Cannabis: How are Hemp and Marijuana different?

  • By J.Maxine MacGwyre, LMA, Nutrition Specialist
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  • 18 May, 2019
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Glad you asked. Cannabis…does that incline you to recall or consider smoking a joint, taking a big hit off a bong or noshing on a yummy chocolaty laced brownie? But really, Cannabis has just as much to do with industrial hemp products, such as plant-based plastics (yay!), paper or military grade fabric as it does with its recreational or medical counterparts. So what makes them different?

1. Genetics…this is a biggie

Cannabis is considered one of the oldest domesticated crops. For centuries, peoples from many civilizations around the globe have grown different varieties of cannabis for medical uses (pain relief, glaucoma, and relief from seizures) industrial uses (food, oils and textiles, such as rope and fabrics). These hemp plants were continually hybrid with other similar plants which further defined its characteristics.

Conversely, other cannabis plant species, marijuana, recognized for being more psychoactive were grown and defined selectively for medical and also religious purposes.

Thus, the specialization of the two subspecies of cannabis are known as Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) and Cannabis Indica (Marijuana).

2.  Contents: Read the “label”

Cannabinoids are present in all Cannabis plants; research indicates that there are over 60 different cannabinoids. THC is the psychoactive chemical which is best known, as THC is the reason behind getting high when we smoke a joint. Hemp plants contain very little THC usually around .3% while medical marijuana plants can contain as much as 30%.

Hemp and marijuana are grown for different uses, and, therefore, require different growing conditions. Interestingly, medical cannabis has been cultivated to be primarily female flowering plants yielding budding flowers and because of strict growing conditions is often farmed indoors under very specific conditions to optimize yields. Alternatively, hemp plants are primarily male plants producing no flowers, have low concentrations of THC, and are tall and grow quickly. Because hemp plants are more robust, they are cultivated outdoors.

Here’s an interesting factoid: Hemp plants grown above 6000 feet improve the potency and medicinal value of the plant’s oil.

3.  Legal Status…or more aptly put, Political Status

As you probably already know, all cannabis production in the United States is illegal. Both hemp and marijuana are classified as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act. Globally speaking, over 30 countries cultivate Cannabis including China, Chile, the European Union and Canada. It is noteworthy that importation into the US is legal…to the tune of $500 million in hemp product annually (sigh). With the exception of Israel and Canada, marijuana continues to be illegal in most countries. Laws in the US are beginning to soften. I lived in Denver when the laws changed making marijuana legal recreationally as it was previously legal only for medical use. I am sure in time other states will follow suit.

4.  Research… a “bright” green future

Strict laws surrounding both forms of Cannabis continue to make research difficult at best; however, researchers are making progress in understanding implications for the use of medical marijuana with an ever-expanding list of disorders. Developments as to new uses for hemp continues including exciting developments in new forms of renewable plastics and more obscurely, fast-charging batteries. There are myriads of sustainable products that can be constructed from hemp…the future is looking green!

So now that we understand the Cannabis basics let’s take a closer look at the benefits Hemp offers our body!

Hemp Oil (Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil) for skin: Its anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory benefits combat skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. The essential fatty acids of Omega 3 and 6 bring balance, luster and shine back to skin and hair. Hemp oil can also help fight acne by balancing sebaceous activity and decreasing redness. Lira Clinical offers Cannabis Sativa in several of their products; iLuminating Beauty Oil, and from the new Spa line in both the Body Nourishing Oil and Body Smoothing Scrub.

Cannabis for skin…from the inside out: Hempseed! You’ll find hempseed incorporated in my monthly recipe. I suggest tracking down Nativa Hempseed – raw, organic and non- GMO. Found them at Walmart. Why Hempseed? They contain 33% protein by weight and are loaded with Omega 3s and MicroNutrients (minerals). They taste similar to pine nuts and can easily be added to salads or other dishes. I add a tablespoon to my green smoothie in the morning for that extra punch of nutrition.

3 Tablespoons contain:
7.5g Omega-6 LA
3.0g Omega-3 ALA
0.6g Super Omega-6 GLA
0.3g Super Omega-3 SDA
10g Protein

Some people reading this might say it’s been a psychedelic experience.  After all, this blog was aimed at expanding the reader’s mind to a new level of consciousness about cannabis.