Hashish

This is usually known as ‘hash’ for short: it is a strong form of marijuana which is produced from the flowers of the female cannabis plant.

Trichomes

The female plant contains small outgrowths (e.g. fine hairs) known as ‘trichomes’which are concentrated on the buds of the plant. These trichomes are home to tetrahydrocannabinols (THC’s). Tetrahydrocannabinols (THC’s) are the chemicals responsible for the mind altering effects of marijuana. They cause feelings of elation (known as being ‘high’) or a pleasant sleepy feeling (known as being ‘stoned’).

THC’sare also responsible for hallucinogenic effects.

These trichomes change colour as the plant goes through its growth cycle. They start off as transparent, change to a milky white colour before eventually settling on a light brown colour. The light brown colour appears in the final stages of flowering.

This all depends upon the growing conditions and the type of cannabis plant.

Hashish decreases in strength the longer it is stored. This also happens if it is exposed to heat, light and air.

Trichomes and THC’s

It is an individual decision in regard to harvesting resin from the female cannabis plant.

There is a certain point in the flowering stage where the trichomes change colour and produce a maximum amount of THC’s. Some people choose to harvest resin at that stage in order to achieve an intense high.

Whereas other people will harvest resin at a later stage in the growth cycle which results in relaxed, drowsy feelings instead of an elated high.

Colour and texture of hashish

These trichomes produce a sticky resin which is harvested from the plant and made into a paste or pressed into blocks. These blocks are black or brown in colour and have a soft, malleable consistency.

Purity and potency of hashish

This is determined by the colour of the resin block which is an indication of whether hash has been mixed with another substance. One example of this is using small pieces of leaves to bulk out the resin which affects its potency.

A block of resin is usually black or brown in colour but one with a green tint suggests that it has been mixed with other ingredients such as chopped leaves.

Good quality hashish has a soft texture and a high level of THC’s. A harder block of resin suggests a lower level of THC’s and less potency.

Gathering hashish

Hash is usually harvested in two ways:

• Rubbing
• Sieving

Rubbing means using the hands to rub the resin off the plant onto the hands where it is scraped off and rolled together to form chunks (or blocks).

Sieving involves drying out the cannabis plant before grinding it into a fine powder. This powder is then put through a large sieve and the process is repeated but each time with smaller and smaller sieves.

This increases the potency of the powder.

This powder can be smoked in its current form, or pressed into a resin block and then smoked or eaten.

These are the traditional ways of harvesting hashish but there are quicker and more effective ways of doing so.

Using hashish

Smoking is the most popular way of using hash although it can also be eaten.

There are several ways of smoking hash which include mixing the resin with tobacco to form a ‘joint’; smoking the resin on its own via an empty cigar casing (known as a ‘blunt’); smoking it through a pipe or a bong.

Hash can be added to food although this is less popular than smoking it. The chemicals within hashish are fat soluble which means it can be added to oils or butter during cooking.

A popular example of this is the ‘hash cake’.

Effects of hashish

This produces a state of intense euphoria in which the person becomes talkative, lively and outgoing.

Sounds, colours and textures appear to be more clearly defined than normal and they may notice objects which are not normally there.

This is the hallucinogenic effects of hashish.

Some people become hyperactive and elated whereas others find that they feel very relaxed, sleepy and withdraw from conversation.

This is known as being ‘stoned’.

These are discussed in more detail in our effects of marijuana section.