Cannabis vs hemp
February 15, There's been a lot of discussion about hemp recently, since the Farm Bill made it legal for farmers to grow industrial hemp for the first time since the passage of the Controlled Substances Act or, practically speaking, since the Marihuana Tax Act. There are still quite a few restrictions and regulations associated with growing hemp, but the fact that hemp is now legal — while marijuana is not — has raised a lot of questions. That puts us in a position to help answer some of the most common hemp questions. Hemp and marijuana are, taxonomically speaking, the same plant; they are different names for the same genus Cannabis and species. By comparison, marijuana typically contains 5 to 20 percent THC.
Hemp vs Marijuana: Breaking Down the Difference
Compared to whole plant CBD -rich cannabis, industrial hemp grown for fiber or seed is typically low in cannabinoid content. If you live in a state where medical marijuana is legal and available, look for CBD products made from cannabis.
Cannabis has been an ally of humankind since before the written word, providing fiber for cordage and cloth, seeds for nutrition, and roots, leaves and flowers for ritual and healing.
In the botanical world, there are, broadly speaking, two kinds of cannabis — hemp plants and drug plants. Hemp plants include plants grown for fiber and plants grown for seed oil. The main difference between hemp plants and drug plants is resin content.
Industrial hemp plants are low-resin plants. Industrial hemp varieties are typically grown from pedigree seed, yielding as many as one hundred tall, skinny, bamboo-like plants with skimpy foliage per square meter.
These plants are machine harvested and manufactured into many different products like paper, cloth, and edible oil. The flowers are then consumed for their intoxicating and medicinal effects. But the flowers, the leaves, and the sticky resin were not included in this exemption. The resin and its derivatives were explicitly forbidden wherever they are found on the plant. The CSA was unequivocal on this point: the resin from any part of the cannabis plant, or any preparation made from the resin, is illegal.
Fiber produced from hemp stalk and oil pressed from unfertilized hempseed got a pass, but not the resin. But as far as medicinal and recreational cannabis goes, the resin is where the action is. Right from the start, the Feds understood that resin content is the key factor that distinguishes marijuana from industrial hemp. Today, however, federal law includes a recently added caveat that officially characterizes industrial hemp as having no more than 0.
Where did the 0. Despite its shortcomings, the Farm Bill is a momentous leap forward. It is now legal for American farmers to cultivate hemp as a commercial crop on domestic soil — a long overdue development catalyzed by the huge public demand for CBD.
On the day it became law December 20, , the Farm Bill removed hemp, but not cannabis, from the list of controlled substances. Meanwhile, CBD oil derived from any cannabis plant with over 0. Because the more resin in the plant, the more CBD there is to extract. Now that cultivating hemp is legal again in the United States, it should be easier to obtain better quality CBD products made from hemp grown in Colorado, Kentucky, Oregon, Montana, Vermont and other states.
It can, however, do a person a world of good if they are struggling with pain or anxiety or depression. Cannabis is a highly adaptable botanical; it can thrive in various environments, legal and ecological. It responds well to the human hand, which has stretched the genetic capabilities of the plant in unprecedented ways.
Against a shifting regulatory landscape, the distinction between hemp and other forms of cannabis is fast becoming moot. But this much is clear: If grown, extracted and processed well, these CBD -rich plants qualify as good starter material for manufacturing CBD oil for medicinal and personal use. In compiling a list of conditions that CBD may help, we examined hundreds of peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. Skip to main content. Cannabis Oil vs. Hemp Oil. By Martin A.
Lee Cannabis has been an ally of humankind since before the written word, providing fiber for cordage and cloth, seeds for nutrition, and roots, leaves and flowers for ritual and healing. Related story. Recommended reading. The verdict is in: Cannabis law is a lot wackier than the weed.
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“Hemp” is a term used to classify varieties of Cannabis that contain % or less THC content (by dry weight). While the legal definition described above had not. Hemp plants are defined as any cannabis plant that has percent or less THC. Even a plant with percent THC would be classified as a.
