Some Interesting Differences Between Hemp and Marijuana.

Historical Use:

Cannabis has an extremely long history of use. Although CANNABIS IS INDIGENOUS TO CENTRAL AND SOUTH ASIA, it spread all over the world very early in human history.

Humans in Taiwan were growing hemp as early as 8,000 BCE, the historical use of cannabis as a physical and psychological medicine began over 5,000 years ago. Researchers even found over two pounds of still green, highly potent cannabis in a basket near the recently discovered 2700 year old Ice Man.  It has been historically used by Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Taoists, Buddhists, and Atheists alike. Cannabis was even used by the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as in medieval Islamic countries.

To understand the history and legality of cannabis you must also understand the history of hemp. The difference between these plants is that industrial hemp contains little to no THC (meaning it can’t get you high) and is also more fibrous and tough, making it more useful as a productive material. Additionally, HEMP SEEDS ARE HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS, CONTAINING THE MOST EASILY DIGESTIBLE PROTEIN IN THE WORLD, AS WELL AS A NEARLY PERFECT RATIO OF OMEGA 6 TO OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS.

As mentioned above, both plants were used all over the world for various purposes since time immemorial. It is usually claimed, at least by citizens of the United States of North America; that the plants were brought to the new world for the first time (in Chile) by the Spaniards in 1545.

However, Cannabis seeds may have been brought to Brazil in the 16th century by African slaves or even earlier by the first peoples to immigrate into the Americas. Definitely, cannabis, and hemp were used, WIDELY, in England and the Americas even before the United States of North America existed.

Both cannabis and hemp were grown in the original colonies by the boat load and exported to international buyers.  Hemp was used as a cheap yet high quality textile source for clothing and rope. It was also used to make paper products (the first two copies of the Declaration of Independence by the United North American Colonies were written on hemp paper).

Indica and sativa are the two main types of cannabis

OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, HEMP IS GROWN IN MORE THAN 30 COUNTRIES. IN 2011, THE TOP HEMP-PRODUCING COUNTRY WAS CHINA, FOLLOWED BY CHILE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION. HEMP PRODUCTION IS ALSO EXPANDING IN CANADA, WITH THE COUNTRY’S ANNUAL CROP REACHING A RECORD HIGH OF 66,700 ACRES IN 2013. 

Besides appearance, Indica and Sativa plants are commonly believed to have different effects on their user. These effects include:
SATIVA-uplifting and energetic cerebral, spacey or hallucinogenic; best suited for day use.
INDICA-relaxing and calming, body buzz, or ‘couch lock’; best suited for night use.
However, no scientific study has confirmed these differences, and there is some doubt about their accuracy. In fact, history suggests a much simpler difference between Indica and Sativa.

THE ORIGINAL CLASSIFICATION OF CANNABIS INDICA WAS MADE BY FRENCH BIOLOGIST JEAN-BAPTISTE LAMARCK IN 1785.
LAMARCK OBSERVED THAT CERTAIN MARIJUANA PLANTS FROM INDIA WERE INTOXICATING AND COULD BE MADE INTO HASHISH. BUT TRADITIONAL HEMP CROPS, WHICH WERE MORE COMMON IN EUROPE, HAD NO MIND-ALTERING EFFECT.

Hemp and marijuana are two popular names for the cannabis plant; however there are distinct differences between the variety that is nowadays smoked; or otherwise ingested; and the varieties that were in the past, and are, commonly used for, or to make, a variety of foods, oils and textiles, such as rope, durable paper, and wearable fabrics and that are now used in; mainly plant-based plastics, or other MILITARY GRADE products, or fabrics.
Cannabis is believed to be one of the oldest domesticated crops (golden rod weed is a wild form, common along Canadian rural roads). Throughout history, humans have grown different varieties of cannabis for industrial and medical uses. Tall, sturdy plants were BRED WITH OTHER PLANTS WITH THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS.

OTHER PLANTS WERE RECOGNIZED FOR BEING PSYCHOACTIVE, AND WERE BRED SELECTIVELY; FOR MEDICAL, AND RELIGIOUS, PURPOSES. THE PRACTICE, EVENTUALLY, LEAD TO THE MANY UNIQUE VARIETIES OF CANNABIS THAT WE NOW KNOW, COLLECTIVELY, AS MARIJUANA.
According to ONE Canadian company that specialises in cannabis cultivation technology, “the core agricultural differences between medical cannabis and hemp are largely in their genetic parentage and cultivation environment”.
But, scientists, on the other hand, believe the early separation of the cannabis gene pool led to two distinct types of cannabis plants. The two species (or subspecies) of cannabis are known as Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa.
Cannabis plants contain unique compounds called cannabinoids. Current research has revealed over 60 different cannabinoids so far, but THC is the most well-known. THC is credited with causing the marijuana high.
WHILE MARIJUANA PLANTS CONTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF THC, HEMP CONTAINS VERY LITTLE OF THE PSYCHOACTIVE CHEMICAL. This single difference is what most rely on to distinguish hemp from marijuana. For example, COUNTRIES LIKE CANADA HAVE SET THE MAXIMUM THC CONTENT OF HEMP AT 0.3%. ANY CANNABIS WITH HIGHER THC LEVELS IS CONSIDERED MARIJUANA INSTEAD.
In comparison, MEDICAL MARIJUANA produces anywhere BETWEEN 5-20% THC ON AVERAGE, WITH PRIZE STRAINS TIPPING THE SCALE AT 25-30% THC.
HEMP AND MARIJUANA PLANTS CONTAIN ANOTHER IMPORTANT CANNABINOID: CBD. HEMP PLANTS PRODUCE MORE CBD THAN THC, WHILE MARIJUANA PRODUCES MORE THC THAN CBD. INTERESTINGLY, RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT CBD ACTS TO REDUCE THE PSYCHOACTIVE EFFECTS OF THC, SEPARATING HEMP FURTHER FROM MARIJUANA.
Because hemp and marijuana are grown for different uses, and therefore require different growing conditions.
MEDICAL CANNABIS HAS BEEN SELECTIVELY BRED OVER GENERATIONS, and its characteristics are optimized in its cultivation environment 

TO PRODUCE FEMALE FLOWERING PLANTS THAT YIELD BUDDING FLOWERS, AT THE FLOWERING STAGE OF THEIR LIFE CYCLE.

In contrast, HEMP PLANTS ARE PRIMARILY MALE, WITHOUT REPRESENTING FLOWERING BUDS AT ANY STAGE IN THEIR LIFE CYCLE. Instead, CENTURIES OF SELECTIVE BREEDING HAVE RESULTED IN RELATIVELY LOW CONCENTRATIONS OF THC, AND TALL, FAST GROWING PLANTS OPTIMIZED FOR HIGHER STALK HARVESTS.~~~Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan.