Volume 7

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.

    46/430 (page 26)
    drugs. On the whole public opinion may be said to be against the use of ganja, on account of its intoxicating effects. shipping the hemp plant, 34. It would be a very serious privation to fakirs, gosains and similar classes, on account of their being accustomed tv the constant use of the drugs. vation would be serious would probably not exceed at the most 1,000 in the whole of Khandesh, 35. It would be difficult to enforce such a prohibition. There would undoubtedly be illicit consumption. Illicit cultivation of the hemp would be easy to check, but sinuggling would increase. There would undoubtedly be serious discontent among the consumers, but it would not, in Khandesh, amount to a political danger. The 46. The excessive use of ganja, .majum or increase in the consumption of liquor and by a decided increase in the use of tobacco. 38, Tam only acquainted with flat ganja. 39. Smoking ganja is said to be less injurious than eatiug majum, unless the latter is only taken in very small quantities, Majum when to above, but in an aggravated form. Persons who smoke, as some few do, as much as 20 tulas of ganja per diem rapidly succumb to its effects, 47. The habitual moderate useis not heredi- tary and does not in any way affect the children of the consumer. 49, All these drugs, but especially ganja and majum, are used as aphrodisiacs, ‘lhey are also used by prostitutes. The use of these drugs does tend to produce impotence, and in so far that it has this effect it is more injurious than when used merely as a narcotic. 51, Bad characters in so far that they are often persons with no fixed homes, or no regular means of employment, are frequently habitual moderate smokers of ganja. In my experience the use of the drug has no other connection with crime. 583. Excessive indulgence in any of these drugs or other preparations is apt to lead to unpremedi- A man intoxicated by such indul- powerfully intoxicating effect. 40, Ganja is sometimes used by native doctors asa febrifuge and sedative in cases of fever and usthma. It is also occasionally used for poultices and also used for the purpose of relieving pain when performing operations, It is also used b them to check diarrhoea. Bhang is used for cattle when they are out of condition and off their feed ; it has the effect of stimulating their appetite, It is also given to horses for the same purpose. 41. The answer to (a), (4), and (c) is yes, as regards the moderate use of bhang, The moder- ate habitual use is referred to. 42. The moderate use of bhang may be said to be barmless, but the use must be very moderate. 43. Yes, as far as I have been abie to ascer- tain, 44, The immediate effect of the moderate use of bhang on the habitual consumer is refreshing and invigorating. The effect of ganja is to produce a feeling, which is said to be pleasant, of luziness and absence of care, Both bhang and ganja will produce intoxication, if the use of them is excessive. The moderate use of bhang allays hunger and creates appetite. The effect of ganja Jasts for 2 or 3 hours ; that of bhang lasts some- what longer, depending of course on the quantity consumed, excessive use of bhang may create an intoxicating effect which will last for two or three days. Majum and akhoti if taken in moderation do not have an effect until about two hours after consumption ; the effect then lusts for three or four hours, The want of subsequent gratification in the case of habitual consumers produces longing and uneasiness and produces a feeling of bodily weak- ness, Ganja is at times smoked in case of illness, to relieve pain. 45. The habitual moderate use of bhang does not produce any of the first five evil effects re- ferred to in the question ; but the habitual moder- ate use of ganja produces them all. Such a use of ganja may produce insanity, which is likely to up, when there is a chance of the patient reco- vering, Inthe case of a temporary maniac the symptoms may be reinduced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint. Insanes who have no recorded ganja history do at times confess to the use of the drug, any act that occurs to him without considering whether it be good or bad. I know of no case in which it has led to temporary homicidal frenzy. 56, The admixture of tobacco with ganja lessens the intoxicating effect, The admixture of dha- tura increases it. Gota, which I have referred to in my answer to question 29, is mach milder than mere bhang. Majum is decidedly stronger. 58. I am acquainted with the present system and consider that on the whole it works well. There are however two poiuts in which I think there is perhaps room for improvement (see answers to questions 59 and 60). 59. At present a man is allowed to have in his possession 40 tolas of bhang or ganja. Possession of bhang or ganja in excess of this quantity isan offence. I think 15 or 20 tolas ought to be the limit, Even with this amount a man can render himself and 3 or 4 other people intoxicated to such an extent as to lose all self-control, Forty tolas is in my opinion too high. It is impossible to cut the limit down very low, because doing so would necessitate increasing the number of licensed shops in order not to put habitual consumers to great inconvenience, and an increase in the number of shops would tend to cause an increase in the number of persons consuming the drugs, 60. Iam told that the cultivators storing as they do their produce in their own houses and selling it to the contractor, frequently sell the drugs retail, which they are not allowed to do. It has been suggested to me that the drug should, when prepared, be at once taken charge of by Government officers, so as to prevent this’ illicit retail sale. As I am, however, not personally ac- quainted with the system of cultivation and | | any very decided opinion on this point. If any action is to be taken in this direction an amend- ment in the law would appear to be required, 62. Bhang ison the same fooling as ganja in this respect. 63. No. The present system works well aud beyond the point raised in my answer to question 59 I can suggest no improvement, 64. No. The present system works well. 65. Ganja and bhang are not taxed separately in Shandesh. The right of selling these is farmed