Thursday, July 29, 2010

Cairo's Drug Culture: Part 2 - The Hashish Dilemma

Hashish is the compressed resin of the cannabis plant that a lot of Egyptians are very fond of. The subtle yet distinct smell of its smoke can reach ones nose in the most unexpected of places. From the narrow streets of Old Cairo to the lush offices of busy business districts, hashish is popular within all circles and social strata. It would not be strange to see a tok-tok driver holding a joint between his thumb and finger while whizzing through traffic in Imbaba, or even to be offered one at an acquaintance's home, if you have a relaxed and easygoing demeanor, typical of most young Egyptian males.

Hashish is usually sold in the form of fingers, with one being called a 'kersh' or 'coin' amongst other nicknames derived from historical usage when it was sold more openly using weights and scales.

Although the history of hashish use in Egypt dates as far back as 2000BC, it's first documented use as a spirituous and inebriating substance was in the 12th century, during the Ayyubid era, when the Sufi order has made it's way from Syria to Egypt, bringing along the use of hashish for spiritual purposes. Since then, hashish has been a part of the Egyptians' everyday life, with many failed attempts at eradicating it by the Turks (Ottoman Emir Soudoun Scheikhouni issued one of the first edicts against the eating of hashish in 1378), as well as the French (Napoleon Bonaparte prohibited the use of cannabis in 1798).

Many of those who lived under deceased president Anwar El-Sadat's rule during the 70s would readily claim it was the golden era for hashish. With hashish being sold by the kilogram, just as fruits and vegetables are being sold these days, and the president's alleged affection for it, the public perception then was very different than it is now. El-Batiniyah (a district in Cairo) was known to house the market for hashish during that time.

Granting the perception of hashish is different now than it was then, it is considered more of a 'naughty' thing to do, with a few winks fluttering either way. The criminality of possessing a small amount is only significant if you are caught with it, and you don't appeal too well to the police. This would mean that you're chances of getting out of it are better if you come from a respectable background, rather than, for example, one riddled with a history of crime. However, the authorities are hard to predict in Egypt.

The unpredictability of the authorities has been displayed many times before, with large crackdowns and drug busts over the past few years. But some claim it has never been as bad as it is now, in 2010. With the prices of hashish quadrupling virtually overnight, it was clear something has changed. Rather than reason with the fact that the police have basically done their job well over the past few months, many Egyptians theorize different stories to explain the drought in the hashish industry. Some have even claimed the police have gathered all the hashish so they can reintroduce it before the 2011 elections, ultimately intoxicating the electorate. 

Whether true or not, the history of hashish in Egypt is an interesting one, and as long time moves forward, more history will be made.

12 comments:

  1. Interesting, indeed! I'm surprised to know that it's illegal since men smoke it out in the open in the coffee shops, no? I always thought it was considered less significant than marijuana use in the US, but maybe more than tobacco/smoking. Also, interesting that it's first uses were for spiritual purposes.

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  2. It is illegal in Egypt, the same way it is illegal in Amsterdam (believe it or not). It is whether the authorities wish to enforce the law that really matters. Currently, there is a shortage of hashish due to police activities, but most of the time, people can easily sit in a coffee shop and discreetly smoke hashish in a sheesha (hookah), but usually in districts of Cairo with less of a police presence. Many of Amsterdam's famous coffee shops are gradually being shut down due to a shift in tolerance. Currently 105 coffee shops remain.

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  3. It is not illegal in Amsterdam. It's illegal to smoke it IN the coffe shops, because of the restrictions on smoking tobacco.

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  4. Well here in Egypt it's 100% illegal .. But the police here doesn't really care if you are holding 1-5 joints , that means that you are only a user .. If you get caught with more than that , it means you are a dealer and that's when they arrest you or ask you where you have it and you better answer politely then :) .. Hashish here in egypt is found everywhere 1 out of 10 people smoke hashish in most of the areas here in Egypt , but usually the higher class people hide it *family pride and all that shit* .. Buying hashish is really simple too , you go into any of the lower class areas and just ask for a dealer and they show you the way to score your stuff , usually the dealer here in egypt gives you good stuff if he knows you or if you look like a rich person who is going to buy more from him , that I think is all you people need to know :)

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  5. But how many grams is a qirsh? By the look of those chunks it seems like 10-15 grams. And what do you pay for a qirsh today (average quality)? Its importatnt information to me =)

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  6. The hashish qersh could be skinnier and longer or shorter and fatter than the picture. Sometimes they sell two fingers in one. Around 100 L.E. for a qersh maybe.

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  7. That's in the past actually now the stick by 40 L.E and the qersh 50

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  8. Anonymous, it is technicly a crime in The Netherlands aswell. There's just a policy for the police and authorities to accept cannabis to a certain extent.

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