25

man who indulges in drugs is looked on much as
a drunkard would he in England.

68. No; in my opinion such shops should not
be allowed.

69. Yes; a local enquiry is made through the
Tahsildar. Local public opinion ought most cer-
tainly to be considered.

23. Evidence of RAJA CHHITPAL SINGH, Assistant Commissimer and Excise Officer,
                                                            Fyzabad.

1.  My information is derived as an excise offi-
cer as well as from the experience of persons who
use hemp drugs, and partly from my own per-
sonal experience of the use of bhang.

2.  Yes; bhang is locally known by its own
name; but its preparations are called by the
consumers thandai, dodhia, majum, etc. Ganja
is also known by its own name. Consumers
call it sulpha sometimes. Charas is known as
charas.

3. In Bahraich, Gonda, Fyzabad, Gorakhpur
and Basti. In Gonda it is found in abundance,
especially in the Bulrampur Estate.

4.  The names are everywhere the same, and the
plants also the same.

5.  The soil must be wet and the climate moist.

6.  It grows very dense.

7.   No.

8.  No cultivation of hemp drugs in Oudh
province,

9.  Unknown.

10.  Hemp is not cultivated at all in the province
of Oudh. Landholders on whose land it grows
spontaneously sell it to drug contractors without
regard to race or religion.

11.   No.

12.  Not in this province.

13.  There is no cultivation of ganja at all in
this province.

Where bhang grows spontaneously, ganja can
there be cultivated; the soil must be wet and the
climate moist.

14.   (c) Refer to answer to question No. 3.

16.   Yes

17.   By none in this province.

18.  Yes, they deteriorate after three years.
They do not quite loss their effect in time, but
intoxication becomes less. They keep good for a
year. Exposure, moisture, and length of time
cause deteripration. No special measures can be
adopted.

19.  Yes; in this province for smoking only.
Sometimes they are used for external application
in gout, rheumatism, etc.

20.  They are not confined to any particular
class of people. Persons who smoke huka can
smoke ganja and charas. Muhammadans and Chris-
tians as a rule avoid them. The labouring class
of people use them most. Charas is used more
than ganja in places which are in the west of this
province, and ganja is used more than charas in
places to the east. For example, Lucknow being
to the west of Fyzabad, charas is consumed more
there than in Fyzabad itself; while in Jaunpur,
which is to the east of Fyzabad, ganja is consumed
in larger quantities than in Fyzabad it self.

21.   Flat ganja (baluchur) is generally used in
this province.

22.  Foreign charas is used. Charas is imported
in this province from Hoshiarpur, Amritsar and
Mian Mir (in the Punjab),

23.   Bhang is never used for smoking,

24.   Fakirs, bairagis, and Hindus generally
drink bhang, and sometimes eat it, everywhere.

25.  On an average the same as before.

27.  Ganja and charas consumers are labourers;
bhang eaters are fakirs, etc., who lead a mono-
tonous life.

28.   (a) Bhang, 6 mashas, half a pice. Charas
6 rutties, one pice. Ganja, 5 rutties, one pice.
(b) Bhang, 3½ tolas, one pice worth. Charas,
24 rutties, one anna. Ganja, 20 rutties, one
anna.

29.  The ingredients mixed with bhang are
cardamoms, almonds, pepper, milk, and sonf, etc.,
to flavour it. Ganja and charas are mixed with
tobacco leaves or prepared tobacco, to last long.
Dhatura is very seldom used. Black pepper is
the only bhang massala, without which it is very
rarely used.

30. (a) Sometimes alone and sometimes with
friends.
(b)    Some women also use them. It is not
confined to any particular age.
(c)  No; on very rare occasions.

31. Continual use of these for a fortnight or so
would bring on the habit. Bhang can easily be
given up, hut not charas or ganja. Yes, ganja
and charas consumers, and not bhang consumers,
contract the excessive use of these drugs.

32.   (a) Bhang is offered to Shiva generally
on the Shivaratri festival. These are also largely
used in the Holi festival.
(b)  It is very essential that bhang should he
offered and drunk on these festivals.
(c)  Temperate.
(d)   No; not necessarily. Not injurious.

33.   (a) Those who do not take it regard it in
a bad light.
(b)    None, as far as religion is concerned.
Socially, it is not considered as an evil by the
Hindus. It is not in disrepute, except among
Muhammadans and Christians.
(c)  No such custom exists in this province.

34.   Yes; it would. It would be in fact taking
away the liberty of the people as far as eating or
drinking is concerned. Labourers and fakirs
would suffer the most, who have no money to
spend on liquor.

35.   (a) No.
(b)  Yes; if procurable.
(c)  Not necessary.
(d) Yes.
(e) If not danger, the mind of the people
would be disaffected.

vol. v.                                                        II