A Tale of Two Plants: Hemp & Marijuana

If you find a lot of confusion between hemp and marijuana, you’re not alone. One reason is that they’re two varieties of the same plant species - Cannabis sativa. Another reason is marijuana is often referred to as “cannabis”. 

But you’re in luck. We’re going to simplify the comparisons for you right now:

Although the two plants do have a similar look (and smell), they are very easy to distinguish from one another.

Hemp is a tall, sturdy plant with fewer leaves that thrives outdoors in a variety of conditions. Marijuana, on the other hand, tends to be shorter, very leafy, and typically thrives better under controlled conditions.

Hemp has been used all over the world for millennia, with literally hundreds of uses ranging from its fibers being used to make clothing, rope, sails, building materials, etc., to the seeds and the rest of the plant to make oils (like CBD!). 

Marijuana has typically been used throughout history for medicinal and religious purposes.

Hemp has very low levels of THC (0.3% or less) and high levels of CBD, while marijuana tends to be the opposite, though it can also have higher levels of CBD.

Hemp with no more than 0.3% THC is not considered a Schedule 1 controlled substance (i.e., it’s federally legal), while marijuana is still federally illegal, though certain state-level laws means it’s legal recreationally and/or medicinally in several dozen states.

Although the CBD amounts in hemp have been found to have a variety of benefits, including a more relaxed spirit due to reduced stress, it does not make you high because of its trace amounts of THC.

The leaves and stalks of both hemp and marijuana are covered with sticky hairs called trichomes, which is where the "good stuff" is located: 

- Flavonoids that give plants their color 

- Terpenes that give plants their aroma 

- Phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties 

-Cannabinoids like CBD, CBG, THC, and over 100 more