The Origin of
Concentrates

From ancient hashish to modern dabs — the long history of cannabis concentrates.

Ancient Origins: Hashish

The story of concentrates begins thousands of years ago with hashish. The earliest evidence of hashish production comes from the Middle East, Central Asia, and India.

Dry Sift Hash: The oldest method — simply rubbing or sifting cannabis flowers to collect resin glands (trichomes). This technique dates back at least 2,000–3,000 years.
Charas: Hand-rubbed hash still made in parts of India, Nepal, and Afghanistan. Fresh resin is collected by hand-rubbing living plants.
Traditional Use: Hashish was consumed in social, spiritual, and medicinal contexts across North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia for centuries.

19th Century: Hashish Enters the West

In the 1800s, hashish became popular among European artists and intellectuals. The famous “Club des Hashischins” in Paris included writers like Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, and Charles Baudelaire.

During this period, pharmacists also began creating cannabis tinctures (alcohol-based extracts) for medical use. These were among the first concentrated cannabis products sold in pharmacies in Europe and the United States.

The Modern Concentrate Era

The contemporary world of concentrates began in the late 20th century:

1960s–1970s: Hash oil (often made with solvents like alcohol or petroleum) started appearing in underground markets, especially in the United States and the Netherlands.
Butane Hash Oil (BHO): In the 1970s and 1980s, makers began using butane as a solvent to create more potent and cleaner extracts. This laid the foundation for modern BHO products like shatter, wax, and live resin.
1990s–2000s: With the rise of medical cannabis in California, concentrate production became more sophisticated. Closed-loop extraction systems were developed to make the process safer and more efficient.

The Dab Revolution

The early 2010s saw the explosion of “dab culture.” High-potency concentrates (often 70–90%+ THC) became popular, especially in legal medical markets in California and Colorado.

New product categories emerged rapidly:

Shatter, Wax, Budder, Crumble
Live Resin (made from fresh-frozen material)
Rosin (solventless — made with heat and pressure)
Distillate and Isolate

Today’s Concentrate Landscape

Modern cannabis concentrates represent thousands of years of human innovation with the plant — from simple hand-rubbed hash to highly refined, lab-tested extracts. While ancient hashish was about convenience and potency, today’s concentrates also focus on flavor (terpenes), consistency, and safety through regulated production.

Solventless methods like rosin and ice water hash have seen a major resurgence as consumers seek cleaner, more “natural” options that preserve the full spectrum of the plant.