What’s the Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana?

Just what is the difference between hemp, cannabis & marijuana? Are they the same?

It seems this question baffles most people on the internet, from bloggers, doctors, and even politicians!

Our society places a taboo on anything cannabis-related and our laws have reflected this. This means that such a discussion has never taken place, leaving us all in the dark.

The confusion out there arises because there are both legal and botanical distinctions to be understood.

Read on to understand more…

What is cannabis?

Cannabis is the scientific genus name for a group of flowering plants that includes several different species and subspecies. The official botanical name of cannabis is Cannabis sativa L. The “L” in the name stands for Carl Linnaeus, a scientist who first classified the species​​​​.

The most common species are Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica, though there are also lesser-known species like Cannabis ruderalis.

Cannabis plants contain a wide variety of chemical compounds called cannabinoids, including the well-known tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is responsible for the plant’s psychoactive effects, and cannabidiol (CBD), which is non-psychoactive and is often used for its potential health benefits.

Cannabis is grown and used for multiple purposes, including medicinal, recreational, industrial, and wellness applications. The plant has been cultivated for thousands of years, with various parts of the plant used to produce fiber, medicine, food, and recreational products.

Depending on how it’s cultivated and the amount of THC present, cannabis can be classified as either hemp or marijuana.

What is hemp?

Industrial hemp is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species cultivated particularly for industrial uses. Unlike its cousin marijuana, it contains only trace amounts of THC, the psychoactive compound that produces a “high.”

This highly versatile plant can be used in producing various products that range from textiles and paper to biodegradable plastics, food, and biofuel. Hemp also has positive environmental benefits, requiring fewer pesticides and generally improving the health of the soil.

How do I identify a hemp plant?

Identification of a hemp plant calls for regard to various principal characteristics. Usually, hemp plants are slender and tall-stalked, reaching up to 5 metres high. The leaves are thin with a palmitate structure that generally contains five to seven leaflets.

Both male and female flowers are well distinguished by the fact that male flowers are group-oriented, while the female ones rather appear solitary in their outlook. Also, hemp plants have a strong fibre texture that sets them apart from other plants.

What are the properties of hemp?

Hemp is one of the plants with durability and versatility. The fibre present in it is regarded as one of the strongest natural fibres, hence it becomes much useful for textiles and construction materials. Nutritional value, primarily due to the presence of fatty acids and proteins, is very high in hemp seeds.

The rapid growth and density of this plant make it a weed killer itself, while its deep roots end up aerating and improving soil health. Environmentally, hemp is a very sustainable crop that can be used to make eco-friendly products, all the way from biodegradable plastics to even biofuels.

What is the difference between hemp and marijuana?

Any cannabis plant of any species that contains a THC concentration of less than 0.3% is considered hemp and anything above that is considered marijuana, regardless of the species the plant belongs to or what it looks like.
Within both species there are hundreds of different breeds which contain varying number of cannabinoids in their gooey resin, some of which fall within the international legal definition of hemp and some within the legal definition of marijuana.

The cannabinoids are extracted from the plants resin which is present within the “heads of tiny, mushroom-shaped trichomes, found mainly on the plant’s odiferous female flowers (the buds) and to a lesser extent on the leaves”

“The term hemp means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis”

Where does the 0.3% internationally recognised legal definition come from?
The distinction and cut off of 0.3% is historical and is not significant as a number by itself. The figure is courtesy of Dr Ernest Small, who made this distinction in a series of publications in the 1970’s and it has continued to be taken as a cut off in the definition of marijuana and hemp since.

Does hemp get you high?

No, hemp does not get you high. This is because hemp contains very low levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive compound responsible for the “high” associated with cannabis. By legal definition, hemp must contain less than 0.3% THC, which is far too low to produce any intoxicating effects.

