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Hashish
Hashish is the most potent form of cannabis (marijuana). Hash is made from resin which is extracted from the flow clusters and the top leaves of the marijuana plant. Hashish does not include plant material such as leaves, stems and seed which causes marijuana to be less potent then hashish. This is not to say that hashish is always stronger or of higher quality then marijuana, certain strains of high quality marijuana may be more potent then certain strains of low quality hashish.
Hashish consists of the THC-rich reddish-brown to black colored resinous material of the cannabis plant, which is collected, dried, and then compressed into a variety of forms, such as balls, cakes, or cookie-like sheets. Pieces are then broken off, placed in pipes, and smoked.
Most hashish imported into the United States has been stepped (diluted/cut) by dealers making it very difficult to obtain high quality hash. The Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan / Afghanistan are the main sources of hashish. The THC content of hashish that reached the United States, where demand is limited, averaged 6% in the 1990s.
Short-term effects of hashish include problems with memory and learning, distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, and touch), trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of motor coordination, increased heart rate, and anxiety. These effects are even greater when other drugs are mixed with hashish. A user may also experience dry mouth and throat. Hashish smoke contains some of the same cancer-causing compounds as tobacco, sometimes in higher concentrations.
It is believed that hash first originated from Central Asia, as these regions were some of the first to be populated by the Cannabis plant, which may have originated in the Himalayas. Hash quickly spread around the world after the Arabs began to gather and trade it. Production of hash later spread to North Africa (most prominently Morocco) and the Middle East (Lebanon). Consumption of hashish saw a dramatic increase in the 20th century, becoming a popular pastime in Europe and America, gaining prominence in the hippie scene. The greatest export of hashish was in the 1960s and 1970s. Hashish levels declined significantly in the United States starting in the 1980s due to several reasons, including the Soviet war in Afghanistan. This increased the popularity of marijuana use in America, and led to new growing methods such as growing marijuana indoors.
Signs of hashish use include but are not limited to:
Rapid, loud talking and bursts of laughter in early stages of intoxication
Sleepy or stupor like condition in later stages of intoxication
Forgetfulness in conversation
Inflammation in the whites of the eyes; pupils unlikely to be dilated
Odor similar to burnt rope on clothing or breath
Tendency to drive slowly (beneath speed limit)
Distorted sense of time (tendency to overestimate time intervals)
Use or possession of paraphernalia (roach clip, packs of rolling papers, pipes, bongs)
"Munchies" increased appetite
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