Hemp versus Marijuana – They are not the same!
By James Tindall, PhD
Hemp and marijuana are not the same, they are simply both part of the Cannabis genus, commonly called family. Hemp is cannabis sativa species (often called variety), while marijuana is cannabis indica species. Hemp (cannabis sativa) has been bred specifically for fiber used for clothing and construction, medical and nutritional oils and topical ointments and tinctures, as well as many other uses that do not involve intoxication, i.e., ‘getting high’. In comparison, marijuana, cannabis indica, was specifically bred for the potent resinous glands (trichomes) that grow on the flowers and some leaves (buds). A great many people seem to be confused about this, which is why hemp was banned in the first place. And, ignorance of this leaves a great many with the perception that using hemp products will bring scary images of derelicts walking around in back alleys in cities stoned out of their minds – untrue. Let’s explore the difference between two.
Hemp is completely different from marijuana in its function, as well as cultivation and application. Sadly, these differences didn’t stop political leaders from getting confused and accidentally grouping all Cannabis species as a Schedule I Drug thus, banning it in 1970 under the Controlled Substances Act.
After about 70 years, the government and a great many remained confused between the distinguishing characteristics of the two plants. In its application, hemp and marijuana serve completely different purposes. Marijuana, as it is widely known, is used for medicinal or recreational purposes whereas, hemp is used in variety of other applications that marijuana could not possibly be used in. These applications include healthy dietary supplements, skin products, clothing, and accessories. Overall, hemp is known to have more than 25,000 possible applications.
A big question is can one get high from industrial/agricultural hemp. No, you cannot. Your lungs would fail from constantly trying to get high. Why, because agricultural hemp has less than 0.3% THC (that’s less than 3/10 of one percent for those not grasping the math). The following table does a brief comparison of the two species of cannabis.
| Type (Species) | Is type Psychoactive? | Chemical Makeup | Cultivation | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemp | No | Low THC (< 0.3%) as required by Federal law since hemp is classed as an agricultural product. | Requires minimal care. Is adaptable for growth in most climates. | Automobiles, body care, self-administered medical treatment, cannabidiol oils extracted used for wide variety of medical conditions, paper products, clothing, construction, food, plastic, insulation and so much more. |
| Marijuana | Yes, very | High THC (5%-35%) | Grown in controlled environment, generally indoors. | Medical and recreational use by smoking and edibles. |
What is the difference between the two plant species or varieties?
The following will explore the difference between the plant types so that you can better understand them. I will discuss the difference in appearance, chemical makeup and cultivation processes.
Appearance
Generally, marijuana looks quite different than hemp. The shape of a marijuana leaf tend to be broad leafed with a tight bud. In comparison to hemp, the leaves of hemp are much more slender that are concentrated at the top of the plant. In hemp, few branches or leaves exist below the top part of the plant. Looking at the plants from afar, marijuana looks more like a short fat bush whereas hemp is typically skinnier and taller (growing as tall as 20 ft). Hemp often looks like a long ditch weed and was often found to grow among weeds in Nebraska during the 1930s before it was banned. In general, when you compare a marijuana farm with those of industrial hemp, they are clearly very different from one another.
Chemical Makeup
The chemical composition of the two plants is perhaps their primary difference. And, that main difference is the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) within the marijuana plant, while almost completely absent in hemp due to Federal regulations. THC is the chemical responsible marijuana’s psychological effects that is based on the plants content of this substance – ranging from 5-20% THC content on average. Some strains of premium marijuana can have up to 25-30% THC. Hemp, by comparison, has a max THC level of 0.3%. This is such a low level that it is quite impossible to feel any psychoactive effect, the “high” that is associated with marijuana. The THC threshold is strictly regulated in the U.S. and in other countries that have legalized hemp. One of the main virtues of hemp is the presence of a high cannabidiol (CBD) content that acts as THC’s antagonist, essentially making the minimal amount of THC useless. However, the healing properties of the latter are staggering as we find out more about it every day.
