What You Need To Know About CBD Hash

This article by Erin Hiatt was originally published on Leafreport and appears here with permission.

The non intoxicating and potentially therapeutically beneficial cannabinoid CBD can be consumed in a myriad of ways; from capsules, oils, and topicals to gummies and edibles. But there is another consumption method available, one that you may not be aware of.

You’ve probably heard of cannabis hash – a very potent form of cannabis concentrate whose use dates back more than a thousand years – but you may not be aware that hash can also be made from cannabinoids like CBD. In its simplest explanation, CBD hash is made by separating CBD-rich trichomes, or sticky appendages on the cannabis plant from the surrounding cannabis plant matter. It is then typically processed or pressed into solid brick-like blocks.

Hash in general is potent even if it lacks a psychotropic punch, so a little goes a long way. But remember, consuming CBD hash may allow you to prolong the life of your product without sacrificing efficacy.

How do you use CBD hash?

CBD hash is very versatile and can be consumed in a myriad of ways:

Smoking: one of the more popular ways to consume CBD hash is by smoking it. The easiest way is to roll it into a joint or add it to CBD flowers, then take small puffs.

Vaping: for this method, you’ll need an e-cigarette or vaporizer, and make sure you’ve invested in some good quality CBD hash free of contaminants and impurities that could ruin your vaporizer (and isn’t great for the body, either). Additionally, poor quality hash, when exposed to heat tends to turn into a sticky mess that could ruin your vaporizer.

You may want to invest in some degummed hemp pads or vape wool to help protect your vape from any messes, or better yet, use powdery CBD hash, aka pollen CBD hash because it’s more convenient and less likely to make a mess. Should you decide to try a more solid form of hash, cut it up as finely as possible and try not to “fluff” it, which will burn away much of the CBD content before you can enjoy it.

Topicals: making your own cannabis salve with CBD hash is pretty simple to do at home and are becoming increasingly easier to find at many retailers. Simply add some CBD hash to a carrier oil like coconut oil or beeswax and your salve is ready for use.

Cooking: incorporating CBD hash into your meals is very popular among consumers but has some challenges. It is notoriously tricky to properly dose cannabis for edibles, and how it affects you has a lot to do with what kind of food you’re preparing; the longer it takes your body to metabolize the food the longer it will take you to notice the effects. You must also go through the process of decarboxylating the hash first to unlock its therapeutic benefits.

It will take some trial and error to get the dosing just right, but once you do it can be used for both sweets and savories. Be sure to follow the cannabis golden rule; start low and go slow until you get a good understanding of the appropriate dose for different kinds of foods.

Is CBD hash legal?

Due to the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp in the U.S., CBD hash is legal anywhere that hemp is legal. To ensure you’re buying a legal product, make sure the hash is made from hemp that contains less than 0.3 percent THC or less. If you live in a legal cannabis state, CBD hash that contains THC can be purchased in your home state or from a reputable on-line retailer.

How to make CBD hash?

There are a few different ways to make your own hash that don’t require a high level of expertise, though some patience and specific materials are needed. Here are a few common methods used to make your own CBD hash.

The Dry Sift Method

Start with plant material that has been frozen (this could be trim, kief, leaf, shake, or bud) with visible trichomes.

Place your frozen materials on a dry sift screen with a catch container underneath, then start breaking it up and spreading it around the screen. Dry sifting is a delicate process with a low return, but the end product should be high quality.

The Dry Ice Method

For this method you’ll need a micron bag (think of it like a coffee filter for cannabis hash). Combine the frozen plant material with about 40 percent dry ice in the bag. Since dry ice is about five times cooler than regular ice, the super cold temperature plus friction caused by shaking the bag will cause the trichomes to break off and fall into the catch container.

Knowing when to stop shaking the bag is more art than science, but the longer you shake the bag the more likely materials other than trichomes will be included in your homemade hash.

Cold-water hash, aka ice-water, solventless, or bubble hash

The most convenient way to make bubble hash is to use a bubble bag kit made specifically for the purpose. You will also need a bucket, a large wooden spoon, a kitchen spoon, ice, and water.

• Line the bucket with the bubble bags
• Fill the bucket with enough cold water to cover the bottom of the bags
• Add your frozen plant matter, then add enough ice to fill the bucket to the top
• Stir the mix with the wooden spoon for 15-20 minutes, adding ice if needed. The goal is a 50/50 mix of ice and water
• Pull out the bubble bags one by one, draining them in to the bucket
• After draining each bag, turn them inside out to collect as much concentrate as possible
• Place the extract on a pressing screen and squeeze out the excess moisture with a kitchen spoon

You can also make bubble hash with materials that can be found at your local hardware and grocery stores, but it is much more labor intensive.

Now we know, CBD hash is a concentrated and versatile form of the cannabinoid that can be consumed in many ways, crafted into a homemade topical, and even made at home.