Are Hemp and Marijuana the Same Thing?
The short answer is no. Hemp and marijuana are not the same thing, but they are both varieties of the same species of cannabis.
There has been a lot of confusion about what the difference is between hemp and marijuana. It has even led hemp being criminalised for decades for something it simply is incapable of doing (making you high!).
What is Hemp?
Hemp is a variety of Cannabis Sativa. It has been used by humans for thousands of years for a wide variety of things from rope to clothing to paper to food to skincare. It is also used to make CBD extract.
Hemp, or industrial hemp, is used to describe the food and fibre variety of cannabis. It contains very low levels of THC which is the compound that makes you feel high.
And What is Marijuana?
Marijuana goes by many names including weed, pot, mary jane, hash, ganja, bud. It is also classified as Cannabis Sativa but is specifically grown to have high levels of THC which makes you high.
Are hemp and marijuana the same plant?
Yes, they are but there are some very important differences.
So How Are Hemp and Marijuana Different?
The main difference is hemp won’t make you high but marijuana will!
This difference between hemp and marijuana is the main point of confusion between the two plants.
Hemp and marijuana have a different chemical makeup, method of growing and appearance.
Hemp contains between 0.3-1.5% THC while marijuana contains 5-30%. This means marijuana is psychoactive and hemp is not.
Hemp can be grown with minimal care in most environments. Marijuana is carefully grown to yield the highest percentage of THC.
Hemp vs Marijuana
Appearance
Marijuana often differs in appearance from hemp. Marijuana tends to have broader leaves, a tight bud or look like a nugget with tiny hairs.
Hemp has skinnier leaves that are concentrated at the top with longer stalks. There are few leaves below the top part of the plant. Hemp plants that are cultivated for CBD extract tend to be shorter and bushier like marijuana. This helps to maximise the potency of the CBD in the leaves and buds.
Marijuana looks like a short fat bush while hemp is taller and skinnier. This is how you can tell the difference between hemp and marijuana.
Composition
The main difference between hemp and marijuana comes down to the cannabinoid compound, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. THC is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis. Marijuana contains on average between 5-20% THC, with premium varieties containing up to 30% THC.
Hemp, on the other hand, must contain very low levels of THC to be considered industrial hemp and not marijuana. Hemp can have higher levels of THC but it is grown to contain THC that is within legal requirements so it can be cultivated legally for industrial purposes.
Countries use the percentage of THC to define the difference between hemp and marijuana. For example in the US it is 0.3% while in New Zealand it is 0.35%.
Hemp also contains higher levels of cannabidiol or CBD. CBD is is another cannabinoid compound found in cannabis that has numerous medicinal benefits.
Cultivation
The way hemp and marijuana are grown are very different!
Hemp is grown in fields very close together in multi-acre plots outside. It can grow in a variety of climates , doesn’t require much attention and takes around 4 months to reach maturity. There are many varieties of hemp which can be grown specifically for fibre, seeds or CBD content.
Marijuana, on the other hand, requires a carefully controlled atmosphere of warmth and humidity for proper growth. It reaches maturity in only 60-90 days. The plants cannot be grown too close together to reduce the risk of mould or bacteria. Marijuana is specifically grown to produce buds and leaves with very high levels of THC.
Hemp and marijuana cannot be grown together. If marijuana grows among, or too close to a hemp field, the hemp’s pollen would ruin the marijuana crop by diluting the marijuana’s psychoactivity.
Male cannabis plants flower much faster than females and don’t produce as much fibre which is desired for hemp cultivation. Most female hemp fields will include a sporadically placed male plant. This ensures the male hemp plant releases pollen so the female plant can produce seeds to be sold as food.
For marijuana, male plants are eliminated because female buds are much higher in THC. This ensures they make the maximum amount of THC containing flowers. Fertilised flowers contain much lower levels of THC.
Usage
Hemp is specifically grown for a wide variety of uses. Hemp usage can be dated back to around 10,000 years ago in Central Asia, where it was used to make paper, fabrics and for food.
The buds and leaves are used to extract CBD oil for a variety of medicinal applications for many common health issues and chronic diseases. Marijuana can also be used for it’s CBD extract however this is less common for legal reasons.
The fibre, stalks and hurds of the hemp plant are used to make paper, fabric, rope, construction materials, fuel and even plastic. Hemp seeds are used for a variety of food products such as hemp seed oil, flour and protein powder. Hemp seeds are highly nutritious containing omega 3s, fibre and it is a complete course of plant-based protein.
Marijuana is primarily used for its psychoactive properties. It can be ingested in a number of ways from smoking hash or the dried leaves in a rolled joint, pipe, bong or chillum. Marijuana can also be ingested through a vape or via edibles such as cookies, brownies or bhang.
There are a wide variety of marijuana strains that are selectively bred to produce high quantities of THC and various other cannabinoids to create the desired buzz.
