The difference between hemp and marijuana is a subject that is often improperly explained.
As demand for CBD continues to skyrocket, the CBD industry has developed into a unique, independent market yet closely related to the Cannabis industry, including its controversial reputation and shifting legalities.
Due to the confusion and complications that this can present for CBD users, it has become increasingly important to understand the difference between hemp and marijuana and how they relate to Cannabis.
What is Hemp?
“Hemp” is a term used to classify varieties of Cannabis that contain 0.3% or less THC content (by dry weight).
While the legal definition described above had not been wholly legitimized until the Agricultural Act of 2018 had passed, “hemp” has generally been used to describe non-intoxicating Cannabis that is harvested for the industrial use of its derived products.
With evidence of its use recorded throughout history, including the discovery of material made from hemp over 10,000 years ago, many believe that hemp was the first crop ever cultivated by mankind. Numerous examples of hemp being grown by the United States founding fathers are found in many of the nation’s historical documents. Even copies of the Constitution were written on hemp paper!
With the capabilities to produce crucial resources such as food, rope, clothing, paper, housing material, and more, hemp has been the catalyst for man’s earliest innovations. The durability of its fibers, and resistance to rot, made hemp an important agricultural product even before the intoxicating effects of certain strains of Cannabis were widely known in the new nation.
Hemp VS Marijuana