on the market today.
The quantity of THC produced by the plant is one way that different countries distinguish hemp from marijuana. Cannabis sativa L. that does not contain more than 0.3% THC is defined in the United States as industrial hemp. The limit set by the European Union is 0.2%, but in the UK, it’s zero unless growers have a license to grow industrial hemp with less than 0.2 percent THC
Cannabis seeds do not include any cannabinoids, but cannabinoids are present in greater amounts in cannabis flowers, leaves, and stalks. Cannabis flower is often used by consumers looking to experience cannabis’s advantages since it can be smoked or extracted into tinctures and edibles.
The effects of cannabis strains high in THC may be felt, and they are used for medical purposes like pain management. Strains low in THC but high in other cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), might provide advantages while not getting you high. Hemp, or cannabis with less than 0.3 percent THC content, can also be cultivated to produce various products, including:
- animal feed
- food products, such as hemp seed, hemp milk, hemp protein powder, or hemp oil
Hemp may be used to produce a variety of items, including paper and textiles, because it grows more quickly than trees and other crops. Hemp seed is high in protein and fiber and is therefore quite nutritious.
Hemp and marijuana are two different strains of the Cannabis sativa plant. Aside from the THC content, there’s another distinction between hemp and marijuana: legality. The 2018 Farm Bill made it permissible to cultivate hemp, which contains less than 0.3 percent THC, throughout the United States. It also legalized products derived from hemp seeds.
Cannabis, in which the THC level is greater than 0.3 percent, isn’t legal nationally. State laws differ. It’s permissible to use it both medically and recreationally in some states. In other states, it’s only acceptable for medical purposes. And in several jurisdictions, marijuana is still totally prohibited.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid that has grown increasingly popular since hemp was federally legalized. Many individuals utilize CBD products because it is said to have several health advantages. CBD occurs in all cannabis plants in trace amounts. As a result, it can be produced from either hemp or marijuana. If they are made from hemp and contain less than 0.3 percent THC, CBD products are only legally permissible if they are federally legal via the passage of Farm Bill 2014.