Hemp vs weed
With interest in CBD cannabidiol rising and the Farm Bill legalizing hemp federally, there are many questioning concerning the difference between hemp and marijuana. Generally the difference between hemp and marijuana is in the concentration of THC tetrahydrocannabinol , with hemp generally considered so low in concentration so as to be non-psychoactive. Hemp is still cannabis sativa, same as some of the most popular strains of marijuana. Hemp is typically grown to maximize the overall size of the plant as quickly as possible, usually achieved by growing outdoors.
Hemp vs Marijuana: Is There a Difference?
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.
This is in stark contrast to marijuana-based products. Unless you reside in a state where recreational or medical marijuana is legal, you are still unable to buy, sell, or possess anything derived from marijuana legally.
Even if you live in a state with legal cannabis, you still must go to a licensed dispensary to access it. Why are hemp and marijuana treated in such different ways? With such an obvious distinction between marijuana and hemp, many people mistakenly assume that they are separate species.
In fact, hemp and marijuana belong to the same genus and species, Cannabis sativa. Even though hemp and marijuana are both the same species of plant, there are important ways in which they differ. Understanding these can help you navigate the cannabis market. In the United States, marijuana is defined as any Cannabis sativa plant that has greater than 0. THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis.
The more THC you consume, the more changes you will notice in your cognition and how you feel. Hemp plants are defined as any cannabis plant that has 0. Even a plant with 0. Prior to the s , there was no national stigma against the use of cannabis, and people used it in whatever ways they pleased. It was commonly used for the production of paper, clothing, and rope, as a herbal medicine, and as a recreational drug.
But following a pernicious smear campaign in the s , public opinion began to change. This led to the passing of the Marihuana Tax Act in , the first legal restriction of cannabis. In , all cannabis plants and products became illegal under the Controlled Substances act of These restrictions killed cannabis agriculture in the United States.
People were no longer able to grow cannabis plants for their fiber or medicinal benefits. This bill defined hemp plants as those with 0.
This increased legality is largely to thank for the rapid acceleration in diversity and availability of hemp-derived CBD oil. Marijuana, on the other hand, is still categorized as a Schedule 1 drug.
This means that any marijuana-derived product is considered illegal under federal law. However, states have the ability to legalize medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, which is why people who live in certain states have access to the therapeutic benefits of the marijuana plant, while those in other states do not.
For many thousands of years, humans have been selectively breeding cannabis plants. Some of these plants were bred for their medicinal and psychoactive potential.
These are the plants now known as marijuana plants, or drug plants, thanks to their naturally-high THC content. Other cannabis plants were bred for their fiber or seeds to be used for things like fabric and textiles, food, supplements, and body products. These cannabis plants are now classified as industrial hemp plants so long as their THC levels are low enough. Today, hemp is well-known for its use in the creation of CBD products.
Because industrial hemp and marijuana are used for different purposes, selective breeding has resulted in these two varieties differing in their appearance.
The majority of THC and other healthful compounds found in cannabis plants are located in the cannabis flower, meaning the more flower, the better. This has led to marijuana plants being shorter and bushier than hemp plants. Industrial hemp plants were largely bred for their fiber, which is mainly found in the stalks of the plant. As a result, hemp plants are taller and skinnier than their marijuana counterparts.
Even though most botanists consider all cannabis plants to belong to the same species, they have often been split into two varieties : Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica. Most people experienced with cannabis are familiar with this distinction as it has long been used as a basis for describing different strains of marijuana. Marijuana that was more energetic or uplifting was classified as a sativa, while marijuana that was more relaxing or sedative was said to be an indica.
Additionally, these two varieties were said to differ in their appearance. Even though this categorization remains popular today, it has been widely debunked by scientists.
Interestingly, a study examining the genotypes of 43 hemp samples and 81 marijuana samples identified a consistent difference between hemp and marijuana.
Hemp is genetically more similar to C. This confusing genetic mix is thanks to thousands of years of human travel with cannabis seeds and selective breeding. Unless you go to a marijuana dispensary to purchase CBD oil , the CBD oil that you find is made exclusively from the hemp plant. You can further differentiate CBD oil as a full spectrum, broad spectrum, or isolate. Broad spectrum CBD oil also contains other phytonutrients, but it has been processed in such a way as to remove all THC.
