What Is The Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana?

Due to decades of misinformation, there has been no clear distinction between Cannabis and its species – Hemp and Marijuana. Many believe that the three are all the same and have given all a negative connotation of creating a ‘high’.

Let’s start by making it clear that Cannabis, Hemp and Marijuana are not the same thing. But what exactly is the difference between these plants?

The Cannabis Family

Cannabis is a family of plants with two main classifications – Indica and Sativa.

Marijuana can be considered a member of either the Indica or sativa family whilst, Hemp is a member of the sativa classification only.

As these two plants both derive from Cannabis sativa, they have many similarities which can cause confusion. But their differences biologically, give them very distinctive differences.

What Is Hemp?

Hemp refers to the non-psychoactive members of the Cannabis sativa family. Named as one of the oldest crops known to man, it has been used in many ways and is diverse in what it can provide for us.

Used dominantly for industrial purposes, it is a main contributor in clothing and textiles, paper, cosmetic, food and even automobiles.

It is completely legal to use in most countries and suitable for all ages – and even pets!

What Is Marijuana?

Marijuana refers to the leaves, flowers, stems and seed from either the sativa or Indica plants.

With high concentrations of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Marijuana contains 15 – 40% depending on the strain.

This has been named the most common illegal drug amongst young people and adults.

Appearance

The untrained eye may not be able to distinguish Hemp from Marijuana. But once you are aware of the differences, it’ll be easy to know them apart.

Hemp has sturdy, skinny leaves that are higher in concentration at the top of the plant and grows to be tall and thin. A farm of industrial Hemp can grow up to 20ft tall and Hemp was actually found to grow among weeds in Nebraska. As Hemp is typically male, it does not produce any flowers and is grown in large yields.

Marijuana holds broad leaves and has short dense buds. The overall appearance is bushy and each layer is closer together. Grown to produce flowers, female plants create the sticky buds that contain the high amounts of THC.

THC Content

All Cannabis plants contain compounds named Cannabinoids. Two main ones are Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD).

Hemp has an extremely low concentration of THC (0.2%) and there is no other chemical in it that could cause a ‘high’ sensation. In addition, Hemp also has high concentrations of CBD, which is why it is our choice of plant for all of our products.

Marijuana, on the other hand, is rich in THC with concentrations from 15 – 40%.

Usage

Both Hemp and Marijuana have offered a variety of usages each. However, Hemp has proven to have a broader and more diverse list.

Hemp is primarily used for industrial purposes as it can produce resources like paper, clothing, building materials, biofuel, food, oils and so much more.

Marijuana is typically used for recreational or medicinal purposes. It can be vaporised, smoked or eaten by adding it to food. When ingested, the THC will get into your bloodstream and start to create varied effects. If it hits your digestive system, it results in the creation of 11-Hydroxy-Metabolite in your liver, a substance 4 – 5 times stronger than THC.

This plant will cause the part of the brain with the largest number of receptors to over-stimulate. Short term effects include altered senses, mood swings, nausea and more. Long-term effects can cause extreme damage in brain development.

Legality

Due to the psychoactive and different effects that each of these plants present, the legality has been questioned many times. It must be noted that each country and State have their own varied laws.

As Hemp naturally contains little THC, it is legal in the majority of places in the world. The UK requires a 0.2% concentration of THC in Hemp and a maximum of 1mg of THC in any sized CBD product.

Marijuana is completely different. Due to the saturation of THC in the plants, it is a Class B drug in the UK under the Misuse of Drugs Scheduling Act 2001. This means it is illegal to possess, sell or use.

Recreational Marijuana is legal in Canada, in a few places in the US, Mexico and more.

 

It is important to distinguish the differences between Hemp and Cannabis as they are quite the opposite. We only use Hemp-derived CBD in our Oil Drops, Vape Liquids, Isolates & Terpenes, Balms and Edibles.

For more information, give us a call on 0116 321 4300 or check out our socials on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.