Differences Between Hemp and Marijuana in Brantford

Most people think that hemp is just another category of cannabis like Indica, Sativa, and Ruderalis. They don’t know the differences between the two, which creates confusion when they visit the website of an online weed dispensary or their local weed store. Visit any online weed dispensary, and you’ll see hemp-based and cannabis-based products. You have to know which one you need. Otherwise, it could result in an unsuccessful experience. 

There are three primary species of cannabis, belonging to the genus Cannabis, in the family Cannabaceae: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. After the landraces came the hybrids, produced after cross-breeding two different strains of cannabis. The standard terminology for hemp and marijuana is “species” and “strains,” respectively, but they neither qualify as species nor strains. It is technically impossible to classify them as individual plants. Neither hemp nor marijuana are legitimate names for the Cannabis plant; they are simply broad classifications our culture has adopted.

To dispel the confusion surrounding hemp and marijuana, let’s define the terms and understand how they relate to Cannabis.

What is Hemp?

A variety of Cannabis containing 0.3% THC content or less (by dry weight) is called hemp.

It is generally believed that hemp describes non-intoxicating Cannabis harvested for the industrial use of its derivatives, even though the legal definition described above has not been formalized.

In addition to producing essential resources such as food, rope, clothing, paper, and housing material, hemp has been a catalyst for mankind’s earliest advances. According to many, hemp was the first crop ever cultivated by mankind due to the evidence of its use throughout history, including the discovery of hemp-made material over 10,000 years ago. In the modern world, hemp has become an important agricultural product due to the durability of its fibres and its resistance to rot.

What is Marijuana?

Traditionally, cannabis marijuana consists of the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica plants. Plants containing THC and similar compounds alter the mind. It is also possible to make marijuana extracts from cannabis plants with more than 0.3% THC (by dry weight), which provides users with euphoric or psychoactive effects. Marijuana can be smoked in pipes, water pipes (bongs), or rolling cigarettes (joints). Additionally, they smoke marijuana in blunts, which are refilled cigars that have been empty. Vaporizers have become popular among people who don’t want to inhale smoke. The devices collect vapour from the marijuana and pull out the active ingredients (including THC). Instead of smoking the vapour, a person inhales it. Liquid marijuana extracts are used in some vaporizers.

The Confusion Between Hemp vs Marijuana

The defining characteristic between hemp and marijuana is based on a single factor in the context used to describe both. Its THC content, or whether it can make a person high.

Each plant possesses its own unique, intoxicating qualities. Cannabis is portrayed inaccurately when classified as hemp or marijuana based on a single characteristic. As a result, users cannot fully appreciate its diversity.

The distinction between hemp and marijuana is akin to categorizing all fruits in the citrus family as sweet or sour without taking into account the unique characteristics of each fruit.

Furthermore, hemp flowers and marijuana flowers can often appear identical.  In general, most hemp plants are indistinguishable, at least to the naked eye, from marijuana plants unless they are equipped with the necessary chemical analyzing equipment.

Since hemp looks exactly like marijuana, law enforcement officers have made several arrests and seized hemp that is 100% legal.

An insufficient understanding of Cannabis’ function makes it difficult to classify hemp or marijuana. Does it get you high (marijuana), or is it used for another, non-intoxicating purpose (hemp)? However you define it, it is still not complete.

Our society must be re-educated overtime to solve this confusion. While you explore your rights and how hemp and marijuana are used in our culture and legal system, it’s probably best to become familiar with what hemp and marijuana mean and how they are used to avoid complications when using hemp and CBD products.

Differences Between Hemp and Marijuana

Hemp and marijuana are varieties of the same plant, sharing many similarities and appearing identical. The two are very different with different effects and usages, so you will definitely not want to get them confused. Consider the following key differences between hemp and marijuana to understand how different they are.

Hemp vs Marijuana: Composition

Each plant’s chemical composition is what distinguishes them from each other. The non-intoxicating cannabis compound CBD is produced in high quantities in hemp and marijuana; however, THC is produced at very different levels. The maximum amount of THC in hemp is 0.3% by dry weight, while marijuana can contain up to 30%. If you choose a concentrate, the percentage of THC could go even higher than that. 

Hemp vs Marijuana: Cultivation

Due to the different purposes, hemp and marijuana are harvested for, it is only natural that their growing conditions differ. During marijuana breeding, plants are selected under controlled conditions to optimize their characteristics and produce plants that bear flowers. Growers must closely monitor a marijuana or cannabis plant at every stage of its development to cultivate it properly. The environment should be kept at the correct temperature, with appropriate lighting, and with the right amount of humidity.

Contrary to this, hemp is typically grown outdoors to achieve maximum size and yield. This does not require as much monitoring and care as marijuana. With hemp, bud-size or THC content are no longer important considerations, so male plants are generally preferred.

Hemp vs Marijuana: Usage

Marijuana and hemp each have different uses based on their composition. THC is a powerful psychoactive agent that binds directly to CB1 and CB2 receptors in the Endocannabinoid System, resulting in the euphoric, mind-altering effects commonly associated with being “high.” Although marijuana is widely used recreationally, studies have discovered that it has medicinal benefits as well.

Comparatively, hemp can be used to make a wide range of products, for example:

• Building materials, clothing, and paper products are examples of industrial products
• Oils, flours, and seed-based products made from hemp can be found in food products
• Various CBD products are produced from medical products, such as CBD vape juice, CBD tinctures, CBD topicals, and other CBD-infused products.

Hemp-Derived CBD vs Marijuana Derived CBD

We now have yet another important topic to consider in the case of hemp and marijuana, and that is CBD. Considering each plant’s unique characteristics, one would expect that CBD from each plant would differ somehow. Nevertheless, CBD can be derived from hemp or marijuana. Cannabis-derived CBD and hemp-derived CBD are the same. Whether CBD was extracted from hemp or marijuana, its pharmacology is the same. There is no difference between hemp and marijuana CBD. 

Summarizing The Debate

Hemp is a powerful plant with many uses, including CBD extraction. It is CBD-rich and could help people with a host of diseases. Hemp is not the same as cannabis as it contains tiny amounts of THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana. Most people use hemp for its therapeutic effects. 

For more information on cannabis strains and products, contact us, and we would be glad to help.