- Description of hashish and marijuana
- What changes between marijuana and hashish production
- Are THC levels in hashish and marijuana different?
- Is there a difference in the side effects of hashish and marijuana?
- Have hash and marijuana been legalized?
- There is a difference between legal hashish and legal marijuana
When colloquially we speak of weed multiple terms are used which apparently seem to identify the same thing. It’s really like this?
In recent years, the world ofgrass it has experienced a notable surge in Italy as in many other nations of the world. This particular (and discussed product) has long been used as a drug for the treatment of particular pathologies and in recent years it has also opened up to creative use and collecting. In our country this was possible thanks to law no. 242 of 2016 which regulated its trade and use.
Legalization led to the emergence of new products.
The world they come from, as well as the plant, is the same, but we are talking about different things. Two terms that are often confused, and which represent the striking example of what we have just said, are precisely those of hashish and marijuana.
So while there are many nicknames given to marijuana in common parlance, there is one difference between hashish and weedand it is what we want to deepen here.
Having doubts is normal, especially if you have recently landed in this varied world, since both those who speak about it and those who write about it often quote different terms. This however it does not mean that they are interchangeable. Let’s find out what the difference between hash and weed is, and eliminate any possible uncertainty.
Description of hashish and marijuana
The doubt that arises about the difference between hashish and weed is more than justified, as both are derived from hemp inflorescences. It is precisely within the latter that the active ingredients and all the plant substances that give hemp its beneficial and therapeutic properties are contained.
In hemp inflorescences it is found primarily the CBD, the non-psychoactive active ingredient known for its countless effects, including pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antioxidant and antidepressant. It is also known for its usefulness in treating lack of appetite, sleep and numerous other conditions.
Equally powerful, but much more talked about, is the THC. In fact, this active principle has the same capabilities as the previous one; however, it also causes an unwanted psychoactive side effect. This is the reason that has led Governments all over the world to limit the percentage of it in products thus creating a strong rift between what is legal and illegal marijuana.
In addition to CBD and THC, hemp inflorescences also contain other natural substances, including numerous cannabinoids, vitamins, terpenes and flavonoids that work synergistically in nature to make hemp a plant with great potential.
At this point, you are ready to better understand the difference between hash and weed. When we talk about grass or marijuana we are referring to vegetable part of the plant and, in particular, to the flowers.
On the other hand, thehashishwhich comes from resin of the inflorescences. You have surely noticed that hemp flowers always appear wrapped in a soft fluff. The resin, also called kiefis produced by trichomes and when processed it gives life to hashish.
What changes between marijuana and hashish production
Both marijuana and hashish come both extracted from the female hemp plant. The difference is therefore not in the cultivation of the plant itself but in the extraction and actual production of the two different substances.
If we said that the marijuana it is the vegetable part of hemp, it is quite easy to guess which are the steps to produce it. The flowers are collected and dried. From here you get the final product that you can buy in the authorized shops.
As for thehashishinstead, the process is very different. The buds of the plant must also be harvested and then the growers have to separate the trichomes on which the resin is located. Observed under the microscope, they appear as small clear, even transparent, tentacles. In order to separate the flower from the resin, sieves are generally used. To obtain the compact product that is sold as hashish, the resin is then crushed by hand or with the aid of machinery. The most common forms that hash is finally pressed into are bricks or balls and this is the final product.
As you can see, the cultivation of the plant at the base is the same but what changes is the extraction of the different parts of the inflorescences and the subsequent processing to obtain the final product. Now the difference between hash and weed is starting to take shape.
Are THC levels in hashish and marijuana different?
We have already mentioned that THC is the psychoactive active ingredient contained in marijuana, both legal and illegal. Even in cannabis light, the legalized version, there is in fact a small percentage of it, even if not enough to alter the mental faculties.
The psychoactive effect produced by THC is due to the fact that the active ingredient, if taken by the human body, binds to particular endocannabinoid receptors present in the central nervous system. What not many people know is that the body itself already produces substances very similar to the plant cannabinoids found in hemp plants. The system’s receptors are found in different areas of the brain and from there they control the body’s response to certain stimuli.
