What is the Difference Between Hemp and Cannabis?

E1011 Labs is here to explain some of the key differences.

Do you wonder what the distinctive properties of hemp and cannabis are? Are cannabis and hemp the same thing? What’s the difference? Can the terms be used interchangeably? 

Good news, e1011 Labs is about to provide you some step by step insight into the differences between hemp and cannabis.

As ubiquitous as the word cannabis is in the world today, a sizable proportion of the earth's population may find it difficult to pinpoint the significant differences between hemp and cannabis.

Before we plunge into the nitty-gritty, let's take a microscopic look at hemp and cannabis on an individual level.

What is Hemp?

hemp versus cannabis

Britannica Encyclopedia describes hemp, as a plant of the family Cannabaceae cultivated for its fiber (bast fiber) or its edible seeds. Hemp is sometimes confused with cannabis plants that serve as sources of THC. Hemp is a specific classification of cannabis which contains less than 0.3% THC content.

Hemp is one of the most multi-functional plants in the world today, and every part of it is deployed in one capacity or another. The seeds of a hemp plant are food and are also used to produce hemp seed oil; the plant stalk is used to develop biofuels while the flowers contain the highest concentration of cannabinoids within the plant and are used to develop a whole array of products, including skincare and wellness supplements. These cannabinoid-rich flowers are the key ingredient of e1011 lab’s stelo™.

It is important to note that hemp contains no more than 0.3% THC and historically was most commonly used for industrial purposes. However, with new research discovering the therapeutic benefits of other cannabinoids, hemp has found its way into a vast array of products for both people and pets!

Hemp Uses

how to use hemp

Hemp is majorly revered for its usefulness in industrial capacities, and can be used for one or more of the following purposes:

    • Production of Textile: The stalk of a hemp plant is an excellent material for textile production.
    • Production of Paper: Ever wondered where RAW plant-based smooth-rolling paper comes from? I bet you had no idea it was from a close family member? Although not all smooth rolling paper is made from hemp, various popular brands like RAW use the fibre of a hemp plant to produce their rolling paper, and hemp has been used in paper production for over two million years. This was seen in Mesopotamia and ancient China. There is even the existence of an urban legend which believes that the constitution, the declaration of independence, and the bill of rights were all written on hemp paper. Although this is false, this shows the importance and prevalence of hemp for years.
    • Production of Skin Care Products: Hemp flowers are also very useful in the production of skin care or cosmetic products. CBD, a cannabinoid that hemp is often rich in, has become the darling active ingredient in a whole slew of beauty products. Read our deep dive into hemp skincare products here
    • Production of Building Materials: Over time, building technology has proven that hemp can also be used to produce alternative concrete, which is environmentally safe and durable.
    • Production of Food: The seeds of a hemp plant are good sources of nourishment when eaten, and can also be grounded to make hemp oil. They contain a high amount of amino acids and fatty acids. Interested in adding hemp into your diet, here are 10 inspiring recipes.
    • Production of Bio-Fuel: When it comes to conversations on the future of fuel, hemp is not left behind; it is equally deployed in the production of bio-fuel known as hemp biodiesel and hemp ethanol.
    • Wellness: The wellness community has discovered some of the newest uses for hemp. CBD and other non-intoxicating cannabinoids have been shown to possess many potentially therapeutic and curative properties that can be utilized to help boost personal health. E1011 labs created a groundbreaking cannabinoid delivery system called the elon® with the express purpose of helping people easily employ these curative compounds in their daily wellness routines.  

One of the most interesting qualities of hemp is the absence of intoxicating qualities when ingested into the human body, which means that you will not get the same level of euphoric feelings from smoking or eating it as you would from THC heavy flowers, and you are more likely to get nourished as a result. Although, when using stelo™ the feeling of euphoria may also exist.

What is Cannabis?

thc molecule cannabis

According to Wikipedia, cannabis is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used primarily for medicinal or recreational purposes.

The main psychoactive component of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of the 483 known compounds in the plant including cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabis can be ingested by smoking, vaping, in food, or as an extract. There are also balms, oils for sublingual use, dabbing, and much more. The elon® by e1011 labs has revolutionized how we consume cannabis with its sleek buttonless profile and efficient concentric heating technology. 

There are three kinds of cannabis, and they are; Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Ruderalis.

Hemp is simply cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC, an arbitrary number assigned during the 2018 farm bill’s passing. Prior to that, the exact definition of hemp vs cannabis was not outlined. It was just assumed that if the plant was being used for industrial purposes, it was labeled hemp, while if it was used for recreational or medicinal purposes, it was labeled cannabis.

Differences between Hemp and Cannabis

Essentially, while hemp and cannabis are of the same broad family, several factors make one distinct from the other.

While cannabis is widely revered for its alternative medicinal and recreational purposes, hemp, on the other hand, is more famous for its industrial uses. Although hemp is commonly thought of as only having industrial uses, more recently, after research regarding cannabinoids and the entourage effect, the plant has been used for a whole variety of consumer products such as edibles, smokeables, sublinguals, balms, suppositories, etc. Now, with the elon®, hemp can be consumed more efficiently than ever.

Hemp contains less than 0.3% of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), which means that it will not contain any psychoactive properties which may cause euphoria and other associated feelings dubbed as “being high”. In contrast, other forms of cannabis contain more THC and are very popular for their psychoactive properties.

The e1011 Labs team hopes we have provided some useful information necessary to navigate your way through the faint lines that make hemp and cannabis unique and different from each other all at the same time.

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