Hash: A New User's Guide

As legal cannabis becomes better known, new and different products are beginning to show up on dispensary shelves. One such item you might see is hash. It's not exactly a new product, but it has not been popular in North American until recently. Here's what you need to know about hash if you are considering buying and using it.

The History of Hash

Hash is one of the oldest types of cannabis extractions — products made from resin that is separated from the rest of the plant. Its use spread around 900 to 1000 A.D., initially in Arabic countries. (The word "hash" is short for "hashish," which means "grass" in Arabic.) In the years that followed, it became more popular throughout Europe and North America. Now, it is appearing in legal dispensaries.

The Contents of Hash

As mentioned above, hash is derived from the resin of the cannabis plant. This is where all of the THC and other cannabinoids are found. So, when you smoke hash, you are smoking a concentrated cannabis product. One gram of hash contains much, much more THC than one gram of cannabis flower. Some hash is up to 65% THC, whereas quality cannabis tends to be around 20% THC but can get up to 25%.

Using Hash

These days, most people who use hash do so by smoking it. You can purchase pipes particularly for this purpose. Because hash is so finely ground, the pipes are made with special screens to keep it from passing through and being inhaled. Since the hash is so strong, people generally only smoke a pinch of it at a time. The hash will partially melt and partially burn while releasing smoke that can be inhaled. Each inhale is quite strong; it's not uncommon for hash users to only take one hit, or puff, per smoking session. 

Benefits of Hash

So, why would someone smoke hash rather than smoking traditional cannabis flower? As it turns out, hash has a few advantages:

• Hash is stronger, so heavy users only need a small amount, whereas they may need to smoke a large amount of flower.
• Hash has a less herbal flavour, which some people prefer.
• Hash is easier to store long-term than fresh flower.

If you think hash might be a good choice for you, pick some up the next time you're at a local dispensary. It's a unique cannabis product and is worth giving a try if you're in for something new.