Hemp is primarily grown for its industrial uses, such as for producing fibers, seeds, and CBD (cannabidiol), which is non-psychoactive. While hemp-derived products, like CBD oil, may have therapeutic effects, they do not cause the euphoria or altered state of consciousness associated with marijuana.
In summary, hemp will not get you high due to its minimal THC content.

Is CBD oil made from hemp or marijuana?

CBD oil can be made from both hemp and marijuana plants. Most commercially available CBD oil, especially in countries with stricter cannabis laws, is derived from hemp due to its broader legal acceptance.

Cannabis sativa vs. Cannabis indica

Understanding the legal and botanical classification of Cannabis is important. However, there is some overlap.

See the image below for how each of these plants appears:

It so happens that many resin rich varieties which contain lots of different and beneficial cannabinoids are of the Cannabis Indica strain, which is short and busy. It is also true that many resin poor varieties which contain minimal cannabinoids are of the Cannabis Sativa species, which is tall and skinny in appearance.

These later Cannabis Sativa varieties are usually called “industrial hemp” and are used industrially to manufacture textiles, rope, clothing and paper. They have very useful fibre which makes them a valuable crop for such uses. But not all Cannabis Sativa species are used industrially, some are used medicinally also.

Therefore, most medicinally useful cannabis plants belong to the Cannabis indica species. These medicinal plants will have varying ratios of cannabinoids. Some will have minimal THC (<0.3%) and are therefore hemp and some will have high THC concentrations (>0.3%) and are therefore marijuana legally.

The definition of hemp is a legal one, and not botanical, and is based on the concentration of (Tetrahydrocannabinol) THC.

So any plant of either species that contains a THC concentration of less than 0.3% is considered hemp and anything above that is considered marijuana, regardless of the species the plant belongs to or what it looks like. Within both species there are hundreds of different breeds which contain varying amount of cannabinoids in their gooey resin, some of which fall within the legal definition of hemp and some within the legal definition of marijuana. The cannabinoids are extracted from the plants resin which is present within the “heads of tiny, mushroom-shaped trichomes, found mainly on the plant’s odiferous female flowers (the buds) and to a lesser extent on the leaves” (Project Medicinal Cannabis).

“The term hemp means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis”

Understanding the legal and botanical classification of Cannabis is important. However, there is some overlap between the two.

It so happens that many resin rich varieties which contain lots of different and beneficial cannabinoids are of the Cannabis Indica strain, which is short and busy. It is also true that many resin poor varieties which contain minimal cannabinoids are of the Cannabis Sativa species, which is tall and skinny in appearance. These later Cannabis Sativa varieties are usually called “industrial hemp” and are used industrially to manufacture textiles, rope, clothing and paper. They have very useful fibre which makes them a valuable crop for such uses. But not all Cannabis Sativa species are used industrially, some are used medicinally also.

Therefore, most medicinally useful cannabis plants belong to the Cannabis indica species. These medicinal plants will have varying ratios of cannbinoids. Some will have minimal THC (<0.3%) and are therefore hemp and some will have high THC concentrations (>0.3%) and are therefore marijuana legally.

This is incorrect.

Resin rich and Medicinal Cannabis rich Cannabis plants (i.e. hemp) are the best source of full spectrum Medicinal Cannabis without the psychoactive effects of THC.

The legal definition of CBD oil in New Zealand

CBD oil is legal in New Zealand, but it is classified as a prescription-only medicine. The CBD products must contain less than 2% THC and other psychoactive cannabinoids to be considered legal. You cannot purchase CBD oil over the counter; it must be prescribed by a doctor. CBD products in New Zealand must have a COA to prove that the CBD content is at least 98% of the total cannabinoid content of the product..

Special thanks to Rod Kight for his advice in writing this blog post.

What else would you like to know? Write us your questions below.

Dr. Waseem Alzaher

MBChB (Otago), BSc (Auckland) - As our tele-medicine doctor and author, Dr. Waseem keeps busy educating both patients and doctors about medicinal cannabis. He also consults with people from all over New Zealand, offering a listening ear and giving the most relevant advice.