108
REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94.
[APP.
preparation is then filtered, and the fluid essence is mixed with spices such as jaiphal, jaipatri,
kalmi, vilaichi, lavang, khurasni wora; sugar is then separately boiled, and when it is found
to be quite clean and ready for being mixed with the above preparations, it is so mixed, and
the whole thing is once more boiled. This preparation is called majum, which is of a green
colour. I have obtained this information from a well known majum-seller at Ballapur,
whose preparation is celebrated in the province and it is in many places called by name
" Deolal," who was the original owner of the shop. This "Deolal" is used by many people
known to be respectable.
There is another preparation similar to the above and is called the gulab shakri majum.
It is the same as the above, but is coloured red by mixing a small quantity of hingul.
Gulkand.—Essence of ganja prepared just as it is done for majum and mixed with sugar
and rose flowers or seranti flower becomes gulkand.
Yakuti.—Appears only to be another name of majum, but it must necessarily contain
rich spices above mentioned. Majum can be made even only by mixing sugar with essence of
ganja prepared as above stated.
Bhang.—Besides being drunk in the above mentioned manner a preparation of bhang
is eaten. Bhang is first well boiled and washed clean and then dried. It is then pounded
without water and is mixed with a powder of lavang, vilaichi, jaiphal, etc., and saffron. A
small quantity of this powder is mixed with sugar and eaten by some people.
These are the only forms of the drug commonly used in Berar. Charas is not at all
available and is not imported, being considered very costly.
Ganja is smoked chiefly by Kahars, Hamals, Kolees, Tellees, Gossaees, Bairagis, Ma-
homedans, and people of any caste living a vicious life, such as prostitutes, etc. Any
Hindu may smoke it but it is not generally smoked by people of respectability. Ganja smoking
is considered to be a social stigma by people of good society.
Bhang is drunk chiefly by Pardeshis from Hindustan and Marwaris. This drug is not
considered to be so bad as ganja is. Respectable people sometimes drink it without hesita-
tion. Habitual consumers of this drug, however, are not respected in society.
The quantity of ganja and bhang required for a consumer differs according to the liking
of each man. Generally a habitual consumer requires from 6 mashas to two tolas of ganja
er day, but amongst Bairagis and some other people we might find men who consume even
up to 8 or 10 tolas per day.
The proportion of the population addicted to ganja-smoking is estimated to be about one
per cent., but there is no reliable data to come to an approximately correct estimate.
Similarly, no estimate can be formed of the proportion of bhang consumers.
The physical and other effects of the
use of hemp drugs.
The Deputy Commissioner of Akola describes the effects of
ganja and bhang as below:—
"At first ganja smokers feel strengthened by it, which induces them to ganja smoking,
and when it becomes a habit they cannot do without it. Ganja smokers lose strength
gradually, cough sets in, their lips become black and face pale. Excess leads to loss of
memory and in some cases to insanity. The bad effects of ganja-smoking are not seen soon
if the smoker is well fed. It sometimes improves the health, but these are rare cases."
The Deputy Commissioner of Buldana describes the effect of ganja smoking as below:—
"The eyes of the smokers assume a reddish colour, the lips become darker, constitution
lean, weak, and sleepy. Appearance pale, temperament rough in speech and manners and
talkative, asthmatic, peevish, quarrelsome, and unmindful of consequences."
He further says:—
"The use of ganja when it is accompanied by a proportionate amount of substantial
food is considered to be harmless and conducive to a healthy constitution for a time, but
ultimately its natural effects begin to tell on the consumer; he becomes asthmatic and phleg-
matic. Ganja consumption is said to be beneficial to persons living in cold countries or at
places where water is poisonous."
Bhang.—The Deputy Commissioner of Akola says:—
"This drink is said to aid digestion, to sharpen the appetite. No apparent harm is said
to result from the use of bhang except in some cases it leads to rheumatism in the long
run."
The other forms of the drug, majum, gulabshakri, gulkand are not habitually consumed.
They are only luxuries and are taken at times.