Hemp vs Marijuana
First and foremost…
Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis. Historically, the term hemp was the more commonly used term to describe all parts of the plant. The term marijuana was a slang term that came into culture in the 1930s.
Today, we define them by a legal definition where one (hemp) is federally legal so long as the THC content in the plant is below 0.3%; and the other (marijuana) is more regulated on a state-by-state basis and is still federally and internationally controlled.
Chemically speaking, hemp and marijuana may be differentiated by chemotypes of the Cannabis sativa species.
These chemotypes include:
- Chemotype I – high THC producing cannabis with little CBD
- Chemotype II – produces equal parts THC and CBD
- Chemotype III – high CBD producing cannabis with little THC
- Chemotype IV – only produces CBG
Given legal considerations, hemp may be considered a Chemotype III or IV; whereas, marijuana may be considered a Chemotype I or Chemotype II.
What is the difference between hemp and marijuana?
| Hemp | Marijuana | |
| THC Concentration | Low (Less than 0.3% THC by law) | High (More than 0.3% THC by law; historically closer to 5-10% now up to 50% THC) |
| CBD Concentration | High | Low |
| Intoxicating in the field | No | Yes |
| Female Plant Role | Produce seeds or flowers | Produce seeds and flowers, but seeds not desired except for reproduction |
| Male Plant Role | Strong fibers, pollinate plant for seeds. Removal desired when growing for CBD. | Will pollinate female. Removal necessary. |
| Growing Strategy | Outdoor row crop or greenhouse. Normally seeded, but cloning possible for CBD | Normally indoor or greenhouse. Commonly cloned. |
| Products |
Raw material: floral material / seeds / stalk Intermediate products: extracts, distillates, isolates, hash, resin, rosin / protein, hearts, oil / bast fiber, hurd, microfibers, lignin Finished products: edibles, beverages, topicals, vapes / health foods / composites, building materials, plastics, industrial oils, paper, textiles |
Raw material: floral material Intermediate products: extracts, distillates, isolates, hash, resin, rosin Finished products: edibles, beverages, topicals, vapes, |
Growing for Cannabinoids
The major similarity when growing hemp and marijuana is when growing for the cannabinoids. In hemp’s case, farmers grow for the CBD and other minor cannabinoids, but legally require less than 0.3% of the cannabinoid THC. As for marijuana, unless growing for a particular ratio of THC : CBD, growers want the highest concentrations of THC possible. Because these production schemes both desire high concentrations of cannabinoids found in the floral material; the current growing conditions are similar.
Just like a marijuana grower, a hemp farmer growing for high concentrations of CBD would want to remove the male plants from the field or facility before pollination. This allows for less seed and higher concentrations of cannabinoids in each plant. Under this growing condition, hemp grown for cannabinoids like CBD commonly resembles marijuana production patterns.
Conversely, European growing conditions for CBD resemble fiber conditions and the crop is often dual harvested for fiber and CBD. This CBD is produced at lower concentrations in the tops of fiber varieties. This method creates a dual-purpose production system and resembles densely-packed hemp fiber production as opposed to bushy, flowering marijuana.
Regulatory Environment
Internationally, cannabis is regulated by the United Nations under the Single’s Convention which controls cannabis in the most strict drug category.
This is the primary reason/excuse the United States has not legalized cannabis – they claim legalization would violate international treaties. Curiously, the United States also used this reason/excuse to pressure other nations to initially sign on to the Single’s Convention.
Federally, marijuana is regulated under the Controlled Substances Act and is still considered illegal. Conversely, hemp is federally legal due to the 2018 Farm Bill and is regulated by the USDA. The 2018 Farm Bill gave jurisdiction to the FDA to regulate finished products which but they never took on the responsibility.
There are also certain Omnibus Bills that protect states rights to develop state cannabis programs. Certain states have passed legislation for recreational and/or medical marijuana while other states, like Kentucky, have also developed state programs to legislate and regulate hemp derived products.
Marijuana’s raw materials and finished products can only be sold within its state of production. Conversely, hemp raw materials and finished products can be sold across state lines to businesses and individuals because it is federally legal.
With the confusion in the market and regulatory environment, loopholes are inevitable. And one of the largest is that when the Farm Bill removed hemp derived THC from the controlled substances act it made THC federally legal so long as it was sourced from hemp.
This “Source Rule” allowed for legal levels of THC products to be sold nationwide so long as the THC was derived from hemp and was no more than 0.3% THC in the finished product (or 3mg THC/gram). This allowed for a proliferation of THC in the market that could be sold nationwide. In fact, you can shop for federally legal Cannabuzz products here!
