329

      248. Evidence of KANTA PRASHAP, Kayasth, Petition-writer, Bhurtna.

1.  I have consorted greatly with fakirs and
habitual consumers of the drugs.

2.  There are no other local names. The defini-
tions may be accepted.

18.  Ganja and charas are only smoked.

19.  Low castes and fakirs smoke ganja, and
this more in cities than towns. Charas is very
rarely smoked.

21. Gol ganja is mostly smoked.

23.  Bhang is never smoked.

24.   (a) Brahmins, thakurs and baniyas chiefly
eat bhang.

(b) The above also drink it, but very little.

25.  The use of all three is on the increase, as it
is much cheaper since the introduction of railways.

26.   (a) About one-third.

(b)  About one-half.

(c)   About one-quarter.

(d)  Nearly one-quarter.

27.  Bhang is mainly consumed by Brahmin
Chaubes to an excessive degree for the purpose of
making themselves strong pahilwans. Bhangis,
chamars, dhobis, etc., consume ganja and charas
moderately. Fakirs consume ganja and charas
immoderately.

29.  Bhang is usually eaten with (a) pepper,
illaichi, sugar and milk. Ganja and charas are
smoked with tobacco.

30.  All three drugs are almost entirely consum-
ed in company. It is confined to the male sex,
and usually consumed after the age of thirty.
Children never consume it.

31.  The habit of smoking ganja is easily formed,
that of bhang not so easily. Ganja and charas
are left off with difficulty, while bhang is more
easily given up. The habit in all eases has a great
tendency to increase.

32.  I know of no such custom.

33.   Charas and ganja-smoking is very badly
thought of. Bhang is not thought to do much
harm; charas and ganja are in bad repute, because
they produce madness and bad habits.

34.  It would be a serious privation to consumers
of ganja and charas to forego their consumption,
because a great craving for them is always present.
The consumers of bhang would not suffer. Consum-
ers of ganja and charas are one-half the popula-
tion, and those of bhang one-third.

35.  I do not think there would be very serious
discontent among consumers if all these drugs
were prohibited. There would be a certain increase
in the consumption of spirits and a very large one
in that of opium and drugs made therefrom.

36.  No. The contrary is the case.

37.  Charas is very much more intoxicant than
ganja, and produces madness more easily; flat
ganja is the most intoxicating and maddening,
chur is less so, and round is the weakest of the
three.

41.  Bhang used moderately is beneficial in cases
(a), (b) and (c); but ganja and charas are not so.

42.   Bhang I consider to be harmless when used
in moderation. It increases appetite and does not
affect the brain.

43.  Moderate consumers are never offensive to
their neighbours.

44.  Bhang produces immediate intoxication,
which lasts for three or four hours. It produces a
great appetite. The after-effect is often great
slackness.

Ganja produces still more immediate intoxica-
tion, winch lasts for about one hour. It allays
hunger and produces great lassitude. There is a
great craving for it afterwards.

The same is the case with charas.

45.  Ganja and charas are injurious in every
way. They injure the digestion and cause obstruc-
tion to the bowels. It does not increase immoral-
ity. It produces temporary insanity. The symp-
toms are great blackness of face, bloodshot eyes,
and much noisiness of demeanour. Bhang does
not produce any ill-effects when taken in modera-
tion. I do not think that insanity tends to a
consumption of hemp drugs.

46.  All these drugs are injurious when consum-
ed in excess. Bhang when thus consumed produ-
ces intense lassitude and sleepiness.

47 and 48. No.

49. Bhang is used as an aphrodisiac, but not by
prostitutes. Ganja and charas produce impo-
tence.

51.  In my opinion there is no connection between
bad characters and the moderate consumption of
hemp drugs.

52.  When hemp drugs are consumed excessively,
crime may be the result, as the consumer's
property is sold to pay for his drugs and he does
not work honestly.

54 and 55. No.

56. (a) Bhang, when eaten with pepper, sugar,
etc., is much stronger than when eaten alone.

244. Evidence of PIYAKI LAL, Kayasth, Petition-writer and Doctor, Khair.

1.  I have practised as a doctor for seven or eight
years. I have used bhang. I have used charas
also in my youth, but not ganja.

2.  Bhang is called bijia about here; warq-ul-
nishat and warq-ul-khiyal in Persian, and qinnab in
Arabic.

3.  Bharatpur (very abundant).

6. Rather scattered.

14. (c) Have seen bhang cultivated and made
to a small extent in Bharatpur.

16. Ganja and charas can be made anywhere.

18. Bhang spoils after a year, and also is injur-
ed by cold.

20. Fakirs (about 70 or 80 per cent.); Kayasths
(about 2 per cent., but not charas); Brahmins
(about 8 or 10 per cent.); Banias (about 3 or 4
per cent.); Kahars (about 50 per cent.); other low
castes (about 20 or 25 per cent.).

22. From Kandahar and Kabul.

vol. v.                                                         2 z