203

subsequently scraped from it and gathered. This
is called charas.

16. Yes; bhang is prepared by the people
generally in their houses. Yes, it can be pre-
pared from the hemp plant wherever grown.

My Assam experience
agrees with this.

H. C. W.

17. Ganja and charas, as far as my experience
goes, cannot be prepared
from the wild plant
wherever it may be grown.

17.   Ganja and charas are, as far as I know,

prepared by the cultivators in the place where
the plant is cultivated; but the preparation of
bhang is not confined to any particular class or
classes of the people. Wherever it grows wild,
any one, who likes, prepares it for his use.

18.   As charas is not consumed in this district,
I have no idea as to how long it can be kept good
and when it deteriorates. But, as it is a resinous
substance, I think it can be kept good for a long
time.

Ganja begins to deteriorate after two years
and loses its effect after three years. Bhang
begins to deteriorate after one year if not carefully
kept, and if carefully kept, it loses its effect after
two years. These drugs deteriorate soon if kept
in a damp and dark place. Insects eat them up.

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

The difference in Assam
is most marked. In the
Surma Valley of that prov-
ince ganja is very largely
consumed especially by the
Sylhet Muhammadans; there
no opium is used. In the
Assam Valley on the con-
trary, where opium is large-
ly used, ganja is hardly con-
sumed. But in the latter
valley there is a great deal
of bhang growing wild.
H. C. W.

20.   Charas is not consumed in this district.
The use of ganja is not confined to any particu-
lar class or classes of the
people, nor to any parti-
cular locality or localities.
It is chiefly consumed by
Bairagis (religious as-
cetics), sanyasis (religious
mendicants) and various
other Hindu fakirs; and
by such people or class
or classes of the people
who totally or of whom most abstain from drinking
tari and spirit (as forbidden drinks); and also
by lower orders of the people.

I do not at all agree with
this answer. I have had
some experience (having
been Excise Commissioner
for Assam ) and find that as
a rule certain localities pre-
fer different kinds of ganja.
Of course the amount of
profit made on each by the
vendor to a certain extent
regulates the kind con-
sumed.

H. C. W.

21.   All flat and round ganja transported from
warehouses to retail shops
are reduced to chur be-
fore they are sold. There
is no difference in the
narcotic powers of these
three descriptions of
ganja, and therefore one
is not preferred to the
other for smoking.

22.   Charas is not manufactured in this or in
any other district in the division, nor is foreign
charas imported and consumed in this district.

23.   As a rule, bhang is not used for smoking.
Very poor people addicted to the use of ganja, if
unable to obtain it, reluctantly gratify their desire
for smoking by having recourse to bhang. Bhang-
smoking is rare and not confined to any particular
locality or any particular class of people. The
smoking of bhang produces severe headache.

24. Bhang is consumed in various forms which
will be described further on. The consumption of
the drug as an intoxicant is very limited in this
district and is not confined to any particular class
or classes of the people, nor to any particular loca-
lity or localities. It is chiefly consumed by

Hindu mendicants, ascetics and high classes, who
abstain from using tari and spirit, except Soti
Brahmins who, without exception, do not use any
kind of intoxicating drug. Of this limited con-
sumption of the drug, a large portion is shared
by the Samastipur Sub-Division in which the
population of Rajputs, Bhuin-hárs, Sakaldipi
and Kánkúbjya Brahmins is considerably large;
a little portion by the Darbhanga Rosera and
Madhobuni Municipalities and an insignificant
portion by the rest of the district.

25.   Charas is not consumed here. The con-
sumption of bhang which is very limited is neither
on the increase nor on the decrease. From the
statistics showing the quantity of ganja annually
consumed since 1874-75, when the district was
formed, it will be seen that the consumption has
been fluctuating and that it decreased last year
compared with that of 1887-88. The decrease is
attributed to the enhancement in the rate of
duty.

26. There are no statistics in the office from
which the proportion of the consumers could be
ascertained. The following may give an approxi-
mate idea of it:—

Charas is not consumed. Bhang is very little
consumed for which there is no shop here.

No statistics kept from which accurate inform-
ation could be given. The following is an approxi-
mate proportion:—

27.   (a) Rajputs, Brahmins, mendicants, men
afflicted with diseases, and also men of the lower
order. The first two because they require some
sort of stimulant, but cannot drink spirit or tari
which they consider from their religious notion
as forbidden drinks. The third for the above
reason as also because the drugs possess a peculiar
kind of intoxication which helps in concentrating
their mind to devotion. The fourth using the
drug as medicine. The fifth, labouring classes, for
alleviating their fatigue.

(b)   Mostly mendicants and men associating
with them and Rajputs.

(c)   Men who use it now and then for medi-
cinal purposes.

(d)   Not confined to any particular class.

28.   Approximately—

                                                    2 F 2