27
Answer No. 39.
20. Strength 193, including 3 vacancies. The
numbers of each caste or class are stated as per
Form A appended hereto.
The numbers on each caste or class that smoke
ganja and charas are stated in the Form B append-
ed hereto.
24. At present only one, a Brahman, drinks
bhang habitually, and one, also a Brahman, drinks
it but occasionally.
25. The use of ganja and bhang is on the de-
crease. The decrease is attributable to the absence
of habitual consumers, who left the service, and
around whom many other casual smokers used to
flock for pleasure's sake, as well as to its being ex-
pensive.
Charas is not at all used because it is not obtain-
able.
28. The average allowance of ganja to habitual
moderate consumers is the most 6 pies worth or .
2 tolas weight per day. That of bhang, which is
not drunk in the cold season but in the hot season,
as a cooling beverage, with a mixture of black pep-
per, rose-petals, almonds, poppy-seed, milk, sugar
and dill, this preparation being occasional and
among those that can afford to make, costs one to
two annas a day; but the usual preparation by the
habitual moderate drinker consists of hemp leaves,
black pepper and kasni and water and costs one
paisa or three pies.
32. In social gatherings, such as religious festivals,
singing and nautch parties, ganja only is smoked
and passed round as a form of etiquette. Also a
dry preparation of the hemp leaf in sugar is eaten
as sweetmeat which is called majum.
33. The general opinion on the use of these
drugs is unfavourable because they are intoxicating,
but every one has his own particular views on some
particular preparation, which he prefers. As for the
opinion in the native army, there is none to my
knowledge.
The use of these narcotics is in disrepute because
I suppose it is nothing short of vice. The hemp
plant (i. e.) bhang is not worshipped, but its drink-
ing preparation is on Shivratri festival poured on the
god Shiv generally by consumers of the drug
during the adoration of the deity, or puja, and
even non-consumers regard it obligatory to use the
drug on the occasion in memory of the great pre-
dilection the god Shiv had for the plant.
39. The drinking preparation is considered less
injurious than the smoking and eating ones.
Though its intoxicating effects last longer than
those of the smoking one, it is considered less in-
jurious, because of its cooling properties; ganja is
heaty.
41. The moderate use of ganja or bhang seems
to be beneficial.
42. The moderate use of ganja or bhang is eon-
sidered to be harmless, because it does not in any
way injure health.
43. To my knowledge moderate consumers are
not found to be offensive to their neighbours.
44. The immediate effect upon the moderate
habitual consumer of ganja is that he feels himself
at once active, fit for, and inclined to do his work
with a will; that of bhang is slower in its effects,
which are almost the same. Bhang is refreshing,
and ganja is not. They are both intoxicating; they
do not allay hunger; they create appetite. The
effect of ganja lasts more or less one hour, and that
of bhang three hours or so. There do not seem to
appear any after-effects. The want of subsequent
gratification does create a craving for it.
45. It produces no noxious effects.
It does not impair the constitution in any way.
It does not injure digestion or cause loss of
appetite. On the contrary, bhang produces good
appetite when taken in small quantities.
It does not cause dysentery, bronchitis or asthma.
On the contrary, hemp plant preparations are often
used in these diseases to alleviate the sufferings.
It does not impair the moral sense, etc.
It does not deaden the intellect or produce insan-
ity.
I have seen no case of insanity from the habi-
tual, moderate use of any of these drugs.
[Answered by Medical Officer.]
46. This question is discussed afc full length in a
separate sheet, marked C, attached hereto.
49. The use of either of these drugs does not
seem to be practised as an aphrodisiac.
51. There are not many habitual consumers of
the drugs ganja and bhang serving under my com-
mand, as is' shown in the Form B; but hitherto I
have not found any bad character among them. On
the contrary there are some good and exemplary men,
53. The excessive indulgence of ganja and
bhang does not seem to incite to unpremeditated
crime, nor to lead one to temporary homicidal
frenzy; on the contrary, from what I hear, it
incapacitates him from doing any action whether
violent or otherwise, and he lies helpless.
54. I have not come across any case in which a
person has fortified himself with either ganja or
bhang to commit a premeditated act of violence or
other crime.
55. It is possible to stupefy one's victim by
means of ganja or bhang in order to commit any
crime either on his (victim's) person or property,
but to my knowledge no such case has hitherto
occurred.
Complete stupefaction can be induced by either
of these drugs, without any admixture, on non-
consumers. Habitual consumers, from what I
hear, will not easily permit it on themselves.
FORM A.
Showing the numbers of each caste or class of which the Regiment is composed.
DESIS.
PARDESIS.
FOLLOWERS.
Names of castes
or classes.
Brahmans.
Baniyas.
Khowasis.
Kolis. Durzis. Christians. Israel. Maharattas. Muhammadans. Brahmans. Thakurs. Baniyas. Ahrirs. Lodhis. Kurmis. Bhats.
Bhoi. Kajasth.
Gossain. Vacancies. Total. Mohammadans. Barbers. Bhangis. GRAND TOTAL
REMARKS.
Number
2
2
1
2
1 35
4
41 21
35
19
6 4 3 4 2 1 1
1
3 188 2 2 1 193
E 2