23-Jan-08

Production and use of cannabis in Afghanistan As we've already seen, the majority of cannabis grown in this country is used for hashish production. Traditionally, Afghan hash is obtained by sifting the resin of dried plants through screens of various sizes. The product obtained is usually called "garda" and is classified according to the quality achieved. The traditional method of pressing is by hand, moulding the resin with the fingers and the palms of the hands (sometimes with the feet as well), and in many cases applying heat to soften the resin and make pressing easier. The dark, shiny blocks of pressed resin can take different forms and often come stamped with a seal particular to each producer, although this isn't always the case. Many Afghans consume their hash mixed with tobacco, although traditionally they used hookahs or shishas, water pipes with a small reservoir of water through which the smoke passes, being filtered and cooled before inhalation. Over the years, fields of cannabis destined for hashish production are steadily increasing in Afghanistan, a trend that is displacing the production of opium from poppies due to its better yield and ease of processing. As we've already seen, Afghanistan possesses the world's oldest culture of hash making, and is also the principal producer across the globe today, we dearly hope that this particular feature of Afghan culture is never lost to history!