Volume 6

Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1893-1894.

  • India. Hemp Drugs Commission.
Date:
2010
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1893-1894. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    30/444 (page 10)
    - Bhang is not prepared locally, but is imported from Northern India. A little used to be formerly imported from Central India, but the import is now said to have ceased, the quality being in- ferior. , It has no separate name. 3. I do not krow of my own knowledge of - hemp growing wild in the Central Provinces, It is not found in this state in Nimar. At least I have met nobody who has ever seen or heard of the wild plant in this district. 7, 8, and 9. See memorandum* on the cultiva- tion of the hemp plant in Nimar. 10. No. .They are the same as the ordinary cultivators—Gujars, Kunbis, and the like. he growth of the plant is certainly not considered in any way derogatory in Nimar, as I think: Prain remarks is the case in Bengal. 11. No. 13. The cultivation of the hemp plant is now trict. It seems to have been established here hefore we took over the country. In Burhampur the cultivators are said to be ignorant of the cul- tivation of gatija. For conditions of soil, etc., see reply to questions 7, 8 and 9. 14, Ganja alone prepared locally, Charas is practically unkvown, and bhang imported. Ganja is prepared only in the Kbandwa tahsil, Extent of ganja manufacture is treated of in a separate memorandum, 15. See separate memorandum. 16, Bhang is never prepared by the people, 17, The cultivators of the hemp plant prepare ganja, It leaves their hands substantially as it is smoked, except that the “kali” (the dried flower) still adberes to the stalk. The former is picked in the storehouse at Khandwa, and then despatched to different places for consumption. 18. Ganja does deteriorate by keeping, It is best when fresh, but keeps fairly well up to two years, after which period its strength goes. I can assign no special reason for this except the process of age. 19, As far as I can learn, ganja is almost entirely used for smoking. But it is also occa- into majum, a confection into which various in- gredients, butter, sugar, etc., enter. Majum is usually prepared from bhaug, but people who want a stronger preparation sometimes use ganja for the purpose. 20. Ganja is used by all consumers of the drug, except those who use bhang (see question 24). In other words, ganja is the form in which the drug is used by the lower and labouring classes, while the better classes take bhang. I am unable to say what proportion of the people use ganja. 21. Only flat: ganja is known bere. 23. Its use for smoking is not known here, 24. Bhang is used by the better classes, more especially by Marwaris, Gujaratis, and people from Northern India. It is commonly drunk. In the hot weather particularly it is used in liquid form. Inthe cold season it is frequently eaten with “ massala” of various kinds. Condiments also enter into the composition of the emulsion which is made with bhang. It is mainly the season of the year which determines whether bhiang is taken in liquid or in solid form, The Published in Vol. III, Appendices. use of the drug in one or other‘of these modes ‘is. not confined to any particular class. 25, I have no information on the subject. The printed excise reports are the sole authority to whict I could refer, 26 and 27. I am unable to give information on this subject. 28. Habitual excessive consumers of ganja smoke more than 5 tolas of the drug per diem: One of my informants told me he would smoke a quarter of a seer could his means afford. As the habitual excessive consumer is frequently a man of limited means, often leading a hand-to-mouth existence, his consumption is generally limited in comparison with his desire for the drug. The bazar rate is half a tola for an anna. Habitual moderate consumers take about half or one tola a day, costing from 1 to 2 annas. 29, Ganja is almost always smoked with tobacco, But see answer to question 19 as to its being sometimes prepared as majum, ‘This is very un- Bhang is used with cardamoms, cloves, black pepper, almonds, melon seeds, aud various other spices. The only reason for this is to make the compound palatable and tasty. Occasionally copper coins are boiled in an emulsion of bhang. This is said to increase the intoxicating power ° of the drug. I have no information as to the use of dhatura with bhang. 30. Ganja smokers certaiuly prefer to smoke in company. ‘The use of ganja is mainly confined to the male sex, but women, and ‘especially prosti- tutes, occasionally cousume the drug, Children do not smoke ganja, The habit is acquired, much* hike tobaceo smoking, when the youth wishes to be considered a man. 31. The habit of ganja smoking is easily formed, and is difficult to break off, There is, as far as I can make out, little, if any, tendency for the moderate habit to develop into the excessive. This I have found to be the general opinion of the moderate smokers I have seen, The expense of the excessive habit is besides a great prohibitive. _ 32. I know of none in connection with ganja. It is, however, usual for bhang to be indulged in by all classes, slightly of course, at the time of the Holi festival, as an accompaniment of the general iS 33. I think there can be no doubt that the con- sumption both of ganja and of bbang is regarded as lowering, but I should not say that public opinion is very pronounced on the subject, . There is. not the same concealment about bhang—to some extent takes place in private among the upper classes, showing that they would consider it disreputable to be publicly considered addicted to the drug. Among the lower classes, though the habit of ganja smoking can hardly be said ‘to be looked upon with repute, there is little senti- ment about the matter either one way or the other. Ican account for the consumption of ganja being looked down upon only on the grounds that ally the poor man’s drug. There is not the same prejudice among the upper classes against the use of bhang as there is against gauja smoking, 34. If the ganja supply is stopped, there would be anoutery amoung almost’ all classes: of con- sumers. As the great: proportion of consumers