do criminals administer them to
their victims?
545. About the same number of witnesses deal with the question whether
criminals use hemp drugs to stupefy their victims.
By a majority of about three to two, they answer this
question in the affirmative. The question arises
whether complete or sufficient stupefaction can be induced by the administration
of these drugs. There seems to be considerable doubt on this point. It is a
very general opinion that only persons unaccustomed to the drugs could be ren-
dered insensible by them, and such persons would not take the drugs. No doubt
ganja might be administered in a chillum with the pretence that there was no-
thing there but the tobacco with which it was mixed. But this as a rule would
involve too much risk. Ganja would be too readily detected by smell and flavour.
Many even of those who believe that hemp drugs could produce sufficient stupe-
faction speak also to the admixture as a general rule of more potent drugs, such
as dhatura. As to cases, it is far easier to get many established cases of such stu-
pefaction by dhatura alone than to get one where hemp drugs were clearly the
narcotic employed. There are two special instances of this kind of use of hemp
drugs mentioned by some witnesses, viz., thefts of ornaments from prostitutes
intoxicated with bhang, and thefts of ornaments from children stupefied by
majum sweetmeats. These, however, do not appear to be common. It is difficult
to get instances of any such use of these drugs. The evidence in support of the
view that they are so used is largely hearsay and based on mere rumour. On the
whole, it is very improbable that the drugs are much used in this way; for
dhatura, a much more potent drug, is more easily available and more easily
administered.
Evidence that excessive consump-
tion is not connected with unpre-
meditated crimes, especially crimes
of violence.
546. There seems, therefore, good reason for believing that the connection bet-
ween hemp drugs and ordinary crime is very slight
indeed. There remains for discussion their alleged
connection with unpremeditated crime, especially
crimes of violence. In this connection it seemed only necessary to consider the
excessive use of the drugs. This, then, was the question put before the witness-
es, whether excessive indulgence in any of these drugs incites to unpremeditated
crime, and whether they knew cases in which it had led to temporary homicidal
frenzy. This question has been discussed by nearly six hundred witnesses, of
whom a majority of very nearly three to two answer in the negative. They do
not believe in any such connection. Their experience has not brought before
them cases in which that connection seemed to exist. Some of them have
clear recollection of crime being associated by causation with alcohol, but can-
not recall any case in which it was similarly associated with hemp drugs. They
will not go beyond their experience, and therefore they answer in the negative.
65