Hemp vs Marijuana

One of the first questions we get from new CBD users is: 

What is the difference between Hemp and Marijuana? 

 If you google that question, you will find a million conflicting responses. Everything from: "Hemp and Marijuana are the same thing" to "The difference is how closely they are planted together"... Really. We actually had a rep from a company that rhymes with "TempWorx" tell one of our affiliates that the only difference between hemp and marijuana is that hemp is planted closer together so that they don't flower and produce THC... 

When I heard this, I was flabbergasted. 

Setting aside all of the mis-information, lets start from scratch. 

Hemp and Marijuana are both varieties of the Cannabis plant. While Marijuana can be either a Cannabis Sativa or Cannabis Indica variety, Hemp is only derived from the Cannabis Sativa line. Aside from the minor differences in physical appearance, the real difference comes in the chemical composition. 

Cannabis contains chemical compounds called Cannabinoids. The two most dominant cannabinoids are THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (Cannabidiol). 

Varieties of Cannabis Sativa that are classified as Hemp are dense in cannabinoids, but are nearly devoid of THC. Some THC exists, but in very minute doses (along the lines of less than 1% concentration). In fact, in order for a product to be considered Hemp and unregulated by the DEA, a Hemp extract product must have less than 0.3% THC by dry weight. 

On the other side of the spectrum, Marijuana (whether Indica or Sativa) will contain a full spectrum of cannabinoids including a dense concentration of THC - Commonly in the realm of 10-40% THC. 

IN A NUTSHELL 

... that's pretty much the story! Just like there are countless varieties of tomatoes (there are actually over 15,000 known varieties of tomatoes), Cannabis comes in a wide array of varieties as well. Keep in mind that what matters most right now is the Federal Government's classification and regulation of these plants. 

While Marijuana (and THC in particular) is still federally illegal, it is important to know what kinds of CBD and Hemp products you are buying and using. By making sure that your CBD provider has Independent Labs for their products to guarantee their chemical composition, you can make sure that you are not only taking the right supplements and medicines, but that you are on the right side of the law. 

Like anything else that you put into your body, the process of choosing a CBD product should start with trust and transparency! 

If you have any questions, leave a comment, shoot us an email or click on the chat button. We would love to hear from you!