379

and dyspeptic people use it to facilitate digestion.
I refer to moderate habitual and occasional use.
The benefit derived from indulgence in such drugs
counterbalances the harm caused by it.

42.  The use of intoxicating drugs, whether
moderate or excessive, like intoxicating liquors
and other exciting causes, undermines the consti-
tution by giving the system an artificial, and
consequently unnatural stimulus. The effect,
however, of moderate use is too slow and small
to be easily perceivable to any appreciable extent.

43.  Yes.

44.  The effects of ganja and bhang are stimulat-
ing and invigorating. They produce a little intoxi-
cation and increase appetite. Although it increases
the appetite, ganja gives the power of enduring
the hunger. Bhang increases the appetite as well
as longing for food. The effect of ganja lasts
for one to two hours, and that of bhang not less
than six hours. Want of gratification at the
prescribed time produces some temporary un-
easiness.

45.  The moderate use of ganja and bhang does
not impair the health appreciably, injure the
digestive power, or cause loss of appetite.

Ganja smoked for years together has in many
instances been found to cause bronchitis and
asthma.

Bhang stops dysentery. Moderate use of the
drugs does not produce insanity. It sharpens,
then deadens, the intellect.

46. All the harmful effects may be produced by
excessive use of these drugs.

49. Yes. Ganja is an antidote to impotency.

51 and 52. A large proportion of bad charac-
ters is either moderate or excessive consumers of
these drugs. The consumption of these narcotic
drugs has no direct connection with crimes of any
general or specific character.

53. Yes. I know of no case.

55. Yes, but complete stupefaction cannot be
induced without admixture.

57. Ganja very scarcely eaten. I know of
some Urdhabahu Jogis eating it.

162. Evidence of RAJA MAHIMA RANJAN ROY CHOWDHRY, Zamindar, Kakina,
                                                                Rangpur.

1. Information obtained from medical men and
from those men who use these drugs.

3.  Hemp plants are cultivated in the districts
of Rajshahi and Bogra. In Naogaon Sub-division
it is abundant.

4.  It is known by the names of ganja and
bhang.

6,  The growth of the wild hemp is ordinarily
dense.

7.  There is no cultivation of hemp, but wild
hemp (bhang) grows abundantly in the jungles.

15.  Cultivated hemp is used in smoking; cha-
ras (cannabis) is also used in smoking. Wild hemp
is generally used in drinking (ghata) and smoking,
and one of its preparations is made with milk and
sugar called majum, and is used in eating.

16.  Bhang is generally prepared by the people
in their home. It can be prepared from the hemp
plant wherever grown. Ganja and charas cannot
be prepared from wild plants.

19. Ganja and charas are used only for smok-
ing.

20. Generally sanyasis and people belonging to
the singing classes smoke ganja and charas.

23.  Bhang is also used for smoking. Those
people who cannot afford to purchase ganja, use
bhang in smoking.

24.  Up-country men are generally accustomed
to drink bhang.

28.  Habitual moderate consumer of ganja
usually smokes one-fourth of a tola per diem,
which costs him one anna, and habitual excessive
consumer smokes one tola per diem, which costs
him 4 annas.

29.  Tobacco leaves are ordinarily mixed with
ganja to make it mild and to prevent coughing;
kneaded tobacco is mixed with charas. Black
pepper, milk and sugar are mixed with bhang to
make it tasteful and to improve its power of intoxi-
cation. Dhatura is not used with any of them.

30.  These three drugs are generally practised in
company. Their use is mainly confined to male
sex. It is not usual for the children to use any
of these drugs; but many of the children of the
sanyasis use ganja.

31. The habit of consuming any of these drugs
is easily formed. It is difficult to break off. There
is the tendency for the moderate habit to develop
into the excessive.

33. Those who use these drugs are generally
looked in bad lights by the public. There is no
such custom to worship the hemp plant.

36.  I do not think there is any reason to believe
that alcohol is now substituted for any of these
drugs. As these drugs are generally used by the
poor people, the price of the alcohol being higher,
they cannot afford to buy it. But these drugs
are sometimes substituted for alcohol.

37.  There is great difference between the effect
of charas and ganja smoking. The ganja is more
intoxicating than charas.

38.  Flat ganja is very strong, chur is less
strong than flat, but round is somewhat milder.

40.  In some diseases bhang ganja is prescribed
by the native physicians. This is also used for
the treatment of cattle.

41.  The moderate use of bhang (ghata) keeps
up the digestive power. The moderate use of
ganja gives temporary relief after hard bodily
labour. Some of the labouring classes of people
use ganja to get refreshed after hard labour.

42.  To say the truth the use of these drugs is
not beneficial to health.

43. The moderate consumers are not offensive
to their neighbours.

44. It is temporarily refreshing. It produces
intoxication. It does not allay hunger. It creates
hunger. It soon drives a man out of temper. Its
effect lasts from three to four hours. Its after-
effect dullness.

45. It causes loss of appetite. It generally
causes dysentery, bronchitis, asthma. To habitual
smokers the use of medicine in dysentery produces
little effect. The excess in practice of it produces
insanity.

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