3
18. Madras.—Diwan Bahadur S. Venkata Ramader, witness No. 35, says in answer
to question 35 : "It is not worth while to prohibit the use of ganja and bhang, but it
should be restricted." No danger, social or political, need, he says, be feared.
19. Subapathy Moodelliar, witness No. 175, in answer to question 35 says : " Unless
the cultivation of the hemp plant, which is now promiscuously done, be stopped, it
is not feasible to prohibit the use of any of these drugs. The prohibition will eventu--
ally produce serious discontent, but this feeling will die away in course of time. There
can be no political danger from such a step. "
20. E. Subramana lyar, witness No. 143, thinks prohibition may produce discontent,
but not amounting to political danger.
It is not desired here to form an estimate of the value of the evidence of
these witnesses ; but it is evident that they cannot be quoted as supporting the
view set out in the above extract from the dissent.
STATEMENT II.
Deleterious effects of moderate use of ganja.
Extract from the dissent, P ara. 44
But I find that a large majority of witnesses expressed their opinions about
the effects of the use of these drugs, as will be seen from the
following two statements, one of which is an analysis of the evidence
of the medical witnesses and the other of the non-medical witnesses.
An abstract of the two statements stands thus :—
DELETERIOUS.
NOT DELETERIOUS.
TOTAL .WI I NESSES
( E X C L U D I N G B E R M A
MODERATE.
I
EXCESSIVE..
M0DERATE..
EXCESSIVS.
M e d i c a l
N o n
_ m e d i c a l
T o t a . l
M e d i c a l .
N o n - m e d i c a l .
T o t a l .
M e d i c a l
N o n M e d i c a l
_ T o t a l
M e d i c a l .
N o n - m e d i c a l
T o t a l . M e d i c a l .
N o n - m e d i c a l .
T o t a l .
328
812
1,140
209
414
623
286 561 847
76
167
243
1
1
2
Statement No. II is headed—" List of Medical Witnesses who pronounce
the moderate use of ganja and charas to be deleterious in answer to questions
Nos. 42, 45, and 49 "—being the 209 witnesses mentioned in the fourth column
of the above statement.
The relevant questions are
—
42.
If not beneficial, do you consider the moderate use of any of these drugs to he
harmless ? Give reasons for your answer.
45. Does the habitual moderate use of any of these drugs produce any noxious
effects, physical, mental, o moral : (then follow several specific questions).
49. Is the moderate use of any of these drugs practised as an aphrodisiac?
The following witnesses, among others, are included in the 209 :—
I. Bengal.—B. K. Sen, witness No. 119. Question 42, says: "Moderate use of
bhang and ganja do not seem to produce any serious organic mischief."
2. Upendra Nath Sen, witness No. I I8, does not answer question 42.
In answer to question 45 ( a), (b), and (c) says : " No," ie ., the moderate use of these
drugs does not produce any noxious effects, physical, mental, or moral. Does not injure
the constitution or digestion, or cause loss of appetite. In answer to question 49, says
that its use as an aphrodisiac is not more injurious than its use as an ordinary narcotic.
3. Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Flood-Murray, witness No. 102, says the use of these
drugs when taken very moderately appears to be practically harmless.