No Plant Is More Misunderstood Than Hemp
Hemp vs. Marijuana
No plant is more misunderstood than hemp — or more confused with marijuana. In fact, for some, hemp is just another word for marijuana. But in reality, nothing is further from the truth. The distinction between marijuana and hemp is often muddled because while they’re both bred for different and specific uses, they’re still distant cousins that yield from the plant. So then, what exactly are the differences between these two strains?
Each bred for specific purposes
It’s true both hemp and marijuana come from the same cannabis species— Cannabis sativa L. But each are genetically different and are further distinguished by use, chemical makeup, and cultivation methods. Hemp, a different strain than marijuana, is bred for purposes that don’t …show more content…
involve getting high. In fact, even though the two come from the same plant, both have evolved over the years, each for their different qualities.
This term hemp — also called industrial hemp — generally refers to the non-psychoactive varieties of cannabis. It’s bred as a renewable source for raw materials that can be incorporated into thousands of products including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food, topical ointment, medicine, fuel and more. While you can do a lot with hemp, the one thing you can’t do is get high.
Marijuana on the other hand, refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems and seeds from cannabis plant, and is cultivated specifically for recreational use (getting high) and medicinal purposes.
Both are cultivated differently
Cultivating marijuana for its THC levels can be tricky. And to achieve the maximum THC levels in marijuana plants requires close attention. Therefore, marijuana is generally grown indoors where growers can pay close attention to light, temperature, humidity and oxygen levels, among other things.
Less attention is required to grow hemp. So it’s usually grown outdoors where natural conditions can maximize its size and yield. THC-producing marijuana plants grow to an average of five feet in height, whereas hemp grows to a height of approximately 10 to 15 feet.
Both have active compounds: THC and CBD
Cannabis is a complex plant with over 400 natural compounds of which more than 60 of them are called cannabinoids, Two of the most widely talked about and studied cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
Both CBD and THC have a wide range of uses and have a similar molecular makeup, which is why people often confuse them, and which is why controversy surrounds hemp. Even the scientific community, until fairly recently, believed that CBD and THC were in fact the same substance.
One of the main differences between hemp and marijuana though, are the amounts of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC and non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD. Marijuana is high in THC and low in the CBD. Hemp, on the other hand is high in CBD and low in THC. Each have their own unique uses and each are important medicinally.
Since hemp contains almost no THC — less than one-percent — you cannot get high from it. And as long as hemp plants are pollinated by members of their own crop, they will maintain their low levels of THC. On the other hand, many strains of marijuana are actually bred for maintaining large levels of THC[1]. Each has it’s own medicinal
benefits
This chemical differences between marijuana and hemp dictates the way we use the cannabis plant for medicinal purposes. CBD has recently attracted a lot of attention from the medical community, who prefer CBD over THC. THC on its own causes anxiety or paranoia. However, since CBD is non-psychoactive, you cannot get high from it. In fact, CBD actually has the opposite effect. Studies suggest[2] that CBD actually counteracts the anxiety [3]and when administered medicinally, can actually help reduce anxiety.
The legalities surrounding hemp and marijuana
At one time the US government understood and accepted the distinction between marijuana and hemp. Today, however, while most countries have strict laws surrounding marijuana and THC, the legalities for hemp and CBD is less clear. It is legal to import hemp products into the United States. But when it comes to marijuana the legalities are stricter since it is considered a narcotic substance.
In the US, CBD is technically illegal, since it is classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law. But, recently a pharmaceutical form of CBD, was cleared by the FDA to be tested in children with severe epilepsy. Meanwhile CBD found in hemp can be legally imported and sold in the US. Certain businesses have therefore taken advantage of this loophole by importing high-CBD hemp extracts from other countries.
Hemp is grown in over 30 countries. And in 2011 China was the top hemp-producing country followed by Chile and the European Union. Hemp is also grown in Canada. And In 2013, the country’s annual crop reached a record high of 66,700 acres.
Despite legal barriers, researchers are fast moving forward to understanding the way medical marijuana works to help manage a wide-list of ailments. Hemp technology is also on the forefront revealing new ways in which this industrial plant can contribute to society's future industrial and medicinal needs.
In recent years researchers at the University of Alberta created a supercapacitor using raw hemp material. This innovation brings the process of manufacturing cheap, fast-charging batteries from hemp that much closer. As legalization of marijuana spreads globally, the opportunities to explore both marijuana and hemp will become endless, which is one of the best things hemp and marijuana have in common.
