We often ask ourselves whether the effects of hashish can be compared to the effects of cannabis, how smoking is different from ganja and whether it is better or worse than classic weed.
Starting from the assumption that it is not a competition and there is no winner, this article can be useful to understand which product is most suitable for us. Here's what we'll see:
- What is hashish
- The main effects
- How to recognize a person who has used hashish
- Hashish Effects Vs Cannabis Effects
What is hashish
Among the extracts that can be produced from cannabis sativa, hashish can undoubtedly be counted as the most popular. Hashish is a sort of resin obtained from the processing of female inflorescences and is a highly appreciated product among those who use cannabis.
From a shape point of view, it can be a rectangular block , or an ovule or a sphere .
Generally, the rounded shapes are typical of the softer and more malleable varieties. As for the color, it ranges from dark brown to very light brown , which can reach almost honey or cinnamon.
The consistency can be harder and crumbly (varieties of this type can be used easily, just heat them slightly before crumbling them) or soft and very easy to work with .
Just like cannabis sativa, hashish also has very ancient origins . It was produced from Indian hemp using the hand-rubbing technique and was also usually used in religious ceremonies, rites of passage and festive ceremonies.
The spread of cannabis sativa from India to Morocco, up to North Africa and then to the United States and Europe, has led to the emergence of different processing methodologies for the production of this type of concentrate.
From dry sifting to cold extraction, there are numerous methods from which different types of hashish can be produced.
Just like with ganja, different varieties correspond to different percentages of active ingredients, which determine the strength of the product's effects. In general, the effects of smoking are short-term and as it is a concentrate of trichomes , they can be stronger than those of flowers.
Although in Italy and other countries it is still illegal just like cannabis, because it is considered like very dangerous narcotic substances, the hashish we all know is the one with THC .
However, with the recent legalization of light cannabis, legal hashish has also become a real possibility for all those who want to avoid the psychotropic effects of THC but still discover the therapeutic properties of cannabis sativa.
However you look at it, hashish is a true tradition in the history of cannabis and should be tried at least once in your life, or used in synergy with marijuana for a real taste bomb.
The main effects
The effects of hashish can be more impactful and potent than those of cannabis, as long as the quality of the hashish is truly high. Typically, hash rises faster than weed.
The effect occurs in the short term, about ten minutes after taking it and lasts in the long term, up to two or three hours.
Depending on the specific strain and the indica or sativa component present in greater percentage, the effects can be more relaxing or more stimulating.
Let's see what in general are the main and potential effects that hashish causes in us after smoking:
- Sensation of physical and psychological relaxation
- Feeling of lightness
- Hilarity
- Slightly altered perception of one's emotions
- Feeling of hunger, the classic munchies
- More limited reactivity than normal
- Redness of the eyes
And what are its therapeutic properties as an extract of cannabis sativa:
- Ability to lower blood pressure, especially intraocular pressure .
- Ability to counteract chronic pain, muscle tension, menstrual pain and migraines
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Ability to counteract insomnia and mood disorders
- Ability to interact with our endocannabinoid system
Let's see what the possible side effects may be, if the hashish is consumed in excess or if it is of bad quality or even cut (we will see that it is possible) with other non-natural substances:
- Heachache
- Mouth stuffed
- Dry mouth
- General numbness
- Nausea
- Tachycardia
- Anxiety
Side effects are more likely to occur if hashish is consumed on an empty stomach or together with other substances such as alcohol.
As we mentioned at the beginning, today, together with light cannabis, there is also legal hashish .
Unlike THC-based hashish, legal hashish is free of psychoactive effects and has no side effects. By taking it you will only enjoy the beneficial properties.
Legal hashish comes from legal cannabis sativa plants, contains less than 0.2% THC. As an active ingredient, it can be based on CBD (cannabidiol) and based on CBG (cannabigerol) , two cannabinoids that have all the therapeutic properties of THC but = side effects.
How to recognize a person who has used hashish
Recognizing a person who uses hashish or who has just used it can be complicated. Despite being included among narcotic substances, hashish is a substance that does not cause alterations so important as to be visible to the naked eye.
However, to help us understand, some signs can be taken into account.
First of all, after smoking, the person may have red eyes and unless they have just shampooed, that could be a good sign.
Another important sign could be excessive and disproportionate hunger. And again: if the person in front of us is not as reactive as usual , gets easily enchanted and has difficulty concentrating (unless it is a habit) it can be a further sign.
Smell is also a fundamental element. The scent of hashish, exactly like that of cannabis sativa, is unmistakable. Even for those who don't know it, it can be easy to notice a different scent from that of tobacco.
So in case someone was smoking a joint in front of us, we would notice. Often, the aroma is so intense that it can even be perceived on the clothes of those who use it regularly .
Those who habitually use hashish often have a mix in their room where they keep the mixture of tobacco and hashish or weed and hashish, ready to be smoked.
As for legal hashish, understanding whether someone uses it and whether they have just smoked a light marijuana joint is almost impossible. Since it does not contain THC, it will not cause redness of the eyes or perceptible slowdowns.
A person who has just taken legal hashish may be extremely relaxed but nothing more.
Hashish Effects Vs Cannabis Effects
In general, the effects of hashish are the same as the effects of cannabis. After all, we are only talking about a concentrated form of the same substance . Of course, in some cases they can be more powerful. Basically, grass by nature has a more airy effect, hashish, due to its concentrated nature, has a massive effect.
In any case, there are varieties of weed that have nothing to envy of hashish, both in terms of active ingredients and in terms of effects.
Although they have a lot in common, there are some small differences that can be taken into consideration before choosing whether to smoke or weed. Notwithstanding that they look great together.
The first difference is the duration of the effects . The effects of cannabis usually appear a little later than those of hashish which instead appear in the short term, very short indeed .
Furthermore, but this only happens with low-quality hashish , the long-term effects of hashish can manifest themselves in the form of headaches the next morning. This rarely happens with inflorescences.
Another difference is that it is more complicated to control the quality of hashish . It is not uncommon for hashish to be cut with other substances such as henna, sand or gum . Unfortunately, once mixed with other substances, it can be difficult, indeed it is almost impossible to analyze it.
With inflorescences it is a little easier to establish the quality and determine the degree of naturalness of the herb.
From this point of view, therefore, it is better to choose hashish only if you are sure of the origin of the cannabis plants from which it is produced.
If we want, we can identify another variable in the mode of use. The herb, properly ground , could be ready to be smoked as is. Hashish, on the other hand, requires mixing with tobacco, cannabis or light cannabis to burn at its best.
Additionally, a smoke joint is a long-term joint, meaning it burns less quickly than a weed joint and therefore lasts longer.
Flavor-wise, many cannabis sativa and hashish strains can be similar. However, hashish tends to have a more earthy, pungent and incense-y terpene profile while weed has a more fruity and mossy terpene profile.
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