By Calbert Kael
For all intents and purposes, hemp and cannabis are the same thing. They are both part of the species Cannabis Sativa L and used for their cannabinoids for health, medical, and recreational purposes.
There are three subspecies: cannabis indica, cannabis sativa, and cannabis ruderalis. Genetically they are similar but they have different characteristics. Their eight leaves, flowers, time to grow, and chemical composition are all different. These differences are the primary reasons why hemp and cannabis are used for such a wide variety of purposes and products.
Cannabis is generally cultivated for medicinal and recreational uses. Cannabis has a higher concentration of THC — the psychoactive compound that gets people high.
Hemp has been grown for industrial uses for thousands of years. It has been commonly used for things such as rope, textile products, oil and fuel, construction products, food, paper, and in body care products.
Hemp is sometimes used loosely to reference or indicate any strains of cannabis with little or no THC (legally speaking, this is less than 0.2%). These references imply that it will not get you high. But understand that it still contains several other useful compounds.
Are There Differences in Hemp Cannabinoids and Cannabis Cannabinoids?
No, the cannabinoids are the same. They may grow differently in their concentrations throughout different subspecies, but the cannabidiol is the same, whether from cannabis or hemp.
Are Hemp Seed Oil and CBD Oil Really the Same Thing?
This question is indeed a great one! CBD oil is taken from hemp or cannabis that has high concentrations of CBD. There is a difference in what part of the plant is used. CBD is usually derived from the leaves, flowers, and stem of the cannabis or hemp. When you buy CBD oil online, it is mainly used as a dietary supplement and generally for the overall wellbeing of the purchaser.
Hemp seed oil is created from raw seeds, so as you can imagine, it has an entirely different composition than CBD oil. For its primary usage, the hemp seed oil is more often a topical application. However, it is also used for food and nutrition. Many describe it as having a nutty taste. Nutritionally, nutritionists point to the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids that it contains. Most of the calories are derived from these fats.
Your question was great! Now you know the answer about common differences and similarities between hemp and cannabis.