Cannabis oil, on the other hand, is oil extracted from marijuana varieties of the cannabis plant. These oils can vary in composition, but they will usually have some percentage of THC, CBD, and other healthful plant compounds. CBD oil can technically be made from marijuana as it too can be rich in CBD, but most CBD-rich oils derived from marijuana will be termed cannabis oil or marijuana oil to avoid confusion.
Thanks to the hard work of people around the world, including scientists, doctors, farmers, business owners, and citizens, our knowledge of and access to cannabis-based products is steadily increasing. While there are differences between hemp and marijuana, they are the same plant.
The legal definition and status of these plants only makes it harder for scientists to conduct research and people to access the products most beneficial for their health. Instead of splitting cannabis into two categories, we can benefit more from breeding plants for their potential uses without restrictions based on the percentage of THC found within.
Like what you just read? You can find similar content on the topic tags shown below. Read More. Watch Now. I Understand. Hemp vs Marijuana: Is There a Difference? Legality: Thanks to the Farm Bill, Hemp Is Legal Prior to the s , there was no national stigma against the use of cannabis, and people used it in whatever ways they pleased.
Appearance Because industrial hemp and marijuana are used for different purposes, selective breeding has resulted in these two varieties differing in their appearance. Why Are Hemp and Marijuana Different?
Is the Hemp vs Marijuana Distinction Useful? However, not everyone agrees that industrial hemp plants are the best cannabis plants to extract CBD, especially full spectrum products. High-resin cannabis plants, which are largely marijuana plants, have upregulated genes for cannabinoid synthesis. This means that marijuana plants usually have a greater diversity of cannabinoids than hemp plants, which can add therapeutic value to full spectrum CBD products.
The Future of CBD Oil Thanks to the hard work of people around the world, including scientists, doctors, farmers, business owners, and citizens, our knowledge of and access to cannabis-based products is steadily increasing. You May Also Like. The Science of Cannabis Extraction Register.
While hemp can contain no more than % THC by dry weight, marijuana can contain up to 30% THC content. Hemp vs Marijuana: Legality. Due to the difference. Although marijuana and hemp can both come from the cannabis sativa family, they're distinctly different. Marijuana is bushier with broader leaves.
Many have long misunderstood the significant differences between marijuana and hemp. Today, these differences are beginning to become more well known especially as the federal government helps define the two types of cannabis separately. Despite this progress, confusion between hemp and marijuana is still widespread. First, it is important to understand that the two plants share a commonality in that they are both a species of plant called Cannabis Sativa L. Both hemp and marijuana feature this leaf pattern:.
First and foremost: Hemp is not marijuana.
Hemp and marijuana are both varieties of Cannabis sativa L. The law differentiates the two by their THC content: hemp contains less than 0.
Hemp vs Marijuana: The Important Differences Explained
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.
Marijuana vs. hemp: What’s the difference?
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. You can't get high on hemp. In other words, Cannabis plants with 0. Cannabis plants with more than 0.
The three terms — cannabis, hemp and marijuana — are often used interchangeably to significant error. Everything known living thing is categorized in the primary biological taxonomy of the same name.
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.
Hemp vs. Marijuana vs. Cannabis: What’s the difference?
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. This is in stark contrast to marijuana-based products. Unless you reside in a state where recreational or medical marijuana is legal, you are still unable to buy, sell, or possess anything derived from marijuana legally. Even if you live in a state with legal cannabis, you still must go to a licensed dispensary to access it. Why are hemp and marijuana treated in such different ways? With such an obvious distinction between marijuana and hemp, many people mistakenly assume that they are separate species. In fact, hemp and marijuana belong to the same genus and species, Cannabis sativa. Even though hemp and marijuana are both the same species of plant, there are important ways in which they differ. Understanding these can help you navigate the cannabis market. In the United States, marijuana is defined as any Cannabis sativa plant that has greater than 0.
Is hemp the same thing as marijuana?
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. In practical terms, the differences between hemp and marijuana are quite significant. Below, we will take a close look at the similarities and differences of marijuana vs. Hemp and marijuana are both members of the same plant species, classifying as Cannabis sativa L. However, just because they are the same species does not mean they have the same spectrums of cannabinoid concentrations. Hemp and marijuana feature very different levels of common cannabinoids such as THC and CBD, and this is not the only difference between hemp vs. These are the most basic differences between hemp and marijuana. Hemp and marijuana must be grown using different techniques and in different environments to produce the best possible results.
