What is the difference between hemp and marijuana?

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to understanding the difference between marijuana and hemp. We hope to clear some of the mystery up with this addition to our learning lab series. 

Hemp and Marijuana are both classified as Cannabis (cannabis sativa l.). They are sister plants that share the majority of the same compounds and cannabinoids. The term, “medical cannabis” could actually be used in reference to either marijuana or hemp, since again, both plants are cannabis. The term, “medical marijuana” however, would only refer to the marijuana plant and not the hemp plant.

So now, let’s look at the main components of medical cannabis that differentiate marijuana from hemp.

Cannabis plants, both hemp and marijuana, contain unique compounds called cannabinoids. Current research has revealed over 85 different cannabinoids so far, as well as 300 other compounds, including terpenoids and fatty acids that make up the healing properties of both of these mysterious plants known as cannabis.

Both plants share the common cannabinoids of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (Cannabidiol). However marijuana is different than hemp in that it produces a lot more of the THC cannabinoid than it does the CBD cannabinoid. In contrast, hemp produces more of the CBD cannabinoid than it does the THC cannabinoid.

If your like most of us, when you hear the word marijuana, you automatically associate the term with, “getting high”. THC is the distinct cannabinoid in cannabis that is responsible for the psychotropic effects of marijuana. Simply put, THC is what you need to get high. No THC = No high.

While marijuana plants contain high levels of THC, hemp contains very little of the psychoactive chemical. This single difference is what most rely on to distinguish hemp from marijuana. For example, countries like the U.S. and Canada have set the maximum THC content of hemp at <0.3%. Hemp does not make you high. Any cannabis with higher THC levels is considered marijuana instead.

Medical Marijuana Alternative

Our slogan here at Green Flower Botanicals is, “All Health – No High”. Our full spectrum cannabis hemp oils are derived exclusively from the whole hemp plant and have no euphoric or psychotropic effect. We start with the highest quality hemp, cultivated specifically for high CBD content and maximum medicinal value. In the end, we produce one of the most potent, whole-plant  full-spectrum cannabis oils on the market, completely derived from cannabis hemp. Our products are legal in all 50 states and available without a prescription. All the health but none of the high.

See our entire product line of whole-plant full-spectrum hemp oils with cannabinoids.