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      258. Evidence of CHARANJI LAL, Bannia, Contractor, Jagadhri, Saharanpur

1.  I have been a drug contractor all my life.

2.  These definitions may be accepted for bhang
and charas. I know nothing of ganja.

3.  Saharanpur, Umballa, Hoshiarpur, Kangra.
It grows most abundantly in Saharanpur.

4.  Bhang, buti, savi, thanai. All refer to the
same plant.

5.  It grows freely in sand on the banks of
rivers. Coolness and moisture are also essential
to its free growth.

6.  Ordinarily scattered, except where there is a
large amount of moisture.

also in Hoshiarpur and Kangra.
Charas is imported from Kashmir.

15.   Bhang.—In the cold weather the leaves are
-ground up with pepper, almond, etc., and eaten.

In the hot weather an infusion, prepared with
water from leaves of the hemp plant pounded up
with pepper and sometimes other condiments, is
drunk.

Charas.—A layer of charas is placed in a pipe
between two layers of tobacco and smoked. Cha-
ras is prepared by pressing the leaves of the hemp
plant.

16.  As regards bhang. It can be prepared by
the people, from the hemp plant wherever grown
in their houses, and is so prepared.

18.   Bhang keeps good for two years, and cha-
ras for three, after which they deteriorate and
lose their strength. No measures for the preven-
tion of deterioration are effective. Damp hastens
deterioration.

19.  Charas as a rule is smoked. A very small
number of persons in all the districts with which
I am acquainted eat it.

20.  Fakirs and Brahmins principally smoke
charas, though other castes also smoke it. In
Umballa about 2½ per cent. of the population
smoke it.

22.  Principally foreign—imported viâ Hoshiar-
pur from Ladakh.

23.   No.

24.  Brahmins and religious classes principally
drink and eat bhang. Perhaps 10 per cent. of the
population eat or drink bhang (vide answer 15).

25.  Consumption of charas and bhang is on the
increase to a certain extent. Possibly this may
be due to the recent rise in price of liquor, as the
consumption has considerably increased in the last
three years.

27. Fakirs and Brahmins are the principal con-
sumers under each head.

29.  Charas is ordinarily used with tobacco.
Bhang is mixed with pepper, almonds. The
object of these mixtures is to minimise the drying
and heating effect of the drugs. Dhatura is not
so used.

30,  Charas is usually smoked in company, and
bhang in solitude. Women and children very
rarely use these drugs.

31. The habit is easily acquired, is hard to
break off, and the moderate habit tends to develop
into the excessive.

33.  Non-consumers hold the consumption of
all these drugs as discreditable.

There are no religious sentiments or practices
connected with these drugs or their uses.

34.  It would be a serious privation to regular
consumers, and would affect their digestion and
appetite.

35.  It would not be feasible to prohibit the use
of a drug which can be had for the plucking. It
would be illicitly consumed, and the prohibition
would merely cause friction and discontent, which
would not, however, amount to a political danger.

36.  No.

37.  I do not know, but the two drugs are not
interchangeable.

40.  Bhang is prescribed for hœemorrhoids and
other diseases.

41.  As regards bhang and charas—(a) It is
useful in this way to habitual consumers, not to
occasional consumers. (b) and (c) Yes.

43.  Yes.

44.  The effect of charas, which acts very quick-
ly, is to produce intoxication, and if taken in large
quantities, insensibility. It lasts about three
hours. The effect of bhang is the same, but it
acts after an hour or so, and lasts for three hours.
There are no after-effects in either case. They
both create appetite.

45.  No.

46.   Bhang, Charas.—It impairs the constitution,
causes asthma, and injures the digestion and appe-
tite. It also deadens the intellect. It does not
produce insanity.

47 and 48. No.

49. No. It has the contrary effect.

51 and 52. There is no connection between
crime and the consumption, either in moderation
or excess, of hemp drugs.

53 to 55. No.

57.  The effects of eating and smoking charas
are the same in the long run, but it acts more
quickly if smoked.

58.   1 consider the present system satisfactory.
A better allocation of shops might prevent con-
tractors under-selling each other on the borders of
districts and reduce smuggling.

59.   For charas I would recommend the adop-
tion of a system similar to the present opium
system. For bhang this is impossible, as it is a
common weed. Charas cannot be prepared in this
province. I believe the adoption of the suggestion
would increase the revenue and diminish consump-
tion.

65. I think the taxation too light in each case,
and suggest, for charas at all events, the applica-
tion of the present opium system.

67 and 68. No.

69.  The wishes of the people are not consulted
in any way. Shops are located wherever a demand
for drugs appears probable.

70.  There is doubtless considerable smuggling
from Native States, where, owing to lower taxa-
tion, prices rule lower, and I believe the use of
untaxed drugs to be very considerable.