Difference
between cannabis and hemp
To break the stigma associated with marijuana, it
is important to actually understand the difference between cannabis and
hemp.
The two are related through the same genus of
plant. While
industrial-grade hemp is a rather helpful resource in the world, it
lacks the stimulating power of the substance known as delta-9
tetrahydrocannabinol, or for short, THC. It is this active chemical of
THC that brings about the "high" associated with marijuana.
Hemp contains 1.5% of this substance, while
marijuana
possesses between 4 % and 20%. In Canada, the legal amount of THC used
to create products cannot exceed 0.3%. Overall, the plants are rather
close in details, but supply very different functions for many
dissimilar reasons, which especially shows through in the physical
makeup of the two plants.
Hemp is much stronger than the marijuana variety,
meaning it
holds the possibility to create a wealth of raw materials. Marijuana is
actually quite delicate, eliminating it as a contender regarding
serving a purpose to benefit mankind in a manner acceptable by law
(with the exception of medicinal uses).
Farming practices also dictate the amount of THC produced by
the plant. The unfertilized female species of cannabis sativa L
contains the highest amount of THC, thus the male species is removed to
prevent pollination, increasing it's psychoactive properties
dramatically.
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