There’s quite a lot of confusion about the difference between Hemp and Marijuana. In this post, we shed some light on the topic.
Typically, Hemp comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant, and Marijuana comes from the Cannabis Sativa (albeit a different strain than the one used for Hemp) or Cannabis Indica plants. The term Hemp is used for Cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC (the abbreviation THC stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient), and Marijuana is the term for Cannabis that contains 0.3% or more THC.
eBook | Click for details
As a general rule, one could say that the term Marijuana (Marihuana) is typically used for those Cannabis products that cause a psychoactive “high,” and Hemp refers to those Cannabis products that are used for their CBD compounds or for industrial use.
Mind that Hemp and Marijuana plants both contain Cannabidiol (CBD), which is found in the flowers, stocks, and leaves of the plant, but Hemp seeds (of which Hemp seed oil is produced) usually don’t contain CBD (nor THC) at all, or only very little amounts.
Hemp seed oil is rich in omega fatty acids, gamma-linolenic acid, and other nutritional antioxidants, while containing plenty of vitamin B and vitamin D. It’s used as a nutritional and culinary supplement, but also provides hydration for dry skin. Additionally, it’s used as base oil (carrier oil) for CBD extracts in order to produce CBD oil.
Hemp seed oil is thought to have several other health benefits, such as relieving constipation, improving cardiovascular health, alleviating physical pains, improving the immune system and gastrointestinal health, while also having anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-aging effects.
Additionally, the designation Hemp (or Industrial Hemp) is rather used for those Cannabis varieties that have been cultivated for non-drug and industrial use, such as for paper, rope, building materials, textiles, clothing, paint, insulation materials, among many other applications
Apart from the above, Hemp is also used to produce other products, such as food, drinks, and oils, in which hemp seeds, hemp leaves, hemp seed oil, and/or hemp milk are used.
