Cannabis VS Hemp VS Marijuana

With a full century of propaganda and misinformation floating around, the differences between cannabis, and hemp have become blurred to the general public. Those who’ve never experienced any level of this plant may not be able to understand the potential benefits found in both hemp and cannabis. In fact, there is a third category which is too often identified as the entire plant altogether, marijuana.

This article is going to explain the differences between hemp, cannabis, and marijuana.

Read below and please share this with any friends or family you know would benefit from this knowledge.

Cannabis, Hemp & Marijuana

Okay, let’s clear up one thing – Cannabis, Hemp and Marijuana are not the same. Each are grown, harvested, processed and used in very different ways.

Cannabis is the entire flowering plant from the Cannabaceae family. It has three different species, cannabis sativa, cannabis indica and cannabis ruderalis (this is a combination of the two).

Hemp and Marijuana are species of Cannabis which come from the Cannabis Sativa family.

Because Hemp and Marijuana come from the same family, they have similar features. However, due to their biological structure, they have several very distinct and crucial differences.

Let’s talk about those difference.

Hemp vs Marijuana: The Grow

Marijuana has broad leaves to absorb sunlight, it grows dense buds filled with a wide variety of cannabinoids (chemical compounds), and grows into a short bush.

Hemp looks completely different. It has skinny leaves which grow towards the top of the long skinny stalk.

You can see the clear difference in the exterior of the plants, but what's more important is what is on the inside of each of these.  

Let’s talk about the chemical composition and how these two plants vary.

Hemp vs Marijuana: The Composition

Cannabis contains a very high concentrate of two specific cannabinoids. One is called Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD).  Both Cannabinoids have the potential to induce incredible benefits to the human body. The ever-growing research is clear on this.

THC creates the psychoactive effects or “high”. The effects from the high have been researched for their ability to ease symptoms of certain mental conditions.

CBD has compiled over 1,300 pieces of research revealing an abundant amount of health benefits. Everything from seizure relief to pain management and even Autism has been studied using CBD oil.

A huge distinction in Hemp vs Marijuana is Hemp has an extremely low concentration of THC (.3% or less) while marijuana averages 20-30% THC levels.

Because of this, Hemp is typically grown primarily for industrial purposes, as it’s much more stable to grow and can be used for anything from rope to fabrics. Marijuana is strictly grown for recreational and medicinal purposes.

Hemp vs Marijuana: The Uses

Both Hemp and Marijuana can be smoked, inhaled, ingested or injected directly into the body. CBD and THC are also commonly extracted from the plant and used in a variety of methods including vaporizers, capsules, edibles and more.

Hemp’s texture and strength allow it to produce hundreds of incredible resources including paper, clothing, building materials, biofuel, food products, and oils. With CBD becoming a new buzzword in health, hemp is also used to produce a wide variety of THC-free CBD products.

Learn More About Buying A Potent CBD Oil That Actually Works >>

Hemp vs Marijuana: The Legality

THC is a key issue in both the legal status of a product and whether you should choose Hemp vs Marijuana.

All laws vary between state and local governments. Laws vary greatly based upon the usage, sales, transportation and cultivation of the Hemp plant. This will widely depend on the plant’s THC-content.

Hemp with contents less than .3% THC is legal within all 50 states, while it’s only .2% for the rest of the world.

Marijuana is a different story.

It contains such a high THC-content it is illegal in most parts of the world, including the US. Although no longer being able to discredit the growing evidence of the benefits of marijuana usage, the US has allowed this to become a state issue. Most states have now opened marijuana usage laws to include medicinal patients and a few have even included a recreational option with much success.

In many places, the Hemp vs Marijuana debate doesn’t matter because their only option for activating the benefits of the cannabis plant is through hemp CBD. Hemp CBD (not to be confused with hemp seed oil) is growing in popularity every day because a new study reveals how it’s helping and a new testimonial praises its results.

Now you know the difference between cannabis, marijuana, and hemp. Was there anything that surprised you in this article? Sound off below.