Hashish

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hashish is a sticky, thick, dark-colored resin (like sap) which is made from the cannabis plant. The cannabis plant's leaves and flowers contain a chemical or drug known as THC which gives a person who smokes or eats parts of the cannabis plant a feeling of euphoria (makes the user feel good or happy).

The two main drugs made from the cannabis plant are marijuana and hashish. Hashish has much more of the chemical THC (which makes users feel good or happy) than marijuana. Hashish is an illegal drug in the United States, Canada, and many other countries.

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[edit] How is it made and used?

To make hashish, workers hit cannabis plants to get the resin or sap to come out, and then the resin is collected.

When a person wants to use hashish, they usually smoke it by putting a small piece of hashish in a roll of paper (called a "joint") with tobacco or marijuana. Then the person lights the paper roll with a flame and inhales (breathes in) the smoke that comes out.

Another way that people use hashish is by putting a small piece of hashish in a pipe (called a "bong") and then lights it with a flame and inhales the smoke. Some people also eat hashish, usually by mixing it into food or baked goods.

[edit] Is hashish legal?

It is illegal (against the law) for people to have cannabis in most countries.

Hashish is not legal in the Netherlands, but there are no criminal laws against having a small amount of cannabis (marijuana or hashish), because the Netherlands has decided that having cannibis should not be a crime. Some other countries are starting to "decriminalize" marijuana as well (make using it or having it no longer be a crime).

In some countries, such as Canada, sick people with serious diseases can legally use marijuana if they have a prescription (a written note) from a medical doctor. When people with serious diseases such as AIDS or Multiple Sclerosis smoke marijuana, it helps them to have a good appetite for eating food. As well, when these sick people smoke marijuana, it makes them feel happy. However, these sick people do not have the legal right to use hashish.

[edit] What effects does cannabis have?

Hashish has much more of the chemical THC (which is a short form for "delta-9-tetra-hydro-canibinol") than marijuana. THC is the chemical (or drug) which causes people who take hashish or marijuana to feel euphoria (happy). Hashish is a much stronger drug than marijuana.

When people smoke hashish (in a cigarette or a pipe, called a "bong") or eat hashish, they start feeling happy and relaxed, feeling silly, and not being able to think clearly, which is called "getting high" or "getting stoned".

Since hashish is much stronger than marijuana, people who take a very large amount of hashish may also see imaginary (not really there) colors or patterns, or see strange visions or thoughts which are not actually there (these visions are called hallucinations). Some people who take a large amount of hashish may start feeling scared, strange, or paranoid (worried that something bad is going to happen).

[edit] Dangers of using hashish

[edit] Feeling sick or strange

Hashish is less dangerous than many other illegal drugs that are commonly used. It is almost impossible for a person to die from an overdose of hashish. But a person who had a very large amount of hashish could start feeling sick, or feeling strange.

[edit] Getting hurt while being "high"

One of the dangers of using hashish is that a person who is intoxicated ("high" or "stoned") from hashish could get hurt or killed if they drive a car or boat while they are intoxicated. They may also do other dangerous things, such as have unsafe sex with a person they do not know. Unsafe sex could lead to AIDS or other diseases.

[edit] Hurting the lungs and throat

Smoking any drugs such as marijuana, hashish, or tobacco is bad for the lungs. Smoke hurts the lungs and the throat because the smoke has carbon monoxide (a poison) in it and contains other chemicals that can cause cancer in the lungs or mouth if the person smokes over a long time period. A person who only eats hashish will not hurt their lungs or throat.

[edit] Feeling like you cannot stop taking hashish

Most other illegal drugs, such as heroin, crack, and cocaine are very addictive. This means that if a person starts taking heroin, crack, or cocaine, the person will want to keep taking more of the drug, even if it is making them sick (ill).

Hashish and marijuana are much less addictive than heroin, crack, and cocaine. Most people are able to use hashish as a recreational (for fun) drug, and stop taking it when they want to. However, some people who use hashish over several months or several years do get a type of addiction called a psychological ("in your mind") addiction. This means that the person thinks that they want to keep smoking more hashish.

[edit] Being less motivated to go to school or work

As well, people who use a lot of hashish every day may start feeling less motivated about life. A person who uses a lot of hashish every day may have less interest in going to school or going to work. They may also have less interest in seeing their friends or family, or doing activities or hobbies that they used to enjoy.

[edit] Slang terms

The slang term for hashish is "hash." A pipe for smoking hashish is called a "bong" or a "water bong." There are also many slang terms for hashish smoking, such as "smoking dope." There are also many slang terms for cannabis intoxication, such as "getting high" and "getting stoned."

[edit] See also