We've updated our Privacy Policy to make it clearer how we use your personal data. We use cookies to provide you with a better experience, read our Cookie Policy. Article Sep 02, by Nicole Gleichmann. Over the last couple of years, CBD has hit the mainstream. You hear about from your health-savvy friends, the nightly news, and in magazine ads.
While there are few genetic differences between hemp and marijuana plants, there are drastic differences in terms of cannabis slang, legal interpretation, and use of the plants.
First and foremost: Hemp is not marijuana. Marijuana is not hemp.
Hemp vs Marijuana
Hemp , or industrial hemp , is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products. Although cannabis as a drug and industrial hemp both derive from the species Cannabis sativa and contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol THC , they are distinct strains with unique phytochemical compositions and uses. Some governments regulate the concentration of THC and permit only hemp that is bred with an especially low THC content. In those languages "hemp" can refer to either industrial fiber hemp or narcotic cannabis strains. Hemp is used to make a variety of commercial and industrial products, including rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel. The inner two fibers of the plant are woodier and typically have industrial applications, such as mulch, animal bedding, and litter.
Hemp vs. Marijuana
Short Answer: They are two forms of the cannabis plant that are used very differently. Hemp is different from marijuana in its function, cultivation and application. Many states are slowly legalizing recreational marijuana, but marijuana remains federally illegal. An amendment to the Farm Bill legalized hemp in the U. Today, hemp can be used in variety of ways that marijuana cannot. These include healthy dietary supplements, skin products, clothing, and accessories. Today, you can buy legal hemp products not just online, but in many grocery stores and everyday businesses. Despite the recent legalization, federal policies surrounding hemp growing and sales of hemp products are often still up in the air, and banks continue to treat hemp businesses like criminals. In some rare cases, there are still arrests over hemp, such as truckers arrested while transporting completely legal hemp.
The three terms — cannabis, hemp and marijuana — are often used interchangeably to significant error.
Compared to whole plant CBD -rich cannabis, industrial hemp grown for fiber or seed is typically low in cannabinoid content. If you live in a state where medical marijuana is legal and available, look for CBD products made from cannabis.
DEBUNKING THE MARIJUANA CBD VERSUS HEMP CBD MISCONCEPTION
Hemp and marijuana are both varieties of Cannabis sativa L. The law differentiates the two by their THC content: hemp contains less than 0. When the public uses the term marijuana, it is usually in reference to a cannabis plant containing enough THC to be psychoactive. Both hemp and marijuana are incredibly versatile and can be used in an array of industries, from health and wellness to construction. Marijuana has been de facto illegal since the Marihuana Tax Act of Despite federal legislation clearly defining marijuana as a dangerous and illegal substance, the statewide movement to legalize cannabis has infiltrated all but 3 states:. Idaho, South Dakota, and Nebraska are the only states that continue to uphold total cannabis prohibition. As long as marijuana remains federally illegal, the market and industries built around it are at risk of being shut down by the federal government. This is an unlikely scenario, especially since legal weed has bipartisan support. The immediate effects of federal prohibition are the inability of cannabis businesses to use banks or insurance. Medical patients are unable to use their health insurance to cover the costs of cannabis-based medicine. Federal prohibition also makes it difficult for researchers to study the substance. The CSA excludes hemp from the definition of marijuana.
Is hemp the same thing as marijuana?
It would be difficult to fail to notice the surge in meaningful media attention to the health and wellness benefits of CBD. Even the most entrenched opponents of cannabis legalization have relented, under the weight of emerging research. Of course, history and testimony to the medicinal use of cannabis is far and deep, reaching into antiquity. Hemp oil grown in the United States is subject to the same seed-to-sale state laws that apply to marijuana. Hemp and marijuana are both Cannabis. Hemp is Cannabis sativa, and marijuana is either Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica. Hemp is simply the common and legal term for cannabis that contains less than. Well, yes, it does.
