When it launched in June 2003, the governments new anti-drug site "Talk to Frank" claimed "Cannabis is not something that dealers mix anything with". We notice this information has been revised and Frank has now changed his mind.

The Frank website seems to be written by people with a very poor understanding of English and the Soapbar warning is a good example of this. Frank now says: "The most unpure Cannabis is called 'soap bar'. It's contaminated with all sorts of things. This makes it cheaper but it's a false economy really as it is often harder to get stoned. Some users hate it so much they object to smoking it." Franks' use of the English language is suspect and can really only be explained because he's not being honest. The word "unpure" in Franks comments actually means "cut" or "polluted". This of course is a direct result of prohibition preventing proper controls and forcing the trade into the hands of organised crime. Why not tell the truth Frank? Soap Dodgers?



can't sort you out

"Unpure" Hash

UKCIA has had this page online since 2001

The government likes to warn us about the supposed dangers of cannabis, most of which are downright lies, but it keeps very quiet about one danger which is both very real and a direct result of its policies.

Because it's illegal and so often supplied by profit motivated criminal networks, cannabis - especially hash - sold in the UK is often of low quality and contains contaminants.

SOAPBAR (it's called "soap" because a 250g bar is shaped like a bar of soap) is perhaps the most common type of hash in the UK and it is often the most polluted.

Now, not all soap is bad of course, but some certainly is. At worst there may only be a tiny amount of low grade hash mixed with some very strange stuff:

Beeswax, turpentine, milk powder, ketamine, boot polish, henna, pine resin, aspirin, animal turds, ground coffee, barbiturates, glues and dyes plus carcinogenic solvents such as Toluene and Benzene

This is what happens under prohibition. If your pint down the pub contained any of these nasty things wouldn't you complain? Of course you would, well now its time to complain about polluted cannabis supplies.

DON'T SMOKE SOAP

DON'T BUY SOAP

DON'T SELL SOAP

The government is well aware of this situation and seems happy to expose the millions of cannabis users to dangers which simple quality controls could eliminate, but of course, that means accepting they're wrong and legalising cannabis.

Join us in saying "NO" to crap hash, tell your friends, tell your dealer and ask your MP why they refuse to allow quality controls for cannabis

What to do if all you can get is dodgy soap bar

Not all soap is as bad as all that though, so be choosey when buying it.

Don't buy rock-hard stuff, or samples that give off a dark acrid smoke when burned.

Cutting through a block of resin should expose a brown coloured surface (including if you have black hash) and it should fluff up when heated and be easy to powder with just a little flaming.

The smell of pure hash smoke is also very distinctive in its own right, learn what to sniff for!

To be honest, it's best to go without rather than smoke some of the really bad stuff available out there, but if you really want, you can try this:

How to clean polluted hash

Well, it's not that easy, but you can try this if your stash isn't too bad::

In a saucepan, boil up a small amount of water (perhaps to a depth of 2 cm or so).

Add your yucky sample of crap soap

Simmer gently and crush the hash block

The water will more than likely turn yellow, maybe due to the henna (or worse) dissolving out.

When the hash has all powdered up, drain the water off and put the remaining powder onto kitchen paper towels to dry out.

As cannabis oils are not soluble in water so the potency of what you have won't be too badly damaged and given what comes off it's said to be well worth it (although to be fair this is no way to treat good hash!). You'll also have a lot smaller stash at the end of this though. Of course, we can't promise this will always work, but UKCIA has heard of good results.

Don't just hope for a change soon, help bring it about.

A reader suggested this method in 2007

Firstly use the fine bit on a cheese grater to grate your hash to powder put this into a large jar with COLD water and shake, then leave to stand for an hour, then, shake some more...

Filter this through a couple of coffee filters and throw the juice(note the nasty colour and scum)

When filtered scrape it together from the filter and dab out some more moisture with a couple of filters... put the cleaned hash into the plastic bottom off a fag packet and seal with sellotape, heat this gently in microwave until soft then roll with a jar or rollingpin! Do this a couple of times and it will bind it back together.

There is an oven method too involving damp newspaper but takes a bit longer:

Open the parcel, leave this to dry over night in a warm dry and the next day you will be left with a nice light hash with no acrid smell or clumpyness.

I believe that by simmering in a saucepan as shown in the method already on the site you will lose some thc oil in the hotwater... hope this helps someone as it does me in emergencies.

Also just thought id add that i think this is also the way that good hash is 'cut' and other crap added ie grind it...mix it...heat it...press it.

However, in 2008 another reader comments: "That guy that told you to grind your soapbar with a small grater then leave for 1 hr then filter through coffee filter paper forgot to tell you the f**king filter rips if you put to much water in. Result £40 worth of stash down the sink".

Best advice is simply don't buy the stuff in the first place.