The stimulation, in particular, of the receptors called CB1 on the part of THC it causes euphoria. But not only that, because it is responsible at the same time for different actions such as appetite stimulation, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, analgesic, antioxidant and immune system action. So the similarity between CBD and THC is even clearer, were it not for the psychoactive effect caused only by the second but not by the first (which binds instead to the CB2 receptors).
Having established that a minimum level of THC is always present, let’s see what the difference between hashish and weed is from this point of view. There marijuana usually has a lower percentage, including between 10 and 20%.
On the other hand, the concentration present within thehashishwhich can even reach 60%. Hashish is therefore three times more powerful than marijuana, because it is in the trichomes that the highest concentration of active ingredients is found.
Is there a difference in the side effects of hashish and marijuana?
The side effects produced by hashish and marijuana are due to THC, present in different percentages in the two products. In particular, its level within hashish is higher than that found in marijuana and for this reason the effects can be more intense.
To be precise, this differentiation was possible beyond doubt until a few years ago. Lately there has been a change in the market that has brought the two products closer from the point of view of effects. Give it Scientific studies carried out on marijuana by the University of Mississippi on behalf of the National Institute on Drug Abuse it emerged that THC levels have risen significantly in recent years. This therefore means that the effects are becoming more and more like hashish.
Higher THC levels increase not only long-term side effects (including heart irregularities, breathing problems, mood swings, paranoia, anxiety, and more or less temporary memory loss), but also the risk of addiction. These possible effects can therefore be caused by both hashish and concentrated marijuana.
Having ascertained that the concentration of the active ingredient is generally higher in hashish than in marijuana, the difference in effects may also depend on the type and quality of the product.
Have hash and marijuana been legalized?
In Italy, currently, only light cannabis is legal which contains a THC percentage below 0.5%. This is considered safe as it is too low to produce psychoactive effects even in the most sensitive subjects.
It’s pretty clear, given the THC percentages contained in hashish and traditional marijuana, that these two products are not only legal in Italy. To commercialize them is only the black market and the purchase, as well as the use, are carried out at one’s own risk and peril, being well aware that they are illegal products and of obscure origin.
The only legal high-THC product in Italy is medical cannabis, which can only be purchased in pharmacies with a doctor’s prescription. There are two variants:
- Cannabis FM2: with a CBD concentration between 7.5% and 12% and a THC percentage between 5% and 8%;
- Cannabis FM1: Recently introduced with CBD below 1% and THC between 13% and 20%.
Law 242 of 2016 has begun to lay the foundations for the contrast to the black market; however, it is obvious why only light cannabis has been legalized so far, as it is not harmful to health. Cannabis light, unlike anything that can be bought on the black market, is perfectly legal and safe. It is produced in controlled crops and the production must comply with pre-established standards. This guarantees buyers a high quality product.
Since light cannabis was legalized, one has appeared on the market myriad of different products. These not only include hemp inflorescences, but also oils, supplements, herbal teas and even creams for organic body care. Not only that, the hemp plant is used for multiple purposes, such as the production of sustainable clothing and accessories.
There is a difference between legal hashish and legal marijuana
The term “legal” therefore labels those products that contain a low THC level, within the limits set by national laws. The biggest difference between hashish and weed therefore lies in what I am. Marijuana is obtained from the dried flowers of the hemp plant while hashish is produced from the resin extracted from the trichomes found on the inflorescences.
From the point of view of the active ingredients, legal hashish and legal marijuana have the same percentages of CBD and THC. The CBD, so rich in beneficial properties, is the real reason that pushes people all over the world to buy more and more light cannabis products, in which it is abundant. Therefore, there is no need to risk the purchase of illegal products to obtain benefits.
On the our shop you can find a great variety of solutions, all of excellent quality and 100% safe from a legal point of view. We offer inflorescences, oils, creams, herbal teas and gadgets to meet all needs. Visit it now and find the light cannabis product that’s right for you.