What is the difference between Cannabis, Hemp and Marijuana?

Citrus is a family (or genus) of plants. Lemon and lime trees are both a type of citrus, but they are very distinct plants. It doesn't matter what you do to a lime tree, you will never get a lemon from it.

Hemp and marijuana work in a similar way to lemon and lime. They are in the same family, but are different plants.

Hemp and marijuana are both a type of cannabis because they are both in the cannabis family, but in the same way you can't get lemons from a lime tree, you can't get high or 'stoned' from hemp.

As well as physical differences between the two, such as hemp being taller, with thinner leaves, there are chemical differences. The main chemical difference is that marijuana contains high amounts of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), while hemp contains only trace amounts (less than 0.3%).

THC is the psychoactive substance, found in some cannabis plants, and the reason for the 'stoned' feeling that Marijuana gives you.

Cannabidiol (CBD) can be extracted from hemp or marijuana, but it is only legal*, without a prescription, if it is extracted from hemp. Marijuana extracted CBD is illegal, unless prescribed, in many places, including the UK.

On this blog, I only review CBD products that have been produced from hemp, so are legal in the UK and US (as far as I know).

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*Hemp derived CBD is legal in the UK and US. It may be illegal in other places.