Many people ask: Is Hemp and Marijuana the same? What is the difference between hemp and marijuana products? Is CBD Oil from marijuana? There are many differences in terms of composition, legality, and use of cannabinoids. It is important to know these differences if you want to understand the effects and uses of cannabinoid products such as CBD.
Cannabis: the difference between hemp and marijuana…
The terms hemp and marijuana are not scientific terms. When we talk about hemp, we are talking about the industrially used marijuana plant. It is usually grown outdoors to maximize stem size and production. It does not require the same rigor as marijuana in terms of lighting, temperature and humidity, since flowering is not the main goal.
On the other hand, the term marijuana is a slang used to refer to the cannabis plant used for medical or recreational purposes. It is important to remember that in both cases, hemp and marijuana, we are talking about the plant, Cannabis Sativa L.
Cannabis Sativa L.
In the 18th century, Linnaeus described Cannabis sativa as a single species of hemp. Later, history proposed three species of marijuana: C. sativa, C. Indica and C. ruderalis. However, in recent times, studies to classify C. sativa have been conducted using genomic DNA from various geographical origins of marijuana. The results described Cannabis sativa L. (Linnaeus) with different subspecies such as Indica and sativa.
What is the difference between hemp and marijuana?
Marijuana is cultivated for its flowers which contain an abundant number of cannabinoids. As mentioned earlier, they are used for medical or recreational purposes. Marijuana has a higher THC content than hemp seeds or hemp oil. Finally, it also contains many terpenes, and flavonoids.
Hemp is mainly grown for commercial purposes. It has an immense number of possible applications, it can be used in the production of dietary supplements, skin care products, clothing, textiles, in the production of ethanol (biofuel) and in the bioremediation of heavy metals.
The differences between hemp and marijuana are based on several factors such as appearance, cannabinoid profile, legislation and their uses.
The form and uses of hemp and marijuana
Hemp is widely grown in industry for its fibers, which can be used to produce textiles for example. The fibers are found in the stalk of the plant, which explains why hemp is much larger than marijuana. Indeed, flowering is not the goal of hemp, so the plants are grown very close together to grow upwards and not sideways.
“Industrial hemp” or Agricultural Hemp produces mainly CBD, while marijuana is grown for its larger THC rich flowers. Therefore, hemp products do not produce any psychotropic effects. On the other hand, CBD has several pharmacological properties. Finally, the seeds of the plant are also used to produce hemp oil.
Hemp Seed oil and hemp seeds are marketed online and offline as health foods, seeds, butter, tortilla chips, bread, seed candies, salad dressings, snacks, nutritional supplements and cosmetics. In addition, they have been reported to be rich in nutrients such as protein, unsaturated fatty acids and lack of cholesterol, but also contain trace levels of THC.
Because of the side effects of cannabinoids, particularly △9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), different countries regulate maximum limits for THC in products from hemp seeds and hemp oil. In hemp oil, THC levels range from 0.3 to 19.7 μg/mL and CBD levels range from 6.6 to 63.4 μg/mL.
In addition, in many countries, THC levels in hemp seed products should be less than 0.3% of the total plant weight in the United States. They are 1.5 μg/g and 5 μg/g in Australia, Belgium, New Zealand and Korea, as stated by the European Industrial Hemp Association. In addition, the concentration of THC in hemp oil is 5 μg/g in the United States and Germany and 10 μg/g in Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand, Belgium and Australia. Check your local laws for exact figures and limitations.
Summary
Is Hemp the Same as Marijuana explains the difference between hemp products such as Hemp Seed Oil and CBD and Marijuana is the THC content. Both comes from different parts of the Cannabis Sativa L. plant. Hemp products such as CBD are NOT the same as marijuana.
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