As the cannabis industry continues to grow, more and more people are turning to the products for medical and recreational purposes. In this article, we will take a look at the increasing popularity of cannabis and the effects it has had on the industry. Specifically, we will examine the growing demand for hash, which is a concentrated form of cannabis that has become popular among users. We will explore the various types of hash, how it is made, and how it is used by users. Finally, we will discuss the implications of this growing industry and the potential risks and rewards associated with it.
Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania. Hash, which is short for hashish, is a preparation of marijuana made from the resin of the buds of the cannabis plant. Hashish oil, or hash oil, is the strongest form of marijuana since its so concentrated, with a pound of marijuana yielding just an ounce or two of hash or hash oil. It can be used in preparing edibles, smoked, or ingested orally. The psychoactive ingredient in hash and marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol THC. Since the processing of marijuana into hash oil isnt standardized, even in legal production, its difficult to know just how much of the active ingredients are present in the hash oil. While marijuana is still considered a Schedule I drug at the federal level meaning that its still considered to be a drug with no currently accepted medical use , several states and Washington, DC have legalized marijuana for recreational use for people over the age of As of March , 34 states have laws legalizing marijuana for medical use and others have legalized cannabis-based oils with low-THC content. Hash or hash oil may be used as a form of medical marijuana and may be allowed in states where marijuana has been legalized. THC enters your bodys bloodstream rapidly after smoking hash oil. You feel the effects within minutes and they peak in about 30 minutes. If hashish is ingested, such as in baked goods or edibles, it takes longer to be absorbed into the blood, usually from 20 minutes to an hour and a half. Once in your system, you may feel like the effects have passed after two to three hours, although there can be some impairment for as long as 24 hours. The timeframe is extremely variable. Duration depends on the concentration of THC, which, as noted before, is not standardized with hash oil, even where it can be produced and purchased legally. If youre a light user, the effects of THC on attention, concentration, and working memory generally pass six hours after ingesting or smoking THC-containing products. During this period, your psychomotor skills are affected, so you shouldnt drive or operate machinery. In a traffic stop, you could be charged with DUI, even if you have a prescription for medical marijuana. If youre a heavy user, there can be residual effects for as long as 28 days after you stop using THC-containing products. The physical side effects of hash oil include. Due to the uncertain concentration of THC in hash oil, you should be cautious about the amount you take for medical purposes. Taking a large dose may result in the following. Fortunately, these effects will wear off over the course of a few hours. The half-life of hash is how long it takes for half of the drug to be metabolized and eliminated from the bloodstream. Some THC metabolites have an elimination half-life of 20 hours. The half-life of fat-stored THC is about 10 to 13 days, meaning there is half of the original amount left at this time. Some of the THC in your bloodstream is rapidly metabolized into more than 80 different chemicals, known as metabolites. A portion of these metabolites is then excreted in your urine. These metabolites accumulate, so if you use hash or hash oil every day, you will have more stores of THC in your body and it may take much longer to eliminate them from your system. Blood tests are rarely used to detect THC since it can only be detected in the bloodstream for about three to four hours after use. In general, the detection windows for THC in a urine test can range from 3 to 30 days, depending on how often you use the drug. THC typically remains in saliva for 1 to 3 days, or until its fully swallowed. Drinking water, brushing your teeth, and using mouthwash may speed up this process. THC can also be stored in your hair follicles, where it may be detected for up to 90 days. The tests have been adjusted, however, and this is no longer a problem. How long THC stays in your system depends on a variety of factors, including age, amount of body fat, hydration, physical activity, and how frequently and how much hash you use. Body mass index BMI is a method of estimating body fat levels based on a persons weight and height measurement. Since THC tends to accumulate in fatty tissues, people with a higher BMI of body fat percentage may metabolize THC more slowly, causing longer detection times than a person with a lower index. Despite being a flawed measure, BMI is widely used today in the medical community because it is an inexpensive and quick method for analyzing potential health status and outcomes. Since women tend to have higher levels of body fat than men, they may metabolize THC at a slightly slower rate. If you have a higher metabolic rate, the shorter the time a drug can be detected in the body. Metabolic rates can be affected by your age, physical activity level, and certain health conditions.