Hemp and cannabis: the difference explained
Biologically, both hemp and cannabis belong to the same species, Cannabis Sativa.
It means that official separation between these two varieties only depends on THC limits set by each country.
For example, in European Union countries, all Cannabis Sativa varieties of < 0.2% THC are classified as hemp. Everything above is classified as cannabis.
In the USA and Switzerland, meanwhile, 0.3% THC has been declared the boundary.
Historically, hemp has been grown for over 50,000 years as a great source of fibre. Palaeolithic and Neolithic people in China, Japan, and Europe would use it for textiles, paper, biofuel, food, and animal feed.
Even the US president George Washington grew hemp. In his diary, he mentioned growing 27 bushels of hemp for rope and fabric in 1765.
Despite its usefulness, hemp has always been wrongly associated with its troubling relative cannabis.
In 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act prohibited any Cannabis Sativa varieties in the US, destroying the whole industry. Hemp was included in the Act despite it being non-psychoactive, which was highly protested by the public.
Interestingly enough, the US government still employed hemp in World War II to produce soldier uniforms and ropes, pausing the Marijuana Tax Act and encouraging local farmers to grow hemp despite the past prohibition. The campaign was called “Hemp for Victory”.
Speaking of international policy, the United Nations released the Narcotic Drugs Convention in 1961, declaring cannabis as a controlled substance, but letting every country decide for itself regarding the industrial use of hemp.
In modern times, most countries allow cultivation of hemp as long as it contains less than 0.2% or 0.3% THC.
As a result, the popularity of hemp products is now returning to the old glory days — textiles, construction elements, hemp seed oil, protein, tea, and many other products are back to market and growing. However, the new hemp food supplements niche, especially CBD, is by far the most intriguing.
Meanwhile, cultivation of psychoactive cannabis (high in THC) is still forbidden in most of the world, except Uruguay and Canada.
H Drop is strictly selling products made from hemp only.
