Hashish
Hashish, also known as hash or “grass”, is produced from the compacted trichomes of the cannabis plant. The buds and leaves of the cannabis plant contain a lesser concentration of active ingredients than hashish. THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabiol) is the active ingredient in cannabis. The psychoactive effects are similar to marijuana but do differ between types of hashish.
Hashish varies in hardness and flexibility, and softens under high temperatures. Generally, its color is light to dark brown, however, shades of green, black, or ruddy brown are possible. The sticky liquid form of hash oil is either very black or a golden color.
Hashish can be consumed in many ways:
- Smoked in a water pipe, known as a “bong”
- Smoked as a joint (like a cigarette)
- Smoked in a pipe, known as a “bowl”
- Cooked into food, a popular method is hash brownies
- Inhaling the vapors of hot hash oil
- Inhaling the hash vapors through a straw-like tube off a heated piece of metal (i.e. the tip of a hot knife)
The hashish user’s “high”, which lasts about three hours, provokes feelings of peace and relaxation, elevates the mood, reduces stress, and enhances sensory experience.
Some of the possible short-term drug side effects of using hashish are:
- Distortions in perception of time, color, and spatial boundaries
- A dream-like, fuzzy euphoria or feeling of well-being (which peaks after ten to thirty minutes upon usage and may last up to three hours)
- Unexplainable laughter and excitement
- An enlarged appetite or sudden hunger
- Panic attacks and paranoia (especially in novice users)
- Impaired coordination, speech and thought
- Dry mouth and throat
- Impaired short-term memory and ability to make judgments
Long-term side effects of hashish use may include:
- Reduced levels of hormones in men and women
- Temporary loss of fertility in men and women
- Psychological addiction
- Loss of motivation, which healthcare professional refer to as “Amotivational syndrome”
- Lung damage as a result of smoking hashish
- Weakened immune system, lead to frequent throat infections
- Inability to deal with difficult or unpleasant situations, thoughts, or feelings
- Delayed emotional growth in adolescents
- Risk of cancer
- Imperative adjustment issues and disinterest in life pursuits
- Hashish or cannabis abuse is considered (by speculation) a gateway to harder drug addiction
Although hashish is not physically addicting, it is habit-forming and can be abused like any other drug. Psychiatrists and medical physicians look toward addiction as the main issue to battle, and not the substance itself. Individuals seeking more drug information on hashish should ask their healthcare provider, or look to the large amounts of literature available on the Internet or in textbooks. Medical professionals suggest individuals seeking help for their addiction to hashish, or similar cannabis substance, should contact a rehabilitation center, local support groups, a psychologist who specializes in drug counseling, or a sober living establishment that administers a bi-weekly or monthly drug test.