Due to misinformation, the terms “weed” and “hemp” are used interchangeably and have been for years on end. Theoretically, they have their similarities but are not the same thing. This article will outline the main differences between the two.
If you’re a frequent cannabis smoker or you’re in the marijuana growing business, you may already know what makes them distinct, but those who are new to this are surely not as informed as you are.
Let’s get to the facts and see how hemp and pot differ from one another.
Hemp vs. Weed
The fact that hemp is used in the manufacturing industry to create a fabric should already give you a hint as to how different it is from weed. Just like pot, it is cannabis Indica, but it’s a special strain that’s devoid of THC, the compound that makes you high.
Hemp, therefore, is bred for use in textiles, various foods and is even used as a building material in combination with limestone. Hemp cannot be used for recreational purposes because it lacks all compounds that can intoxicate. Read more about hemp uses.
Venture to take a guess how we’d characterize marijuana now? Well, for starters, weed has high concentrations of THC and CBD, the main two compounds that go into your system and make you high.
Obviously, this strain is bred for intoxication purposes and is sold accordingly. Marijuana, as you know, is the street-name for cannabis Indica, the same plant used for getting hemp. This isn’t its scientific name.
Legal Issues
In the US, hemp is under the Schedule 1 drugs Controlled Substances Act, just like weed. Learn more about The States Where Growing Medical Weed Is Legal.
However, in Europe, it has been cultivated for ages without the risk of ending up on the radar of the police.
In rural areas, for example, it was cultivated as much as potatoes were. It wasn’t seen as a drug. Poppy, which can provide a number of intoxicants, was and still is in the same circumstance: widely cultivated for nutritional and food purposes.
Why Are the Two Mistaken for Each Other?
First of all, both of them are wildly under-researched. The legislation makes it almost impossible for researchers to offer a final compendium on the differences between them, so the misconceptions are finally destroyed.
Since the cannabis law has been passed, though, thousands of scientific papers mushroomed in all the states where weed is legal. Unfortunately, those are deleted or prohibited from being given to the public by retractors – by the same government that helped legalize the plant.
Quite hard to believe this is happening, but this is the truth. Just Google some research papers and you’ll see how scarce they are. Medical marijuana works on a high number of illnesses, but the vast majority of people still see it like some shady cure. Read more about Medical marijuana.
Hemp and marijuana are technically the same plant, but they differ in properties. The biggest differences between them are: purposes and content of THC and CBD. Now you are more informed on this topic than 90% of the population.
