TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Hashish seizures in Algeria over the 2019-2020 period: the rise of potent hashish hybrids
JO  - Journal of forensic sciences
A1  - Boumrah, Yacine
A1  - Kermouche, Wissam
A1  - Zarita, Bouzid
A1  - Drardja, El Djemai
A1  - Bouanani, Sabrina
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - 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.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0022-1198
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.15001
ID  - ref1
ER  -