Marijuana vs Hash: What's the Difference?
These days, it seems like there are a million and one different ways to ingest your cannabis. Whether it's funky little edibles like THC gummy bears, or through using a high-tech vape, the options are now as plentiful as ever. Not only that, but cannabis comes in a variety of different forms, which can get a little confusing for even the most experienced smoker.
If you were ever wondering what the differences between marijuana and hash are, you've come to the right place. In this article, we will explain precisely what these types of cannabis are and how you can best store them so you can keep it fresher for longer. Let's get into it.
What is marijuana?
Both marijuana and harsh are derived from the cannabis plant (the female version); however, there are some important distinctions between them.
We get marijuana from the dried leaves, flowers, seeds, and stems of the cannabis plant. Once the marijuana has been dried, it is subsequently cured. This means that it is usually placed into an airtight container so the plant can rehydrate itself, which increases the levels of THC and CBD. This is why marijuana can often be sticky.
In its appearance, marijuana usually looks like small green buds that are glistening with THC crystals. Depending on how long the cannabis has been dried and cured determines how dry or sticky the finished product is. The predominant way to ingest marijuana is via combustion through smoking joints, blunts, bongs, and, more recently, vaporizers.
The lines often get a little blurry when talking about marijuana as it has many different nicknames, and these names change depending on what state/area you live in. Some of the common nicknames for marijuana are as follows:
● Pot
● Bud
● Weed
● Dope
● Ganja
● Mary Jane
However, it's important to note that these names are not always used interchangeably.
What is hash?
As mentioned, hash comes from the same plant as marijuana, although the process to the arrive at the final product is different. Hash, also known as hashish or kief, is made of pure resin, which is derived from a part of the plant called trichomes.
These trichomes are the resin glands of the plant. Interestingly, the resin of the cannabis plant is what contains the THC, which is the psychoactive compound that gets you high. This is why hash is sometimes known to have strong psychoactive effects due to a denser THC concentration.
How is hash made?
These days, there are numerous ways to separate the resin from the cannabis plant, but the most common involves compressing the plant into a dense block and applying intense heat. This results in the resin becoming separated from the rest of the plant and form into a sticky sap-like substance (resin).
The resin then goes through a process of drying, cooling, and filtration to arrive at its finished state. Whatever methods used, the finished product usually looks like a yellow or brown block that is crumbly, yet sticky in texture.
From this point, hash can be further manufactured into a gooey substance that is used for vaporizing and in e-cigarettes.
How to store marijuana?
As most weed connoisseurs will tell you, how you store your marijuana is the key to how well it smokes. The elements will start to degrade your weed if you leave your marijuana out in the open for too long. This usually makes it very harsh to smoke and drastically worsens the taste. There are a few reasons for this; firstly, if your cannabis is exposed to too much light, it will burn away some of the valuable compounds that are attributed to the taste and psychoactive experience with marijuana.
Secondly, too much oxygen speeds up the plant's degradation and can bring about mold and mildew, which can even turn your cannabis toxic. Lastly, exposing your marijuana to extreme humidity or temperature levels will also spell disaster.
To avoid all of this, you need to store your marijuana in a cool, dry, and dark place while inside an airtight container. You can use a zip tie mylar bag or a plastic jar, but the best bet is if you use an airtight glass mason jar. These are about as airtight as you can get on a budget, and they give you easy access if you want to grab some bud to smoke.
How to store hash?
Hash is a bit more resilient than marijuana and doesn't succumb to degradation quite as fast. However, that's not to say that you should be careless with your hash as it can still suffer the same fate if you leave it exposed to the elements for long enough.
Hash still relies on the same psychoactive compound for you to get high, so if that is your goal, you need to protect the THC at all costs. Unfortunately, oxygen slowly destroys the THC compound.
To prevent this oxidization, you need to take the same route as the marijuana storage and place it in an airtight container such as a mason glass jar in a cool dark place.
Some people report that they have good results from storing their hash in the refrigerator and even in the freezer. While the science behind isn't quite there, there are certainly plenty of anecdotal reports verifying the claims. If you are going to store your hash in the fridge, then make sure you put it in an airtight container as the moisture and the artificial light in the refrigerator is likely to cause damage.
Wrap Up
So there you have it. Hopefully, by now, you know the difference between marijuana and hash and the best methods to store it. While they are both derived from the same plant, the process to arrive at the finished product is entirely different post-harvest. Even though they both contain very similar compounds, it's worth noting that hash typically has a higher THC content, so take care when trying it for your first time.