Cannabis Sativa vs Cannabis Indica
There is also a distinction between Cannabis Sativa varieties of marijuana and Cannabis Indica varieties. They look different, with Sativa being taller and skinner and Indica being shorter and rounder. They also have different psychoactive effects.
Sativa is said to be more energising, uplifting and cerebral. It is good for when you want to go out or work on creative projects. Indica provides more of a full-body buzz and offers a sedating high so is better smoked when you are relaxing or going to sleep.
There are also now many hybrids of Sativa and Indica to create specific psychoactive effects.
The Indica variety originates from cannabis varieties discovered in India, where it has used for its seeds, fibre and hash production for thousands of years.
Sativa refers to varieties found in Europe and Western Eurasia where it was cultivated for its fibre and seeds. Indica varieties can also be used for industrial hemp purposes but have a higher THC content so are typically reserved for marijuana due to issues with legality.
Legality
The legality of hemp vs marijuana is another very important distinction between the two varieties.
History of Cannabis Legalisation
In the 1970s there was the ‘war on drugs’ in America which saw all cannabis, including non-psychoactive hemp, become fully criminalised under the Controlled Substances Act. This made a non-psychoactive plant completely illegal.
The whole world followed suit criminalising hemp. This meant that hemp products largely disappeared from our lives and we forgot how amazing the plant was. It has also been the source of much confusion about the difference between hemp and marijuana and what hemp can actually be used for.
Hemp & Marijuana Laws Today
These days the medicinal benefits of industrial hemp products along with THC and CBD are starting to be recognised and laws have mostly been relaxed. Many countries including New Zealand, Australia and America and the UK allow CBD and marijuana for medicinal use and we’re heading towards full legalisation of THC.
In New Zealand, you are legally allowed to use CBD with a medical prescription as long as the THC is below 2%. You can legally grow 12 varieties of industrial hemp in New Zealand with a permit and provided THC is below 0.35%. All hemp products are legal for human consumption. Many countries around the world have similar laws to this for hemp including America, Australia, Canada, the Uk and parts of India.
Marijuana that contains levels of THC higher than 2% is classified as a controlled drug and comes under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Marijuana is however allowed to be prescribed by doctors for medicinal use.
In America, marijuana is still federally illegal but thanks to some state-level legalisation you can get marijuana legally for medical and recreational use in parts of the US.
Can You Smoke hemp?
Yes, you can smoke hemp and it will look similar to marijuana.
You can dry it and roll it up into a joint and smoke it like a natural cigarette. Smoking the hemp buds can be very relaxing, thanks to CBD but there isn’t enough THC in the legal varieties to give you any buzz.
Smoking hemp isn’t the most effective way to reap the benefits of CBD and the other healing compounds found in hemp. It is better to consume hemp in an extracted oil form such as full-spectrum hemp oil or CBD isolate oil.
THC vs CBD in Hemp & Marijuana
What are the chemicals that make hemp and marijuana different?
THC is the chemical compound found in cannabis that is responsible for its psychoactive effects. Marijuana has much higher levels of THC than hemp, containing 5-30% THC.
Hemp, on the other hand, must contain very low levels of THC of around 0.3% to be legal. This makes it impossible to get high off hemp.
CBD is the other main cannabinoid found in hemp and marijuana. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety properties with no psychoactive side effects making it a popular choice as a natural medicine.
There are more cannabinoids found in cannabis such as CBC, CBG & CBN. Research has shown that all these compounds work together creating an ‘entourage effect’ that activates the endocannabinoid system which effectively treats many illnesses and conditions. This means that as opposed to a CBD isolate, full-spectrum hemp & marijuana oil with all the cannabinoids present may have enhanced healing properties.
CBD is an unregulated market and there are a lot of fraudulent and poor quality products on the market. It is unregulated so make sure you do your research before buying CBD oil.
In New Zealand, you require a medical prescription to legally buy CBD that has a level of THC over 0.35%. NZ Hempress* is an amazing company that is producing high quality, full-spectrum hemp oil in New Zealand which contains less than 0.3% THC. This means you can legally buy it without a prescription and get all the benefits of activating your endocannabinoid system.
*This is an affiliate link, we use & 100% recommend NZ Hempress Full Spectrum Hemp Oil
Marijuana CBD vs Hemp CBD
Hemp naturally contains higher levels of CBD than THC which make it an ideal course of CBD. Especially for those who don’t like the psychoactive effects of THC.
When CBD is extracted from hemp it is legal to purchase in many places around the world, as long as the THC levels are kept below 0.3%. CBD extracted from hemp is safe and a legal way to experience CBD. It is possible to buy CBD isolate, where all the other cannabinoids, including THC are completely stripped from the oil.
CBD products extracted from marijuana are likely to contain much higher levels of THC, unless it has been stripped away. While full spectrum marijuana extract has many medicinal benefits and provides the benefits of the entourage effect, it is illegal in many places (with the exception of some states in the US) and will make you feel high.
Learn More About Hemp and CBD
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