295
56. Dhatura is not mixed with bhang unless for
the commission of the offence. Frequently dhatura
is administered in bhang in order to commit an
offence. People who practise this take dhatura in
bhang to accustom themselves to it.
57. I do not think any one eats charas.
58. The present arrangements are, I think, suit-
able.
60. Ganja is neither produced nor used here.
61. Charas is not produced here.
62. Bhang grows spontaneously, and is not culti-
vated. The existing control is excellent, I know
personally that cultivators in whose villages bhang
grows themselves buy it from the farmer.
223. Evidence of SOTI HARBANSA LAL, Brahmin, Zamindar and Municipal Commis-
sioner, Bijnor.
1. I myself have never used ganja or charas, but
have used bhang on some occasions. My answers
are based on my knowledge of various persons who
are accustomed to take these drugs and on my ob-
servation of their habits and mode of life. I have
also derived my knowledge from the persons who
have been long using these drugs themselves.
2. These definitions may be accepted for our
province. Charas is also called here by the name of
sulpha. Ganja is rarely used in this district. Bhang
is also known as buti, bijia and sabzi.
3. In this district wild hemp is generally found
growing in damp places, and it generally grows in
gardens in rainy season. In the jungles of the
Nagina and Najibabad tahsils, it is found growing
in abundance.
7. As far as I know, hemp is not cultivated in
Bijnor district.
18. Yes ; they do deteriorate by keeping. Yes ;
generally after three years they quite lose their effi-
cacy. For two years it keeps good with ordinary
care; exposure to moist air and cold deteriorate them.
If exposed to sunshine occasionally and guarded
against the exposure to moist air, deterioration can
be prevented.
19. In this part of the united Provinces ganja
and charas are used only for smoking.
20. Nagas and other Hindu sadhus smoke ganja
and charas in excess.
22. Charas used here is of two kinds : one is
called " Yarkand," and the other "Garda" or
" Bokhara." They are brought here from Umballa.
23. Bhang is not used for smoking.
24. The Chaube Brahmins of Mathura generally
eat and drink bhang. The consumers are greatly
found in Mathura, Hardwar, Benares, Allahabad
and other places of Hindu pilgrimage.
25. The use of bhang is on the decrease; while
that of charas is on the increase.
Bhang is on the decrease; liquor is on the in-
crease. This drug, viz., liquor, is not confined to
cities, but has found its way even to villages remote
from the Sadar, and can be easily obtained any-
where. They prefer liquor, because in its case they
have to take no trouble to prepare the drink; they
have only to pay for it at the liquor shop and can
take it there and then; while in the case of bhang, as
generally used, they have to adopt the lengthy pro-
cess of pounding and filtering. And those people who
either on religious grounds or for fear of society do
not take wine, have recourse to charas and ganja
which produce the desired intoxicating effect imme-
diately on the very first puff.
27. In the case of bhang.—Excessive habitual
consumers are the Chaube Brahmins of Mathura,
the Pandas of the several places of Hindu pilgrim-
age, and certain other persons from all classes of
Hindus. Habitual moderate consumers come gener-
ally from all classes of Hindus, especially the three
higher castes. Occasional excessive consumers come
mostly from habitual moderate consumers, and to a
certain extent even from those men who are occa-
sional moderate consumers. Such men only go to
excess on festivals and other holidays. Occasional
moderate consumers come from all classes of people,
and many of these use bhang on Holi and Shivaratri
days only.
In the case of ganja and charas.—Excessive
habitual consumers come mostly from Nagas and
other religious ascetics who live apart from worldly
men, and to some extent by Hindus of middle classes
from all castes. These last are those who have
nothing or nearly nothing to do, and who pass
their time in smoking and idle gossip. Such men
are generally uneducated, and for the vice they
practise, are hated by the educated natives. Habitual
moderate consumers are generally found among
Hindus of all castes, but not of a high position of
Indian society. Some of the labouring classes do
use ganja and charas moderately by way of habit to
help their staying-power. Occasional (moderate
and excessive) consumers of ganja and charas there
are hardly any, for those who use these drugs use
them habitually.
It is mostly those men who have very little work
or no work to do that get into a habit of using any of
these drugs, and by their help they are able to pass
away their time in company of other consumers like
themselves. In some malarious places and in the case
of labourers it is necessity that makes them take these
drugs which soon leads to form a habit. Sometimes
young men falling into the society of such consumers
begin at first to take these drugs only with a view
to see whether they possess the qualities which the
consumers ascribe to them, though falsely and with
exaggeration.
29. The ingredients generally used with bhang
are black " mirach, " " kali mirach," sometimes al-
monds, musk melon seeds, poppy seeds, "ilaechies "
and rose petals, aniseed, milk and sugar. In winter
and rainy seasons, however, dry ginger (sonth) and
" ajwain" are also used in order to produce a warm-
ing effect. In this part of the country dhatura is
very seldom used. Black " mirch " is medicinally
beneficial. It takes away from bhang its evil effect;
it makes it more delicious in taste. Almonds, etc.,
are mixed in summer season, in order to make
the bhang cool and refreshing. Milk and sugar they
can mix in all seasons in order to make it refresh-
ing and nourishing.
30. Bhang as a rule is used in solitude; and when
it is used in company, the company is a very limit-
ed one, consisting of not more than three or four
persons. The use of these drugs is mainly confined
to male sex. As a rule children do not take them.
Both young and old take them.
31 (a) Yes ; the habit is easily formed.
(b) In case of bhang it is not so very difficult to