HASHISH

also spelled hasheesh, Arabic hashish (dried herb), Hindi hharas a hallucinogenic drug preparation derived from the resin secreted by the flowering tops of cultivated female hemp plants (Cannabis sativa). More loosely, in Arabic-speaking countries, the term may denote a preparation made from any of various parts of the hemp plantsuch as the leaves or dried flowering tops, used to prepare what is elsewhere more commonly called marijuana (q.v.). The hashish made from resin is known by many names, including bhong and ganja, and is far more potent than marijuana. It may be either smoked or eaten for its intoxicating effects. The active ingredient is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which constitutes 10 to 15 percent of hashish but less than that in marijuana. Most hashish comes from the Middle East, Nepal, and other Asian countries, as well as from Latin America.