Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-03
NEW DRUG VICE
IS |NVAD|NC U.s..
'Hashish,' Obtained From Gre
clan Hemp Plant, Intoxicates
and MaddenS the User.

LONDON, Oct. 3.-Revelations deal
ing with the smoking of "hashish."
vice which is said to lead to lunacy,
have been made by A. Lucas, director
of laboratories in the survey depart
ment at Cairo, who read a paper on the
subject before the Cairo Scientific So
ciety. entitled Confessions of a Hash
ish Smoker"
He declared that the use of the drug
rapidly is increasing in Europe and
America
"Hashish originally comes from
, Greece said Mr.. Lucas, where hemp
is especially grown for that purpose.
Its intoxicating and narcotic properties
are no modern discovery, however. for
! there are references to it in Herodotus.
who records that the Scythians burned
the seeds of hemp during the purifica-
! tlon ceremonies that took place after
death. and that they became intoxi-
Gated by the fumes.
Drug Taken in Many Ways.
In the Confessions of a Hashish
drug is often taken in cigarettes. But
it can be INDUCED in in other ways.
The hashish is either powdered or in
fused in cold water. resulting in tur-
bid liquid, or it is ground up in water
or milk, to which is added pepper, sug
ar or spice. 1t is also boiled in DOW
dered form and taken hot. In Egypt
and Turkey it is taken in sweetmeats
and corrections. prepared with sugar,
honey and molasses.
Very often it is smoked in pipes. and
excessive smokers to whom the simple
drug no longer appeals add such ingre-
dents as opium, arsenic, nux- vomica
or datura seeds.
1T is interesting TO note, in passing,
that our word assassin comes from
the Arabic hashish,' the plural Tod
which is 'hashasheen
The latter name was given to IA
natical Moslem tribe of Carpathians
who 1ourished in the eleventh century
| under chief called The Old Man of
the Mountain whose stronghold was
Mount Lebanon. This band was the
terror Of the world for nearly 200 years,
ly or by surprise all the enemies of the
Moslem faith.
Before perpetrating any OF their
bloody deeds they fortified themselves
by drinking or eating a preparation
Of 'hashish.' 1t is easy to see how as
sassin replaced the original word
'hashasheen,' and how assassin came
to be applied to any one who killed by
secret assault
Gives Joy and Appetite.
THE first effect of hashish is to pro-
duce cheerfulness and an abundant APP
petite A small dose produces gayety,
larger one Authorizations, delirium
and sometimes catalepsy. An average
dose induces a dreamy state, when the
victim becomes the sport OF rapidly
shifting ideas. One can never mistake
the habitual hashasheen'
I'm his normal state he can rarely
collect his thoughts; his memory goes,
and he Is inclined to curious errors Of
perception. In Egypt, Of course, the
hashish habit is most prevalent, the
Berberine. servants being the greatest
offenders, and the residents learn from
bitter experience to recognize instantly
the hard hollow cough. and the rau-
cous, byenalille laugh of the habitual
hashish cater
"Haehish fetches anywhere from 81
to $12 a pound, for which the snug
glets pay not more than about So. The
profit. therefore, is big enough to make
smuggling worth their while. Two
pounds OF hashish meet the require
ments Of a dozen "hashish" fiends for
week, and as the drug is easily con-
ccaled. 1t Is only too evident that it is
difficult TO prevent its entrance into the
country or stop the consumption"