When talking about recreational drugs, marijuana is the first to come to mind. People sometimes confuse marijuana with hashish because they both come from the cannabis plant. But what is hash exactly, and how it is different from marijuana? Read along to learn more about hash and its features.
What Is Hashish
People often ask, is hash weed? The answer is no, but they have similarities, of course. When marijuana or simply weed means dried flower buds of a cannabis plant, hashish goes a bit further. Hash is made of trichomes growing on the cannabis buds. These trichomes produce resin with a high potency of cannabinoids. One of the main things that distinguish hashish from marijuana is the method of making it. The resin is the main target, and it is separated to produce a much more potent substance than weed.
How is Hash Made
One of the key differences between hash vs weed is how they are produced. If you are wondering how is hash made, there are a few different methods of making hashish, and they date back centuries in certain cultures. The trichomes are collected to be then processed and pressed into blocks. Sometimes, hash is made into oil. When marijuana is made by drying cannabis flower buds, as you would normally see in Lemon Haze Strain and other similar weeds, hash comes as a compressed and very potent substance.
Types and Varieties of Hash
One of the reasons why people often ask what is a hash drug is that it can be made in quite different ways. They are ancient traditional ways that come from countries like India, Afghanistan, Morocco, and more. Here are some of the most popular ways of producing hashish:
Hand-rolling resin – this method is common in India among other countries. In this case, people rub the buds on cannabis plants for a long time for the trichomes to start producing more resin. This substance then sticks to the hands and can be hand-rolled into balls or elongated sticks. It has a creamy texture and needs a lot of time to dry to get rid of unnecessary moisture. One of the most famous types of hand-rolled hashish is called Charas.
Dry-sieve – this method can be considered the most popular these days. To obtain this hash, people shake alive cannabis plants with a mesh underneath to catch all the falling trichomes. The mesh must be fine, and the finer it is, the better will be the end result. If you want to try dry-sieved hash, some of the best types are Ketama Gold, Double Zero, etc. For example, Ketama Gold is known for its sweet and piquant aroma.
Bubble – this type of hashish is also called ice water. The method of making it is very unique and differs from the previous ones. It is necessary to freeze the buds and put them into ice water. When shaking the mixture, frozen trichomes start to separate from the buds. Then, it is necessary to sieve everything a few times to receive a somewhat crumbly and crystallized resin. The texture of this hash can be compared to sugary honey.
Rosin – this is one of the latest methods of producing hashish. This solution is also very simple in comparison with other more traditional ways. In this case, the buds are exposed to heat and pressure to melt the resin. This way a golden and liquid extract is obtained. It is potent and very flavorful.
Each type has different potency, flavor, texture, etc. Choosing the best kind of hash depends on your preferences and CBD tolerance.
What are the effects of the hash?
Now that you know what is hashish, it is time to learn about its short-term and long-term effects, as well as possible side effects. Overall, people use hash to achieve the same high as they would normally have with weed.
Short-Term Influence
- Feeling relaxed;
- Happiness;
- Feeling stronger emotions;
- Enhanced sensory experiences;
- Being more social, etc.
Long-Term Influence
- Problems with breathing;
- Losing immunity to colds and similar sicknesses;
- Sexual dysfunction;
- Lack of motivation;
- Depression, etc.
Potential Side Effects
- Nausea;
- Vomiting;
- Racing heartbeat;
- Dizziness;
- Experiencing panic attacks;
- Inability to think clearly, etc.
This recreational drug is known for its potency, which means you must be extra cautious with it. It is not advised to start with hash if you are a complete newbie to cannabis. More experienced weed smokers should be able to adjust to hash better.
How to Consume Hash
Another difference between hash and weed is the way they are used. There are still some similarities, however. Hash is normally smoked using a bong or a pipe. It is also possible to roll it in a blunt together with other stuff like tobacco or weed. Vaping is also popular with hashish as it does not have the distinct odor that you get when smoking marijuana. Hash can be also consumed with food and drinks.
Difference Between Hash and Weed
To make it easier to understand what’s the difference between hash and weed, you can check the table below.
Hash | Weed | |
Production | Collecting sticky resin from trichomes on the cannabis flowers and processing it | Drying flower buds of cannabis plants |
Form | Paste or more solid bricks | Dried buds |
Consumption | Smoking, consuming with food or beverages, vaping | Smoking, vaping, taking edibles, using patches, etc. |
Texture | Creamy, soft, brittle, etc. | Dried plant |
Taste | Earthy, spicy, rich | Fruity, floral or herbal, fresher |
Conclusions
When picking between hash and weed, a few different factors must be considered. If previously, people actually had little choice and had to go with what was available, it is possible to choose between a wide range of weed strains and hashish kinds. When it comes to marijuana, there is actually a much broader variety of strains and flavors like Wedding Cake, Skywalker, etc., with different levels of THC and CBD. However, hash is significantly more potent, and this should also be taken into account. If THC levels usually vary from 15% to 30% in weed, hash can go up to 60%.
Flavors of marijuana and hash can differ greatly too. Weed is famous for having numerous strains with all kinds of fun flavors, whereas hashish tends to be more complex and earthy, often with a pine flavor. Ultimately, it comes down to trying different things and finding out what works for you specifically. Experienced smokers might want to try hash for stronger effects because this recreational drug is more potent. It also can bring unwanted side effects if you overshoot it, which is why it is important to be considerate.