50. Evidence of BARU JOGENDRO NATE BA.NDY0PADHYA, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Jalpaiguri.

1. I have derived my experience as the Excise Deputy Collector of the District and as a general enquirer of the subject.

2. These definitions can be accepted for this division-
Flat ganja is locally known as chipta ganja.
Round ganja is locally known as gol ganja.
Broken ganja is locally known as chur.

3. In Rajshahi, Bogra, Rangpur, and Dinajpur. It grows abundantly at Balighara in Bogra, Naogaon in Rajshahi and Mahadevpur in Dinajpur.

4. Bhang and ganja, and in some districts banganja or wild ganja, which is not cultivated, but has an indigenous growth.

5. It grows in temperate climate and moist soil.

6. It is ordinarily dense.

7. In Rajshahi, Thgra, and Dinajpur, special arrangement is made for the production of ganja.

9. Hemp is cultivated mostly on the principle of paddy cultivation, the small plants originally raised from seeds, but afterwards transplanted in rows similar to potato-rows. Free-watering is necessary to keep moisture which, communicated through the roots, promotes growth.

10. No. The agricultural cultivators generally cultivate hemp.

11. No; not in Bengal. It is sometimes the case in Orissa where a sort of hemp is cultivated for narcotic purposes called Gurjat ganja.

12. In Orissa.

13. Yes ; it is restricted to parts of Dinajpur, Bogra, and Rajshahi districts only. Those districts have been selected, as hemp plant for ganja grows in abundance in the particular parts of those districts. If not restricted, its cultivation may be common to all districts of this division except Darjeeling, where its cultivation is impossible for its rocky soil and dry climate.

14. Yes ; ganja plant only is prepared in the districts of Bogra, Rajshahi, and Dinajpur.

16. Yes; bhang can be and is prepared generally by the people in their houses from the indigenous hemp plant wherever grown.

17. There are no particular classes of the people who make the preparations of the hemp drug. Charas is neither made nor consumed in this district.

18. Yes. Bhang loses its effect in two years ; ganja in four years, and charas in eight years. Exposure to moisture and damp causes deterioration. If these are kept in tin-clad chests, placed in well-ventilated room, it may prevent deterioration.

19. Yes ; but the use of charas is not very prevalent in this division. It is only the lower classes of people that smoke ganja.

21. The chur ganja is generally preferred for smoking.

22. It is only the native charas, and that is very rarely used.

23. Yes ; in the districts of Patna and Bhagalpur Divisions by Marwaris, Chamars, and other low up-country people.

24. Bbang is not generally used in this district.

25. The use of ganja is on the increase in this district, as it appears from the increase of its sale.

27. The agricultural people are the general consumers of ganja. They smoke the drug to shake off mental and physical depression caused by excess in labour and climatic influences.

29. Tobacco is generally used with ganja. Some spices, cardamom, cinnamon, black-pepper, sugar, and milk are ordinarily used with bhang, and this admixture is generally called siddhi. The object of such admixture seems to be to add to the narcotic powers of the respective drugs and to render the drink palatable and nourishing in respect of bhang or siddhi. Bhang massala is not prevalent here, and is not therefore sold in the bazar. A preparation like this is sold in the Patna and 13hagalpur Divisions consisting of nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and other ingredients.

30. Ganja is smoked sometimes in solitude and sometimes in company as the opportunity occurs. It is mainly confined to the male sex. It is not usual for children to consume any of these drugs.

31. The habit is easily formed in the lower classes of people. It is not so much difficult to break off as in the case of opium. There is not a tendency in the case of any of these drugs for the moderate habit to develop into the excessive.

32. Siddhi in a sherbet form is used during the Durga puja, Kali puja, and some other minor pujas. This is regarded as essential. It is generally temperate. This is not likely to lead to the formation of a habit.

33. The ganja is almost universally smoked by sanyasis. They use it as helping meditation. It has therefore received a social and religious sanction in their case. But the use of these drugs is generally in disrepute, if used by people for the sake of intoxication.

34. It would be considered a serious privation by the lower classes of people and the sanyasis as they have been habituated to it, though for different objects.

35. It would be difficult to prohibit the use of ganja and siddhi, as these have some sort of social and religious sanction in case of certain sections of the community.
The drug is sometimes consumed illicitly.
The prohibition would occasion serious discontent among the consumers, but there would be no political danger.

36. In higher classes alcohol is now being, to a certain extent, substituted for ganja and charas.

38. There is no very appreciable difference in the effects in kind of the use of the three different preparations of ganja, but there is in degree. As chur is finer than the other sorts and round finer than flat, the intensity of intoxication increases with the increase of fineness.

39. The smoking of any preparation of the hemp plant is less injurious form of consumption than drinking or eating the same, or any other preparation, as there is the least assimilation of the drug with our system in the case of smoking.

40. Native doctors sometimes prescribe Liming as medicine. Ganja is used in the treatment of cattle disease.

41. Yes.
(a) Digestive.
(b) Gives staving-power under servere exertion or exposure and also alleviates fatigue.
(c) Preventive of disease in malarious and unhealthy tracts.
The agricultural people aud the ascetic classes use the drur for the above purposes. I refer to the moderate habitual use of the drug.

42. Yes ; for the reason stated in Answer 41.

43. Yes.

44. It is refreshing. Yes ; it produces intoxication at first. It creates appetite. The want of subsequent gratification produces longing or uneasiness.

45. The habitual moderate use of any of the drugs produces, in some cases, noxious effects on our physical, mental or moral systems, but in the cases of the lower people and the sanyasis it does not. It slightly impairs the constitution in many cases. It sometimes injures digestion or causes loss of appetite. In some cases it causes dysentery, bronchitis, or asthma. It induces laziness, but does not impair moral sense or induce habits of immorality or debauchery. In some eases it deadens the intellect or produces insanity.

47. There are not numerous instances in which the habitual moderate use of these drugs appears to have descended to children.

51. A certain proportion of bad characters are habitual moderate consumers of these drugs, but the proportion is not very large.

52. But the persons, who are addicted to excessive use of any of these drugs, are generally of bad character.

53. An excessive indulgence in any of these drugs incites to unpremeditated crime, violent or othern ise.

54. Such examples are very rare.

55. In very rare cases, criminals induce their victims to partake of any of these drugs, and so stupefy themselves. A complete stupefaction cannot be induced unless dhatura is admixed with it.

58. An increase in the license fees may reduce consumption of the hemp drugs.

66. It is necessary that there should be different rates of taxation for different kinds of ganja as chur is better in quality than round or flat, and round is better than flat.

68. No.

69. In the case of an opening of a shop for selling these drugs, the wishes of    people are not consulted or considered at present. But in my opinion, local public opinion should be consulted and considered before a shop is opened.

70. There are no cases of importation or smuggling of hemp drugs from Native States into our Division. Duty is really paid in respect to the ganja and other hemp drugs used, but by the sellers directly and by the consumers indirectly. Untaxed drugs are not generally used.