Cannabis, hemp, marijuana, CBD — there are so many words flying around it can be hard to keep track of what’s what.

Let’s quickly break down our terms.

What is Cannabis?

Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. Its closest relative is hops, which are used to bitter and flavor beer (think India Pale Ale). There are two classifications of cannabis: marijuana and hemp.

  • Marijuana

Marijuana, which is short and bushy with broad leaves, is often called “weed.” Use of marijuana results in an intoxicating “high” because it contains high amounts of the cannabinoid THC.

  • Hemp

Hemp, which is a leaner plant with skinnier leaves, contains less than 0.3% THC. It has a long history of use for industrial purposes (rope, textiles, paper, etc.), but has recently become an important consumer product since the discovery of another cannabinoid called cannabidiol, which is non-intoxicating and commonly known as CBD or full spectrum hemp oil.

Indica versus Sativa

Now that you have hemp and marijuana straight, it’s time to make things a bit more complicated. There are two strains of the cannabis plant: cannabis sativa and cannabis indica. While marijuana can be either a sativa or indica strain, all hemp plants are cannabis sativas.

What is Full Spectrum Hemp Oil?

Unlike marijuana, hemp produces lots of CBD, also known as full spectrum hemp oil.

Full spectrum hemp oil is a naturally occurring compound that interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system to produce immediate feelings of relaxation. It may also provide a host of other therapeutic effects, such as reducing inflammation, increasing appetite, and reducing pain. Numerous studies are underway worldwide to confirm these observations.

Industrial Hemp versus High-CBD Hemp

Now, the last distinction that needs to be made is between industrial hemp, which is grown primarily for its fibrous stalks that can be used to make things like rope and linen, and high-CBD hemp which is grown for its aromatic flowers

Industrial hemp only contains between 3-5% CBD, meaning much more plant matter must be processed to get the desired amount of full spectrum hemp oil. More plant material and less flower means lower terpene counts and lower cannabinoid counts.

The flowers of high-CBD hemp contain around 15-20% CBD, as well as numerous other therapeutically significant cannabinoids and terpenes — the essential oils that give cannabis its signature smell.

Studies have shown that terpenes and cannabinoids work together to deliver an “entourage effect” whereby the overall therapeutic effect is increased. Products that use industrial hemp or isolate hemp oil miss out on this incredibly important benefit.

All of our products use full-spectrum hemp oil that’s packed full of therapeutically significant hemp terpenes like:

To learn more about the amazing world of hemp terpenes, check out our blog: The Top Hemp Terpenes You Need to Know

A Quick Introduction

For those of you who don’t already know me, my name is Jenny Argie. I’m a mother of three from Brooklyn. I’m also a breast cancer survivor, and have been promoting the benefits of cannabis ever since it helped ease the pain of my cancer treatments.

If you’d like to learn more about how cannabis and its products can make your life more fulfilling, get in touch today because I’m here to help!