Many of us have been confused by the improper uses of the words hemp and marijuana, often when people are talking about these two plants, they talk about them like they are one. So what is the difference between them, you may ask? I will try to answer.
Firstly, both marijuana and hemp come from the same species of plant called “Cannabis Sativa L”. The term 'Hemp' commonly refers to the industrial/commercial use of the cannabis stalk and seed for textiles, foods, papers, body care products, detergents, plastics and building materials. Meanwhile, cultivators of the cannabis plant have manipulated it over the years to encourage specific traits to become dominant.
Both plants have different THC (tetrahydrocannabinoids) content. If you want to get "high" you need at least 10 milligrams of THC, for comparison industrial hemp contains only about 0.3% - 1.5% THC, while cannabis contains about 5% - 10% or more THC. It means, that you can't get "high" from industrial hemp's, simply because they are too weak. Hemp and marijuana plants contain another important cannabinoid: CBD (cannabidiol). Hemp plants produce more CBD than THC, while marijuana produces more THC than CBD.
Hemp and marijuana are grown for different uses, and therefore require different growing conditions. Hemp cultivation requires no chemicals, pesticides or herbicides. Grown in rotation with other crops such as corn and legumes, hemp farming is completely sustainable. Hemp is easy to grow, and actually conditions soil where it grows. While cannabis "farmers" in orders to achieve greater THC level grows plants in grow-room conditions, which means that growers usually aim to maintain stable light, temperature, humidity, CO2 and oxygen levels, among other things.
Lastly, legal status. Industrial hemp is legal to grow in more than 30 countries. After 2014 farmers in U.S. were allowed to grow industrial hemps, but THC level had to be lower than 0.3%. Marijuana, on the other hand, remains illegal in most countries. A few, such as Israel and Canada, have recently started to regulate marijuana as a medicine. But the legal production of marijuana is subject to stricter rules than hemp, since it is still widely considered a narcotic.
Since there are so many differences between industrial hemp and high-THC marijuana, it seems to make sense that it would be a fostered, rather than demonized crop. Hope you enjoyed this post and found it interesting. Follow me and upvote, and until next time!