Have you heard the terms hemp and marijuana being used interchangeably and wondered if they are actually the same thing? Are you curious to know what the difference is between Hemp and marijuana?
Although hemp contains minimal amounts of THC, it was listed along with marijuana as a banned drug. The benefits of hemp for mankind can be enormous with the fact that hemp has over 25,000 known ways of application.
Biologically, marijuana and hemp are classified as cannabis, but the difference between the two species is evident, although few know them. If you want to know the difference between hemp and marijuana, continue reading.
What is hemp?
When it comes to discussing the difference between marijuana and hemp, it is easy for people to get confused, because they are both parts of the same family. More than that, because the marijuana industry is only becoming popular now, and it is only very recently that online sites such DankStop are allowed to sell marijuana-related products, many people don’t have general knowledge related to marijuana. However, there are big distinguishing differences between the two plants and it is important to know these differences before you make any assumptions about people or fall into the stigma of marijuana.
The word hemp is used to classify different cannabis varieties that only contain less than 0.3% THC. THC is the compound within the cannabis plant that is responsible for the euphoric high that you get from it. Usually, hemp is used to describe cannabis plants that are non-intoxicating and they are typically farmed and harvested for industrial purposes such as rope and cloth, which are two of the most common products made from hemp.
Other uses for hemp include paper, housing material, and even food. It is said to have a high resistance to rot making it a great material in the industrial world as it is incredibly durable and reliable
What is marijuana?
When talking about marijuana, taking the THC levels into consideration is how you know which cannabis plant is considered marijuana. Just as any cannabis plant with THC that is less than 0.3% anything that is above 0.3% is considered to be marijuana and is something that can give you a high and have psychoactive and euphoric effects on the user.
Marijuana is used for both medicinal and recreational purposes; it is composed of multiple compounds, but the two most prominent are THC and CBD. One gives you a high and the other provides healing effects and makes you feel relaxed.
Marijuana can be incredibly beneficial to those who use it medicinally to treat different conditions such as anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and more. However, it is not a cure and should be thought of as a treatment to help you manage the symptoms of your disease.
The difference
When it comes down to looking at hemp and marijuana and deciphering which is which, there are 4 key differences that distinguish them from each other. The very first one being their molecular structure. Both marijuana and hemp contain CBD or cannabidiol which is a non-intoxicating compound. However, marijuana contains THC or tetrahydrocannabinol which is a completely different molecular structure.
Moving on we have the legality of each of these plants. While both are cannabis plants, they offer different things to the users. While marijuana is still considered a drug, hemp is considered an industrial tool. This means that hemp has far fewer rules and restrictions when it comes to growing and selling. Marijuana is still illegal to grow and sell in many countries around the world, especially for recreational purposes, but this is slowly changing.
Next up is obviously the usage. As mentioned above, hemp and marijuana are used for completely different purposes. Typically, hemp is used for more industrial things such as rope and building materials, as well as clothing and more. Whereas, marijuana is used for consumption, either for recreational use or for medicinal use.
Last but not least, we have the cultivation of two different plants. Both plants are grown and harvested for different reasons, and both need different growing environments. Typically, marijuana is grown in a very controlled environment that is designed to optimize its growth for the use of the flower. Whereas hemp is grown outside to maximize its yield. There is no control in the lighting and very little attention is paid to the plants.
Story by William Smith
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