What’s the difference?

I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about HEMP as of late.   In all varieties, you see it in the market as hemp seeds, hemp powder, and hemp milk. It’s a good alternative as a vegan protein source. I love it in a protein shake as a clean source of protein - minus the bloat.  Hemp is from the plant, Cannabis. This is where it starts to get confusing.

Marijuana is certainly a product that has crossed your consciousness – perhaps you’ve read about the fight for legalization across the country, or you know someone who uses it to treat a health issue, or maybe you enjoy CBD oil to relax and unwind your mind.  

Let’s dig in on the term cannabis. Many people are using the term cannabis instead of marijuana for the sake to de-stigmatize the plant or to elevate it to a more professional level.

The big confusion is knowing how the three terms – hemp, cannabis, and marijuana – are related. And, related they are!

So, here are some super simple facts:

#1: Both hemp and marijuana are cannabis, so the term cannabis can be used to describe either hemp or marijuana.

#2: Hemp and marijuana are different.

#3: Hemp contains less than 0.3% THC – the cannabinoid in the cannabis plant that confers the “high.”

#4: Marijuana is the product that contains more than (sometimes, a lot more than) 0.3% THC.

#5: Both hemp and marijuana contain other cannabinoids (active ingredients in the cannabis plant), such as CBD, which does not confer a “high.”

Back to the confusing issue mentioned in the first paragraph – hemp oil.

Hemp oil in large bottles has been available alongside other specialty salad oils in some food markets. The food-based hemp products typically do not contain a significant amount of CBD. Even in some CBD oils, it’s not always clear how much ACTIVE cannabinoids are in a “hemp CBD oil.”   As a formulator of CBD rich organic products, I see this as the most common misunderstanding and sneaky marketing ploy by many companies. It’s still the wild west out there.

In the past few years, hemp oils that contain CBD have flooded the market. Buyer beware, because many times it's confusing to see how much truly "active CBD" is present in a oil.  These oils come in much smaller bottles with droppers for dosing smaller amounts and cost a lot more. You can take alone or add to smoothies and teas and recipes.

Got it? Hemp and marijuana are cannabis, but hemp is not marijuana.  We’ve given some answers and perhaps spurred more questions, maybe about CBD. Let us know what you’d like to know, and we’ll try to address in an upcoming update.

Till then, enjoy life and keep your endocannabinoid receptors, mind, body and soul in balance!      Warmly,  Kassandra