300

    33. There is no public opinion in regard to the
use of bhang. The followers of Shiva (Shivites)
look upon bhang as sacred, because their god
(Shiva) was, they say, fond of it, and took large
quantities of it.

    Charas and ganja is in disrepute with the Sin-
dhis because it produces cough, asthma, and some-
times impotency.

    34. Yes, to habitual excessive consumers it will
be a privation.

    35. If prohibition be ordered, other poisonous
drugs, such as dhatura, etc., would be used by the
excessive consumers, or the drug would be used
illicitly. It would cause discontent, but not such
as to amount to political danger. The well-to-do
will use liquor, and fakirs dhatura, aconite, etc.

    36. No.

    37. I cannot say. Ganja takes more time than
charas to produce the necessary effect. I am in-
formed that charas and ganja smoking has injuri-
ous effects on the nervous system.

    38. I do not know. Round ganja is not import-
ed in Sind.

    39. Bhang is generally drunk. When it is
smoked, it serves the purpose of ganja and charas
(vide answer to question 15). Ganja and charas
are smoked. Some fakirs eat charas, and it is said
that it is not less injurious in that form.

    40. Yes, bhang only. The twigs are also used
with other medical drugs, and given in piles and to
check diarrh'a. Yes, bhang only.

41. (a) Yes; bhang only.
(b) I do not know. Charas and ganja are, however, stated to give the staying power.	Moderate use of bhang beneficial, but not that of charas and ganja.
(c) No.
(d) I cannot say.

   Vide answer to question 27.

   I refer to moderate habitual use of the drugs.

   42. Yes, of bhang harmless, but not of charas
and ganja.

   43. Yes.

   44. Bhang is used as a refreshing draught, as a
tonic to help digestion, and by old persons to bring
on sleep. Bhang, charas, and ganja produce in-
toxication. The effect lasts from one to three
hours. It varies according to constitution and
temperament. The after-effects of charas and
ganja are cough and asthma, produces longing, and
in some cases uneasiness as well.

   45. (a) I think not.

   (b) and (c) No.

   (d) The use of charas and ganja causes bron-
chitis and asthma.

   (e) and (f) No.

   (g) I do not know any case.

   46. (a) It causes loss of strength, trembling and
mental weakness, and enfeebles the constitution.

   (b) Yes; it causes loss of appetite.

   (c) No. The use of charas and ganja causes
bronchitis and asthma.

   (d) It induces laziness.

   (e) It has in some cases produced insanity.
Reliable information on the point can be had from
the returns of the Lunatic Asylum, Hyderabad,
Sind.

   (f) I do not know any case.

47. No.

48. Not as a hereditary habit.

49. In regard to charas and ganja only.

   (a) and (b) Yes.

   (c) Yes; it produces more weakness.

   (d) No.

   50. (a), (b) and (c) Yes.

   (d) Yes; it enfeebles the system.

   51. (a) and (b) No.

   52. (a) They are as a rule habitual excessive
consumers.

   53. I think it does. Some years ago a sepoy at
Hyderabad ran amuck, and it was believed that it
was owing to his having indulged in the excessive
use of bhang.

   54. I think they are.

   55. (a) Sometimes a preparation of bhang called
majum is used for this purpose.

   (b) I have been told that complete stupefaction
can be induced by administering any of these drugs
without admixture in sufficiently large doses.

   56. (c) Dhatura is sometimes used as one of the
ingredients in the preparation of majum (bhang
preparation).

   57. Not in Sind, as far as I know.

   58. The present system is based on Bombay
Abkari Act V of 1878 and the rules framed there-
under.

   59. It is capable of improvement only in one
direction. There should be local option. No shop
should be allowed to be opened until the wishes of
the people living in the neighbourhood are consult-
ed, and there should be also supervision over the
kind of hemp drugs used by the retailers.

   60. Ganja is not produced in Sind.

   61. Charas is not produced in Sind.

   62. If it can be arranged, cultivators should sow
hemp seeds and reap the crop after getting the
necessary permit from revenue officers, which is not
the case now.

   63. Perhaps it will be as well to fix the maxi-
mum price for one tola of each drug, and to bind
the retailer not to sell more than 5 tolas of bhang, 1
tola of charas, and 1 tola of ganja to one person in
one day.

   64. No.

   65. The privilege is put up to public auction.

   The system as regards the levy of duty on alco-
hol is different. There is a distillery at Kotri, and
the duty which is levied on all liquor manufactured
there varies according to strength.

   66. No.

   67. None, but the alterations proposed may be
considered.

   68. There are no such shops, but where they
exist they should be closed.

   69. No, but they should be.

   70. I do not know any.

Appendix.

BY A MEMBER OF THE RAND OP HOPE, HYDERABAD,
SIND.

   I am not aware that charas and ganja are
prepared anywhere in Sind, but they are used for
smoking, though their use is confined to the lower