Does the overwhelming amount of information surrounding CBD confuse you? Hemp VS Marijuana, CBD VS THC. What are the differences between them all? Are they all illegal? Is one legal and the other illegal? Chances are that you have found yourself thinking these same questions.
All the information in regards to CBD and Hemp can be like a tidal wave. To make matters worse you want to make sure that you are getting the correct information.
In these “quick hits” series we are going to answer some common questions quickly. We are also going to give simple easy to understand guidance so you can learn on your own time.
Distinguishing Between Hemp and Marijuana – Whats The Difference?
Both Hemp and Marijuana are in the cannabis family. Although they are related they are not the same plant nor do they have the same uses. Hemp unfortunately gets confused with marijuana. Industrial hemp has so many uses, many that you may have not known about.
It can be used for foods, ropes/cordage, paper and medicinal purposes. Its thick fibrous properties make it extremely useful in a variety of different industrial needs. The seeds are very nutritious and can even be found in the grocery isle (either in granola or by themselves). Hemp is very high in CBD but low in THC.
Marijuana on the other hand is primarily used for recreational drug use. It is high in THC and low in CBD. Marijuana that is grown and cultivated today is much different from a few decades ago. Now the plants can be developed to increase the levels of THC for recreation drug use.
Hemp is not marijuana. Hemp is not used nor even useful as a recreational drug. Its low THC levels make it useless in those regards but very useful in CBD production.
Which is Illegal, Hemp or Marijuana?
This seems to be a evolving subject matter. States like Colorado legalized marijuana use, but as for hemp there is still confusion. The farm bill of 2018 legalized hemp at the federal level. There are restrictions though. The hemp has to contain 0.3% THC or less. So if you see CBD oil products you should see labeling mentioning hemp. That means it is hemp derived.
There is still some grey areas around how CBD is used with food products in some states. Even law enforcement has made errors distinguishing legal hemp plants from marijuana plants. The NYPD had a recent incident highlighting the confusion.
Does CBD Makes You High
CBD (cannabidiol) is non-psychoactive. It will not make you high. THC on the other hand is psychoactive and will create the high effect. Don’t confuse the two and don’t let someone convince you that CBD is another means to get high, it is not.
In fact CBD actually has qualities that counteract the psychoactive high of THC. Now that is an interesting tid bit of information. When you are purchasing CBD oil products you will see varieties that contain trace levels or THC and others that are THC free (isolates).
The THC levels are not enough to make you high. Legally they should contain no more than 0.3% THC. The CBD oil products that do contain these trace levels of THC are referred to as Full Spectrum. That is because along with CBD it also has trace levels of THC and other natural cannabinoids, flavonoids etc that help optimize how the body absorbs the CBD.
You can avoid that by selecting a THC free isolate. There are some pros and cons to each.
Summing it Up – Marijuana VS Hemp, THC VS CBD
Although marijuana and hemp are both in the cannabis family they are NOT the same plant. They have different uses. Hemp was unfortunately confused with marijuana but the recent 2018 farm bill hemp changed that. This was a positive initial first step to remove the taboo around hemp and legalize it on the federal level.
Hemp contains high levels of CBD and low levels of THC. Legally is must contain no more than 0.3% THC. CBD is non-psychoactive, it will NOT make you high.
