Canna~Fangled Abstracts

Hashish seizures in Algeria over the 2019-2020 period: The rise of potent hashish hybrids

By February 1, 2022February 2nd, 2022No Comments
. 2022 Feb 1.

doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15001.

Online ahead of print.
Yacine Boumrah 1, Wissam Kermouche 1, Bouzid Zarita 1, El Djemai Drardja 1, Sabrina Bouanani 1
Affiliations 

Abstract

In Algeria, hashish is by far the most common illicit drug. This study explores Algerian hashish over a two-year period (2019-2020). A total of 2583 hashish samples from 1707 seizures for a total quantity of 108 tons were analyzed using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection method (HPLC-DAD). The yearly arithmetic mean tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration shows relative stability-18.67% in 2019 and 19.03% in 2020 with an overall mean THC content of 18.87% and standard deviation of 10.99%. High-potency hashish (THC content > 20%) is by far the most predominant type, representing almost 50% of the total Algerian hashish seizures (mean and median around 29%). The overall mean of cannabidiol (CBD) was 2.45%, and 12% of the total studied seizures were of very low CBD concentration (CBD content<1%). Three distinct hashish chemotypes were identified: Chemotype I described the traditional Moroccan hashish with THC content ranging from 0% to 16%, Chemotype II hashish included most of the seizures and characterized by THC content ranging from 16% to 30%, and Chemotype III was characterized by hashish potency higher than 30% and very low CBD content. The identified chemotypes I, II, and III were characterized in a ternary plot, and the relative contents (THC:CBD:CBN) were about 67%:29%:4%, 88%:9%:3%, and 96%:2%:2%, respectively.

Keywords: Algeria, North African hashish, cannabidiol, cannabinol, cannabis, hashish hybrids, high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection, potency, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol

References

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