Hashish
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
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. It is controversial, since some people think it should be legal, some think it should be legal only for medical purposes, and some think it shouldn't be legal at all.
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[change] 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. Another way to make hashish is to sift the ground-up, dried leaves through a screen and compress the powder resin to make a "brick".
When a person wants to use hashish, they usually smoke it by putting a small piece of hashish in a joint with tobacco or marijuana. Then the person lights the paper roll with a flame and inhales the smoke that comes out.
Another way that people use hashish is by putting a small piece of hashish in a pipe or bong then lighting it with a flame, inhaling the smoke. Some people also eat hashish, usually by mixing it into food or baked goods.
[change] 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 cannabis 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 hasish!
[change] 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". The two types of this "High", are called 1.) a heady high or 2.) couchlock. A heady high does exactly what it sounds like, makes you feel uncoordinated, euphoric and slightly dizzy. However the latter, couchlock, is the frame of mind when the user becomes increasingly lazy, losing control of physical abilities, and feels tired, hence the name "Couch-LOCK". The latter is achieved depending on the strain of marijuana or hashish, and also depends on the amount of the drug taken.
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).
[change] Dangers of using hashish
[change] Feeling sick or strange
Hashish is less dangerous than many other illegal drugs that are commonly used. It is not 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.
[change] 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 vehicle while they are intoxicated.
[change] 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.
[change] 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.
[change] 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.
[change] 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."
