Marijuana

Marijuana is the legal term for cannabis containing more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight, a regulatory category rather than a botanical one.

Hemp and marijuana are the same species, Cannabis sativa, and the line between them is the THC threshold written into the 2018 Farm Bill. Plants bred for high THC fall on the marijuana side and remain controlled under federal law, though many states have legalized them for medical or adult use. Plants bred for fiber, seed or CBD with low THC fall on the hemp side.

The distinction matters when reading research and product information, because findings about marijuana, which usually involve substantial THC, do not automatically apply to hemp-derived products with little or none. Marijuana-derived CBD products exist in state programs and are regulated separately from hemp products. A reader comparing the two should look at the cannabinoid section of a certificate of analysis rather than at the word on the label.