306

   33. The consumption of any of these drugs is
regarded with contempt. I cannot positively
say that there is any organised public opinion.
Yes, the use of any form of the narcotic is general-
ly in disrepute. The sentiment is attributed to
the fact that the consumption of any of these
drugs causes derangement of the brain. No
custom of worshipping the plant.

   34. To forego the consumption of the drug
will be a serious privation, especially to the habi-
tual consumers. When the habit is formed and
becomes second nature, though compliance does
not give pleasure, resistance creates a want or
longing. "The very fact that they are custom-
ary has as its further result the attachment or
clinging of the mind to them, so that their remov-
al occasions a painful sense of strangeness and
craving." This is the law of habit.

   35. No; it would not be feasible. Yes, the
drug will be consumed illicitly. Prohibition is
sure to cause serious discontent among the con-
sumers, though it may not amount to a political
danger. In case of prohibition, recourse will be
had to alcoholic stimulants and other drugs.

   36. Certain cases have come within the range
of my observation, in which alcohol has been sub-
stituted for ganja.

   37. Charas is not smoked here.

   38. Only flat ganja is prepared here.

   39. The popular belief is that eating is more
injurious than drinking, and smoking is more
deleterious than either. I cannot assign any
specific reason. But this much I can say: in
eating or drinking, patti or bhang is generally
used, whereas in smoking only ganja is used, and
ganja is more inebriating than patti or bhang.

   40. Ganja is used by certain native doctors on
account of its medicinal qualities. They think
that it increases virile powers and checks dysen-
tery.

   41. (a) to (c) No.

   Those living in malarial places smoke ganja
under the belief that it prevents malarial fever.
In my opinion it does not prevent.

   42. Very limited use of bhang is harmless.

   43. They cause no manner of offence to their
neighbours.

   44. The immediate effects are: —It is quite
refreshing. It produces intoxication. It does
allay hunger.

   I have seen sanyasis entirely dispensing with
food for days by smoking ganja. But as soon as
intoxication subsides, what is called exhaustion
comes on and all the pangs of hunger that have
been in abeyance are felt. I have also seen that
their bowels are not moved unless and until they
smoke ganja. These effects last so long as
intoxication endures. The effect lasts for an
hour or two.

   45. (b) to (f) No.

   46. Excessive smoking does affect the constitu-
tion and produce asthma. But, excessive drink-
ing and eating do not produce any of these effects
generally, that is, chest symptoms. Excessive
smoking and eating do deaden the intellect and
produce insanity. A few cases of insanity, some-
times of a violent nature, caused by excessive
smoking and eating, have come within the range
of my observation.

   47. I do not think.

   48.I do not know.

   49. Yes. Yes, so used by prostitutes. Long-
continued use sometimes produces impotence.

   50. Excessive use produces loss of senses.

   51. No.

   52. Persons intending to commit suicide or
homicide sometimes have recourse to bhang, so
that they may. be stirred up to commit the
offences.

   53. Likely. No.

   54. Yes, sometimes.

   55. (a) Sometimes.

   (b) Yes.

   56. I do not know.

   57. No charas here.

   58. No.

   61. No.

   68. There are licensed shops.

   69. No, the wishes of the people are not con-
sulted. Local public, opinion should be consi-
dered.

   70. No.

107. Evidence of Assistant Surgeon SALDANHA, Salem.

   1. My information has been obtained from
local vendors of the hemp drug and from several
veteran consumers of the same in some form or
other by careful interrogation, and also from
some non-habitual consumers who have had
opportunities of watching its effects, the uses it
is put to, etc.

   2. The uncultivated plant is not known in this
district, and it is only by special cultivation that
the plant is raised, which is of two varieties,
male and female. The male plant is said to be
useless, and is rooted out and thrown away as
soon as the sex is discovered, so as not to hamper
the growth of the female. A small minority of
my informers told me that the plant in quest is
the male and not the female, but this is probably
a mistake, although a couple of these informers
have had some experience in the cultivation of the
plant on a small scale. Although three narcotic
articles, namely, ganja, bhang and charas, are
generally supposed to be obtained naturally from
hemp, yet in reality it is only the first and the
last, inasmuch as the bhang is purely an artificial
preparation from ganja, into which several other
ingredients enter besides, namely, pepper, garlic,
milk, poppy seeds, cocoanut water, sugar or sugar-
candy, and plantain. Of course it is not neces-
sary that all these ingredients must be present,
but as a matter of fact most of these are.

   Of the two natural products, only the ganja is
obtainable in the local bazars, and that of the flat
variety; charas, the resinous matter, is said to be
the costliest and is wholly exported. The defini-
tion of ganja holds good for this district.

   3. It is denied that hemp ever grows spontane-
ously in this district.

   4. Only known as ganja plant.

   7. Yes; and especially for the production of
ganja. Charas is hardly the object of cultiva-