Cannabis, hemp, marijuana, hashish, and weed are all terms used to identify cannabis plants. While many of these terms may not be relevant for medical use, it is important to know them and be able to distinguish their differences.
What is the difference between cannabis and hemp?
Hemp is a species of plant belonging to the Cannabinaceae family. The hemp plant is one of the oldest and most widely used plants on earth. Cannabis is the Latin name used to refer to the hemp plant.
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The term hemp is often used informally to refer to the production of consumer goods (e.g., hemp paper or clothing) or food (e.g., hemp oil or CBD oil). Doctors and scientists primarily use the term cannabis. Similarly, cannabis is the term used to describe the narcotic (illegal drug) used for recreational purposes.
Hemp (cannabis) has been crossbred for hundreds of years. In 1753, Swedish naturalist Carl von Linné first classified “common hemp” (Cannabis Sativa L.). About 32 years later, French botanist Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet and Chevalier de Lamarck identified Indian hemp (cannabis Indica). This differs from the Sativa variety not only in its growth habits but also in its content, having in fact less THC and more CBD.
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In 1926, Russian botanist Dmitri E. Janischewsky described another species of cannabis, Rurerale hemp (Ruderalis). Compared to the Sativa variety, Ruderalis hemp, like Indica, has a high CBD content and a low THC level.
Differences between Cannabis Sativa, Indica, and Ruderalis
It has long been believed that the Cannabis Sativa plant can have both uplifting and stimulating effects, cerebral and psychotropic. On the other hand, Indica and Ruderalis varieties are thought to have relaxing effects rather than high or intoxicating effects. However, recent studies show that the spectrum of effects of each species is not easily discernible.
According to cannabis researchers, the different aspects of Sativa, Indica, and Ruderalis are primarily conditioned by the method of cultivation and breeding. Here are the differences.
Cannabis strains and their therapeutic uses
The spectrum of effects depends on several factors, including the respective amounts of THC and CBD and the presence of many other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.
The active ingredients in medical cannabis, such as cannabinoids THC and CBD, interact with the body’s endocannabinoid receptors. Depending on the composition and amount of cannabinoids, cannabis can produce different effects. For example, patients suffering from chronic pain may benefit from high-THC and low-CBD varieties. However, these varieties can also be used for nausea and vomiting, as well as for lack of appetite.
However, CBD-rich and low-THC strains may have calming effects and can be used for anxiety disorders and ADHD. Since CBD can produce anti-inflammatory effects, these varieties are also often prescribed, for example, to patients suffering from chronic intestinal inflammation.
In general, the range of effects produced by cannabis is very complex. Additionally, each patient reacts differently to cannabinoids. Patients typically start by trying different strains and experimenting with different dosages until they find a variety with a cannabinoid profile that meets their needs.
What is industrial cannabis?
It is also important to know what industrial hemp is, which is grown for commercial purposes. For example, hemp oil can be extracted from hemp seed crops, and hemp essential oil can be extracted from hemp flowers and leaves. Marketable CBD oil is also produced from industrial hemp that is low in THC.
There are 52 different varieties of hemp certified at the European level for commercial cultivation. They have a high fiber content, between 30 and 40%, and a THC level below 0.2%. For this reason, industrial hemp varieties are not suitable for the production of medical cannabis or marijuana. In fact, they are primarily used, as an alternative, for the production of hemp seed oil or CBD oil, to name just a few examples.
What is marijuana?
The term marijuana refers to the entire dried flowers and flower-like leaves found in female cannabis plants. Compared to other parts of the plant, these have the most resin-producing glands, which contain the main psychoactive cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Usually, female cannabis seeds are used for cultivation. This prevents the plants from pollinating each other. Therefore, cannabis plants will produce unfertilized flowers filled with trichomes that are high in THC.
Recreational users often use the terms “weed” or “ganja” to refer to marijuana. In the United States, however, the term “Mary Jane” is often used. The term marijuana comes from the Mexican-Spanish word “Maria Juana.”
Illegal marijuana and health risks
When marijuana is sold on the black market, it is likely of lower quality. Often, other parts of the plant are mixed with dried flowers, which do not produce any effects.
This becomes particularly dangerous if the flowers are sprinkled with various substances, such as potassium fertilizers, lead, sand, sugar, or lacquer. All of these substances could pose a significant health risk. Especially, for example, if “Brix,” a combination of liquid plastic, sugar, and hormones, is used for dilution. The dried flowers are soaked in this mixture, so that a plastic film covers them. It is possible to recognize altered marijuana when the flowers burn poorly and release residues.
What is hashish?
Hashish is commonly known as hash or smoking. It corresponds to the resin extracted from the resin glands of female cannabis plants. The golden brown-yellow resin is then pressed into tablets or blocks. Some of its small pieces are referred to as “nose turds” by recreational users.
The quality and content of active ingredients can vary significantly. Hashish, like marijuana, can be mixed with additives. In traditional agricultural countries, hashish is often mixed with henna, damiana, sand, rubber, wax, or even animal fat. In 1970, the most well-known varieties of hashish were classified based on color and growing region.
The “Black Afghan” is one example. “Black” varieties come from countries such as Pakistan, India, and Nepal. Here, the resin of the plant is kneaded and compressed until the resin glands burst, open, and show a black color.
Another well-known variety is the “Red Lebanese.” Here, the plants are only cut when the resin glands change from golden yellow to a reddish color. The plants are then trimmed and beaten in a container, so that the resin glands detach.
Additionally, the “Green Turk” is also part of the traditional hashish varieties. After harvest, the flowers are dried and sifted several times. Therefore, hashish can reach different levels of quality. The higher the production of green materials and raw materials, the lower the final quality.
The Genetic Structure of Marijuana and Hemp, 2015, Department of Plant and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 5E3, Canada
Cannabissorten en Allemagne et son Inhaltsstoffe, 2020, Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen
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