Minnesota: 'Poorly Understood' Hemp Is Not Marijuana

[Jacob Redmond]

Hemp is not weed. So say scientists at the University of Minnesota who, reporting last week in the journal New Phytologist, have discovered a single gene that distinguishes the hemp plant from its psychoactive cannabinoid cousin marijuana. They say it took 12 years to single out the gene that controls for whether the plant is rich in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or the largely non-euphoric cannabidiol (CBD), and their finding calls into question the federal government's classification of all cannabis plants as controlled substances. Not only is the commercial cultivation of hemp illegal (hemp products must be imported into the US), even researching the plant is highly restricted, with these researchers having one of the few labs in the country with the federal clearance to study it.

"It's a plant of major economic importance that is very poorly understood scientifically," lead author and plant biologist George Weiblen says in a University of Minnesota news release. "With this study, we have indisputable evidence for a genetic basis of differences among cannabis varieties, further challenging the position that all cannabis should be regulated as a drug." Hemp's surge in personal products such as clothing, food, and cosmetics has prompted some states to start clearing the way for its domestic production. But in places like Oregon, where marijuana crops are also legal, cross pollination is a concern, reports the Oregonian. "Ultimately I feel there is going to be a position in the world for hemp, marijuana and wine to get along," one legislator says. (Even the flag flying over the Capitol building has been made from hemp.)

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Full Article: Study: 'Poorly Understood' Hemp Is Not Marijuana
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[Cannabelle]

While hemp is not marijuana, marijuana is still cannabis. Hemp is cannabis that has been bred for fiber content and generally contains less than 1% THC. Hemp still retains at least 2% CBD. On the other hand, marijuana has been bred for high THC content. High THC marijuana rarely contains less over 1% CBD except for strains bred to contain more than 2% percent CBD. Any marijuana strain containing at least 2% CBD is considered "high" CBD content. Hemp and ALL marijuana strains can cross breed and produce fertile offspring. If the genetic difference were as wide as say a donkey and a horse, the offspring would be sterile.

This new interest in providing "scientific" evidence that there are differences between hemp and marijuana is a way for the hemp industry to get a legal footing around the Schedule 1 classification for cannabis.

Of course there are visible differences between sativas, indicas and ruderalis as there are visible differences among dog species. But still, a great dane sativa can create puppies with a tea cup chihuahua ruderalis.

What needs to be changed is the idiotic drug schedule that classifies cannabis as a Schedule 1 dangerous drug. Cannabis in hemp form is an awesome building material, highly nutritional food source and medicine. Marijuana is a propaganda term that draws unjust prejudice towards people of color and a plant of many faces that can be used to cure and treat many debilitating illnesses as well as make people smile.

With placing a misdirected legal emphasis which divorces Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) from Cannabis sativa with THC, I fear it also gives law makers and institutions like the FDA a legal basis for keeping strains of cannabis that can be used as a recreational drug forever on FDA's Schedule 1 list. This means research funding for medical cannabis efficacy will remain in the Nixon era.

I am a strong supporter of both the hemp industry and medicinal cannabis research. I want the ability to legally build a cannabis strain that can serve as building material, food and many kinds of medicines.