It is interesting to note that the Department of Health and Human Services discovered these properties years ago, citing ‘cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants’ and that ‘Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new-found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, Such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, Such as Stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurode generative diseases, Such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinsons disease and HIV dementia. Nonpsychoactive cannabinoids, such as cannabidoil, are particularly advantageous to use because they avoid toxicity that is encountered with psychoactive cannabinoids at high doses useful in the method of the present invention. . .’
As a note: the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (also known as the NMDA receptor or NMDAR), is a glutamate receptor and ion channel protein found in nerve cells. It is activated when glutamate and glycine (or D-serine) bind to it, and when activated it allows positively charged ions to flow through the cell membrane. The NMDA receptor is very important for controlling synaptic plasticity and memory function.
Let’s look a little more at both THC and CBD. Tetrahydrocannabinol (commonly called THC), is the chemical responsible marijuana’s psychological effects with an average plant content of 5-20% THC but with some varieties having up to 25-35% THC. As stated, hemp, is regulated to only contain a max THC level of 0.3%. Contrasting again, what is unique about hemp is the high amounts of cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabidiol has recently been found to have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-anxiety properties without any psychoactive effects and, has proven to have a great many benefits for many medical issues that people have. Because of this, CBD has increasingly gained popularity as a medical supplement and is now one of the leading applications for hemp in the U.S. Also, you should note that most CBD oil in the U.S. market is imported, making it difficult to control and regulate its quality and concentration. I recommend that the reader be very cautious and do your due diligence before purchasing CBD oil and other CBD containing products. However, I will point you in a direction soon to a grower in Colorado, that is from seed to door and sells a very high-quality product.
Cultivation Processes
The growth environments between hemp and marijuana are quite different. Hemp is grown closely together (generally about 4 inches apart) and in large multi-acre plots. On some farms in the U.S., hundreds of acres. Hemp also grows in a variety of climates with a growth cycle is 108-120 days (3.5 to 4 months). By comparison, marijuana requires a carefully controlled climate that is both warm and humid for proper growth. Because of this, it is generally grown indoors, which also prevent cross pollination and contamination of the flowers/buds and has a growth cycle of about 60-90 days. You should note that if marijuana is grown close to a hemp field, the pollen from the hemp can cross-pollinate the marijuana and ruin the crop, which is why marijuana is not grown outdoors, as hemp pollen from over a mile away could ruin the crop. This mean the psychoactivity of the marijuana crop would decrease significantly.
Looking at the two different strains, Sativa is typically taller, loosely branched and has long, narrow leaves. Sativa is usually grown outdoors, reaching heights up to 20 feet. Sativa plants typically have higher concentration of CBD enzymes and again, essentially cause no mind-altering effect.
Indica species are shorter, densely branched and have wider leaves. They are better suited for growing indoors. Indica plants contain higher THC content, which has an intoxicating effect of causing a ‘high’. Due to growing demand, many hybrids of these plants have been developed making it more important to examine the exact THC level of a plant rather than strictly categorizing them ‘sativa’ or ‘indica’. A summary of differences between the two species is given in the pic below.
As an interesting note, the international definition of hemp as opposed to marijuana was developed by a Canadian researcher in 1971. That was the year that Canadian scientist Ernest Small published a little-known but very influential book called The Species Problem in Cannabis.
Dr. Small acknowledged there was not any natural point at which the cannabinoid content could be used to distinguish strains of hemp and marijuana – despite this he is thought to have arbitrarily decided that 0.3% THC in a sifted batch of cannabis flowers was the difference between hemp and marijuana. Because of this, most governments have adopted this THC level and most species of hemp have been genetically bred to have less than 0.3% THC, which qualifies them as agricultural hemp. By doing so, they cannot grow flowers or buds high in THC, but instead, contain larger amounts of CBD. However, researchers investigating hemp production in many areas, discovered that agricultural or industrial hemp had this characteristic anyway. Perhaps Dr. Small knew that and the selection of 0.3% was not so arbitrary after all. Finally, there is a difference between hemp and marijuana as described above. Thus, if you seek the health benefits of CBD, this information will give you a little information to help you along the way.