[1] http://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/gb-2011-12-10-r102
[2] http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/197/4/285.long
[3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24923339
No plant is more misunderstood than hemp — or more confused with marijuana. In fact, for some, hemp is just another word for marijuana. But in reality, nothing is further from the truth. The distinction between marijuana and hemp is often muddled because while they’re both bred for different and specific uses, they’re still distant cousins that yield from the plant. So then, what exactly are the differences between these two strains?
Each bred for specific purposes
It’s true both hemp and marijuana come from the same cannabis species— Cannabis sativa L. But each are genetically different and are further distinguished by use, chemical makeup, and cultivation methods. Hemp, a different strain than marijuana, is bred for purposes that don’t …show more content…
involve getting high. In fact, even though the two come from the same plant, both have evolved over the years, each for their different qualities.
This term hemp — also called industrial hemp — generally refers to the non-psychoactive varieties of cannabis. It’s bred as a renewable source for raw materials that can be incorporated into thousands of products including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food, topical ointment, medicine, fuel and more. While you can do a lot with hemp, the one thing you can’t do is get high.
Marijuana on the other hand, refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems and seeds from cannabis plant, and is cultivated specifically for recreational use (getting high) and medicinal purposes.
Both are cultivated differently
Cultivating marijuana for its THC levels can be tricky. And to achieve the maximum THC levels in marijuana plants requires close attention. Therefore, marijuana is generally grown indoors where growers can pay close attention to light, temperature, humidity and oxygen levels, among other things.
Less attention is required to grow hemp. So it’s usually grown outdoors where natural conditions can maximize its size and yield. THC-producing marijuana plants grow to an average of five feet in height, whereas hemp grows to a height of approximately 10 to 15 feet.
Both have active compounds: THC and CBD
Cannabis is a complex plant with over 400 natural compounds of which more than 60 of them are called cannabinoids, Two of the most widely talked about and studied cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
Both CBD and THC have a wide range of uses and have a similar molecular makeup, which is why people often confuse them, and which is why controversy surrounds hemp. Even the scientific community, until fairly recently, believed that CBD and THC were in fact the same substance.
One of the main differences between hemp and marijuana though, are the amounts of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC and non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD. Marijuana is high in THC and low in the CBD. Hemp, on the other hand is high in CBD and low in THC. Each have their own unique uses and each are important medicinally.
Since hemp contains almost no THC — less than one-percent — you cannot get high from it. And as long as hemp plants are pollinated by members of their own crop, they will maintain their low levels of THC. On the other hand, many strains of marijuana are actually bred for maintaining large levels of THC[1]. Each has it’s own medicinal
benefits
This chemical differences between marijuana and hemp dictates the way we use the cannabis plant for medicinal purposes. CBD has recently attracted a lot of attention from the medical community, who prefer CBD over THC. THC on its own causes anxiety or paranoia. However, since CBD is non-psychoactive, you cannot get high from it. In fact, CBD actually has the opposite effect. Studies suggest[2] that CBD actually counteracts the anxiety [3]and when administered medicinally, can actually help reduce anxiety.
The legalities surrounding hemp and marijuana
At one time the US government understood and accepted the distinction between marijuana and hemp. Today, however, while most countries have strict laws surrounding marijuana and THC, the legalities for hemp and CBD is less clear. It is legal to import hemp products into the United States. But when it comes to marijuana the legalities are stricter since it is considered a narcotic substance.
In the US, CBD is technically illegal, since it is classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law. But, recently a pharmaceutical form of CBD, was cleared by the FDA to be tested in children with severe epilepsy. Meanwhile CBD found in hemp can be legally imported and sold in the US. Certain businesses have therefore taken advantage of this loophole by importing high-CBD hemp extracts from other countries.
Hemp is grown in over 30 countries. And in 2011 China was the top hemp-producing country followed by Chile and the European Union. Hemp is also grown in Canada. And In 2013, the country’s annual crop reached a record high of 66,700 acres.
Despite legal barriers, researchers are fast moving forward to understanding the way medical marijuana works to help manage a wide-list of ailments. Hemp technology is also on the forefront revealing new ways in which this industrial plant can contribute to society's future industrial and medicinal needs.
In recent years researchers at the University of Alberta created a supercapacitor using raw hemp material. This innovation brings the process of manufacturing cheap, fast-charging batteries from hemp that much closer. As legalization of marijuana spreads globally, the opportunities to explore both marijuana and hemp will become endless, which is one of the best things hemp and marijuana have in common.
[1] http://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/gb-2011-12-10-r102
[2] http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/197/4/285.long
[3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24923339