“Cannabis” is the generic term used to denote psychoactive preparations of the plant Cannabis sativa, which grows wild in many parts of the world and is known by numerous other names, such as: “Marijuana,” “dagga,” “weed,” “pot,” “hashish,” or “Hemp.” Cannabis for medical use refers to the use of Cannabis and its constituents, natural or synthetic, to treat disease or alleviate symptoms under professional supervision; however, there is no single agreed-upon definition.[1] People often use the words “Cannabis” and “Marijuana” interchangeably, but they don’t mean the same thing. The term “Cannabis” refers to all products derived from the plant Cannabis sativa. The Cannabis plant contains about 540 chemical substances[2]. However, the term “Marijuana” refers to parts of or products from the plant Cannabis sativa that contain substantial amounts of THC. THC is the substance that’s primarily responsible for the psychoactive effects of Marijuana on a person’s mental state. Though some Cannabis plants contain very little THC. In the United States, Medical Cannabis, or Medical Marijuana (MMJ), is Cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients[3].

Whereas Hemp-derived CBD can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription and can be formulated for medical use. Hemp and Marijuana are Cannabis. But Hemp and Marijuana are different varieties of the Cannabis sativa species. Thus, Medical Cannabis (aka Marijuana) and Hemp belong to the same plant family but are two different species within the family. The primary difference between medical Cannabis and Hemp-derived CBD products is that Medical Cannabis is a product containing more than .3% THC, the primary psychoactive cannabinoid found in Cannabis and usually possesses low CBD the primary healing component of Cannabis[4]. Whereas, “Hemp” is a term used to classify varieties of Cannabis that contains 0.3% or less THC content (by dry weight) and is legal in the US and contains a higher level of CBDs[5].