10 Apr 2020 3 MIN READ
It can become difficult for people to understand the difference between hemp and marijuana. In fact, for many people they are different names for the same thing but this is simply not true. The amount of wrong information present on the internet does not help either.
As more and more hemp based products are starting to hit the market, it is important to understand the difference between hemp and marijuana. Especially if you are looking to introduce one of these products into your daily routine. In this article we will look at each individually and then explain the key differences between each so you can be better informed.
Understanding Cannabis
To understand the difference between these two, it is important to first get an understanding of Cannabis and its different species. Cannabis belongs to the Cannabaceae family of plants which comprise three main species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis ruderalis and Cannabis indica.
You will generally see both hemp and marijuana being referred to as strains of Cannabis but the reality is that they don’t qualify as strains. In fact, they are both a broader classification of Cannabis that were adopted.
The word hemp is used to classify types of Cannabis which contain 0.3% or less THC content inside them. This definition was legitimized by passing of the Agricultural Act of 2018. Similarly, marijuana classifies types of Cannabis with more than 0.3% THC, capable of inducing a euphoric effect of the user.
So, What is Hemp?
The first recorded use of hemp dates back to almost 10,000 years ago. Throughout this time period, humans have used hemp for the production of many key resources like food and clothing. Even now it is being used in textiles, skin care products, and even building materials like solvents and insulation.
What is Marijuana?
Unlike hemp, the term marijuana was only introduced in the early 1900’s. Before that, it was non-existent and instead the word cannabis was used. Due to the Mexican Revolution between 1910 and 1920, almost a million Mexicans ended up migrating to the United States in order to seek refuge. This eventually resulted in some anti-Mexican sentiments and the term marijuana came up somewhere around this time since the plant was used by Mexican immigrants.
Eventually this negative perception of cannabis kept growing and the end result was a heavy regulation of cannabis by the government, with anti-marijuana laws being introduced in the 1930’s across different states.
What is The Difference Between The Two?
As explained earlier, the key difference between the two comes down to the amount of THC present in each, essentially determining whether a user will get to experience the infamous high or not. By law, all CBD products sold online or in retail locations need to be hemp based and that is what we offer here at Bloom as well.
Categorizing cannabis as either hemp or marijuana is wrong. This would be the equivalent of classifying all citrus species as either sweet or sour when clearly that is not the case. This is why it is important to be educated about the difference and legality of both hemp and marijuana if you plan on using hemp products to prevent any complications.
CBD can be derived from both hemp and marijuana, however, one is legal and the other one isn’t. According to the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp derived CBD is completely legal if it has 0.3% THC or less. On the other hand, marijuana derived CBD is illegal even if it contains 0.0% THC and is considered as a controlled substance.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the difference between hemp and marijuana can seem a bit difficult at first but we are hoping that this has helped clear some of the confusion.
If you are looking to buy 100% pure and organic hemp based products then Bloom’s range of USDA certified hemp products have you covered. We have our certified USDA organic tinctures, soft gels, topicals, and even hemp hearts and hemp butters to supplement your dietary needs.
