Hashish

• ALSO KNOWN AS: Charas, hash, kief
• STATUS: Legal in the United States (US) for recreational use in states where recreational cannabis is legal; legal in Canada; becoming increasingly legalized in other countries
• CLASSIFICATION: Schedule I controlled substance in the US
• SOURCE: Historically, hashish was prepared in the Indo-Iranian regions of Asia, although it is now manufactured in many parts of the world; it is either smuggled into the US or made in homes or laboratories.
• TRANSMISSION ROUTE: Inhaled and ingested

DEFINITION: Hashish is a drug made from the resin, plant oils, or flowers of Cannabis sativa, also the source of marijuana.

History of Use

According to some studies, people have been using cannabis for thousands of years, and it remains a commonly used substance in the twenty-first century. Hashish, a potent substance derived from cannabis, has a long history of its own. The word hashish is of Arabic origin and refers to preparations made from strong resins, plant oils, and sometimes flowers, which are dried and shaped into various forms; these can then be smoked or, after being dissolved in a liquid, baked into foods.

Hashish was originally used for religious purposes in what is now Pakistan, but its use had spread throughout India and the Middle East by the Middle Ages. Marco Polo and other medieval writers thought the drug was used to motivate a particularly fierce group of warriors in northern Syria. Somewhat later, hashish was experimented with in Europe, most famously by French writers and doctors in the mid-nineteenth century. Several of these persons believed the hallucinations associated with the drug could be of use in psychotherapy.

Effects and Potential Risks

Like other forms of cannabis, hashish contains dozens of substances called "cannabinoids." The most psychoactive substance is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which binds to specific receptors in the human forebrain and cerebellar cortex. The flowering top and the resins and oils of cannabis are comparably richer in THC than the other parts of the plant. Once bound to receptors, THC affects motor activity, reward and reinforcement, memory, and the sensation of nausea.

In practical terms, the person consuming small amounts of hashish may experience hallucinations and euphoria. Larger doses may produce increased anxiety and paranoia. With chronic and heavy use, people can experience disorganized or scattered thinking, cognitive deficits, decreased motivation, social withdrawal, and decreased range of affect.

Like other psychoactive substances, THC use can induce dependence. Those who develop a dependence tend to experience anxiety, insomnia, and loss of appetite without the drug.

As cannabis products are increasingly legalized throughout the US and worldwide in the twenty-first century, the entire cannabis industry, including hashish, continues to grow. With this growth comes increasing concerns over regulations, policy, and health.

Bibliography

Benjamin, Walter. On Hashish. Edited by Howard Eiland, Harvard UP, 2006.

Breivogel, Chris, and Laura Sim-Selley. "Basic Neuroanatomy and Neuropharmacology of Cannabinoids." International Review of Psychiatry, vol. 21, no. 2, 2009, pp. 113–21.

"Cannabis (Marijuana) Drug Facts." National Institute on Drug Abuse, Sept. 2024, nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/cannabis-marijuana. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

"Hashish: Effects, Hazards & Methods of Abuse." Drugs.com, www.drugs.com/illicit/hashish.html. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Hatfield, Rudolph C. "Effects of Hashish Use: Short-Term, Long-Term, Side Effects, and Treatment." Drug Abuse, 30 July 2025, drugabuse.com/drugs/hashish/effects-use. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Sewell, R. Andrew, et al. "Cannabinoids and Psychosis." International Review of Psychiatry, vol. 21, no. 2, 2009, pp. 152–62.