243
3. Bhang grows spontaneously in Bahraich,
Gonda, Kheri, towards the Nepal boundary, and in
Katiari in the Hardoi district ; also in Kathri,
Chandpur, in tahsil Kanauj, and Chapraman and
Thathia (towards Farukhabad). I do not know
where it is abundant.
6. The wild bhang sometimes grows densely
and sometimes in a scattered manner.
7. (a) and (b) No.
(c) In Katiari (Hardoi), about 200 maunds a
year are produced.
(d) No, though the seeds are collected.
8. Decrease ; 1,000 maunds a year were formerly
produced. The old hemp cultivators now sow
poppy and sugarcane.
9. They sow bhang with wheat in wheat-fields.
When the wheat has ripened and been reaped,
the bhang plants shoot up.
10. No special class ; ordinary cultivators or
kachhis.
13. Ganja not cultivated at all in Oudh.
14. No, as far as I know.
18. Ganja and bhang keep for two years only.
Charas, if dry, only for a few days. Then they
entirely lose their effect. With ordinary care
they can be kept for three years. Extremes of
cold cause ganja and bhang to deteriorate, and
extremes of heat charas.
19. Ganja and charas are only used for smok-
ing ; but the oil extracted from charas is used in
Yunani medicine to restore enfeebled vigour.
20. Low caste people generally.
22. Foreign ; imported from Samarkand via
Hoshiarpur and Amritsar.
23. Never.
24. All classes of Hindus eat and drink bhang.
25. The consumption of all three hemp drugs is
on the increase. No special reason, except that
as other evil customs are increasing in these days,
that is too, or because, owing to greater facilities
in obtaining them (there is greater trade and
there are more shops), they come within the reach
of people who could never obtain them before.
30. Consumption of all mostly in solitude.
Hindu women sometimes consume bhang, but
charas seldom, and ganja very seldom. These
drugs are usually consumed by men only. They
are not given to children. They are usually con-
sumed by "adolescents" and old men.
31. Habit easily formed. Not so difficult to
break off as the opium habit; hut can be easily
broken off, as the habit of using tea can. Natives
who do not drink tea daily can give it up more
easily than Europeans.
32. No social or religious customs as to drugs ;
but when people call at a bhang drinker's house,
bhang is offered like the "huka ;" not so ganja
and charas. The habit is not formed by partak-
ing of these drugs occasionally in this manner.
33. With disfavour. Social opinion among the
Hindus and leligious opinion among the Muham-
madans condemns it : charas or ganja much more
so than bhang, because ganja and charas are more
injurious than bhang, and are mostly used by low
castes. The habits of life of those who use ganja,
charas and bhang are worse than the habits of
those who do not. The hemp plant is never wor-
shipped.
34. No serious privation to any class. None
could not abandon it, because the intoxicating
influence 60on goes off, so the habit does not form
very easily. The more a person is accustomed to
take drugs, the more difficult it is for him to give
them up.
35. It would be feasible to prohibit all, but
difficult in each case, because those accustomed to
use drugs would feel the loss of them ; but they
could overcome the feeling. Certainly it would
be consumed illicitly to some extent. The prohibi-
tion could be enforced by forbidding cultivation
and sale. Some discontent would no doubt re-
sult ; but it would not be serious or amount to a
political danger. The consumers would certainly
resort to both alcoholic stimulants and other
drugs. Those who could afford it to eat would
resort to alcohol, and those who could not to other
drugs.
39. Smoking affects the heart and brain much
more than eating or drinking because of the heat,
and is therefore more injurious. It also affects
the lungs, because they are soft and spongy, and
the ganja smoke permeates them. Bhang eating
and drinking affect the heart, stomach, and liver,
but very gradually.
40. Yes ; Hindustani (Yunani) doctors pre-
scribe charas and bhang (never ganja), but to a
very small extent, and very carefully and with
great caution. I don't know about their being
used for cattle disease.
41. (a) Bhang is used as a food accessory, and
to a certain extent as a digestive, because on
account of its dryness it sops up the moisture of
the stomach, and strengthens digestion ; but when
the moisture is entirely dried up thereby, it affects
digestion prejudicially, i.e., its prolonged use be-
comes injurious instead of beneficial to the diges-
tion. Ganja also increases the digestive powers,
and when people are seized with vomiting after
meals it helps to prevent it.
(b) To alleviate fatigue and to give staying-
power ganja and bhang are used.
(c) To prevent ague and fever bhang is given
in very small quantities ; not specially in malari-
ous, etc., tracts.
(d) Fakirs and jogis use ganja and bhang be-
cause they increase the power of meditation (union
of man with the deity "ana'lhaqe"), and it is
believed that after death a drug consumer's bones
do not rot.
Moderate occasional use.
42. Even moderate use harmful, because it
affects the digestive powers, and thus induces other
diseased conditions.
43. They are not uproarious like consumers of
spirits; but the smell of ganja, when it is
smoked, is offensive.
44. The immediate effect would be gratification,
as in the case of any other habit. Bhang and
charas are refreshing and intoxicating ; they re-
move the pangs of hunger where they exist, and
create appetite where it is wanted. But ganja
only produces intoxication and sleep to a
great extent. Ganja-smokers sometimes derive
much pleasure thence, and sometimes much terror.
The ganja intoxication goes off in about 15
minutes, and the bhang intoxication in two or three
hours. There are no after-effects. The want of
subsequent gratification produces uneasiness.
45. Noxious, physical, mental and moral effects
are produced by such use. Though morals are not
directly impaired, still through the heart and brain
being affected, morals must suffer. For a time,
VOL. V. 2 M 2