HEMP (Cannabis sativa) is a plant species that is the same as cannabis. It contains very low levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but also has cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabigerol (CBG) and others. Both hemp and marijuana plants are of the same species. Cannabis is a natural product that has a main psychoactive component called tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). It is one of the most consumed drugs in the world, and has been used as a drug and source of fiber since ancient times.
Herbal cannabis consists of the tops and dried leaves of flowers. Cannabis resin is a compressed solid made from the resinous parts of the plant, and cannabis oil (hashish) is a solvent extract of cannabis. It is usually smoked, often mixed with tobacco. Almost all consumption of cannabis and herbal resin is illegal. It has been said that cannabis has some therapeutic benefits as an analgesic, and dronabinol is a drug authorized in some countries for the treatment of nausea in cancer chemotherapy. Cannabis products and Δ9-THC are under international control.
Hemp (Cannabis sativa), also known as industrial hemp, is a plant of the Cannabaceae family that is cultivated for its hare fiber or its edible seeds. Hemp can be confused with cannabis plants that are used to make marijuana and hashish. Although all three products contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which produces psychoactive effects in humans, the cannabis strain cultivated for hemp only contains small amounts of THC compared to that cultivated for marijuana or hashish. These products will not be considered food or drugs according to the “Colorado Food and Drug Act”. Shellless hemp seeds, sometimes called hemp hearts, are sold as health food and can be eaten raw; they are usually sprinkled on salads or mixed with fruit shakes.
These dispensary products must be tested for purity; however, CBD extracts from hemp can be sold to smokehouses or specialty stores without any regulations or testing. A quick calculation shows that when hemp containing 0.3% THC and 5.0% CBD is extracted, the final product will contain THC around 6% of the CBD, since THC and CBD are eliminated in an essentially similar way. Respondents preferred CBD derived from cannabis to CBD derived from industrial hemp, and only 9% of those surveyed indicated that they only consume hemp-derived CBD. Hemp is cultivated in temperate zones as an annual plant from seed and can reach a height of up to 5 meters (16 feet). These include Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum), Mauritian hemp (Furcraea foetida) and sun hemp (Crotalaria juncea).
Some specially processed types of hemp have a whitish color and an attractive luster and are used to make linen-like fabrics for clothing. This bill is important in trying to prohibit the FDA from controlling products containing industrial hemp. Hemp fiber is used to make bioplastics that are recyclable and biodegradable, depending on the formulation. This law that protects edible hemp products is especially important in light of the prescribing information provided about Epidiolex (essentially pure CBD), which warns of possible liver damage and developmental toxicity and other adverse effects that should be monitored by a doctor. This includes hemp extracts, which are a variety of the cannabis plant; the 9th U. S.
Circuit Court of Appeals denied the petitioners' request to review the DEA's final ruling.
