Though virtually all of us at GTR Seeds got our start in the industry under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, you will rarely ever hear any of us use the "M" word. Why? Read on.
What's Wrong with Marijuana?
As a team backed by science, it has always been, and will always be, cannabis to us—aligned with its scientific name Cannabis sativa L. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the word "marijuana," but it has gained a stigma as "the devil's weed" in the minds of many across the country and the globe. The word itself evolved from a term used in Africa, passed onto Mexico, and has since become grammatically equivalent to slang. With views on cannabis shifting slowly, putting the word "marijuana" to bed will definitely help speed things up. Plus, doesn't "cannabis" just have a much nicer ring to it?
Marijuana vs. Hemp
Legally speaking, cannabis is broken down into two main subsets in the U.S. and much of the world: "marijuana," which describes flowers or products with more than 0.3% THC, and "hemp," which refers to flowers or products containing less than 0.3% THC. Marijuana has been deeply ingrained as the drug and hemp as the answer to all of Earth's problems. But it’s not that simple.
Describing all cannabis that produces over 0.3% THC as "marijuana" is absurd—because very few kinds of cannabis plants, even those with virtually no psychoactive effects, fit this bill. And the word "hemp" is irrelevant as a plant descriptor—it should only refer to materials made from cannabis plants, like hemp rope, hemp fabric, hemp paper, etc. The plants used for producing hemp often produce enough THC to be considered marijuana. And below, we’ll cover the silliness of calling CBD-rich cannabis "hemp."
At the end of the day its all the same plant, cannabis.
Breaking Cannabis Down by Chemotypes
In this day and age, cannabinoid-rich cannabis varieties are split into a few major categories by chemotype, and these are the easiest ways to describe plants in order to reduce confusion. Just to clarify, cannabis plants produce the acid forms of cannabinoids—hence my use of THCa, CBDa, THCVa, etc. below. They do not produce THC, CBD, or THCV in their raw form.
Type I Cannabis
Type I cannabis refers to plants that produce high levels of THCa or THCVa, with generally minor amounts of other cannabinoids. They may still produce some CBDa, CBGa, etc., but the cannabinoid profile is heavily dominated by THCa. These are what we all know as weed, THCA, or pot. All Type I flowers are legally considered marijuana, regardless of what a vendors website may say.
Type II Cannabis
Type II cannabis refers to plants that produce high levels of both THCa and CBDa. These are commonly called 1:1 strains, celebrated for their balanced effects, and contain small amounts of other cannabinoids as well. While Type II strains don’t generally cause heavy intoxication, they are still grouped into the "weed" category. Side by side, Type I and Type II plants look the same, but Type II strains are legally considered "marijuana."
Type III Cannabis
CBDa/CBDVa-dominant cannabis plants are considered Type III. These plants boast low amounts of THC and other minor cannabinoids, and generally have little to no psychoactive effects. This is what the vast majority of people refer to as hemp. But aside from the dominant cannabinoids, you can’t tell the difference between a THC-rich plant and a well-bred CBD plant growing side by side. Even pure CBD varieties will still produce THC at ratios of around 1 part THC to 28 parts CBD. For example, a flower with 28% CBD will have about 1% THC. At 14% CBD, you typically see around 0.5% THC. Because of this, virtually all "hemp flower" on the market is legally considered marijuana, as it contains more than 0.3% total THC in dried and trimmed flowers. That said, licensed hemp farmers who sample their crops early in flower—when THC content is still below 0.3%—can maintain their status as legal hemp growers.
Type IV Cannabis
Type IV cannabis refers to CBGa/CBGVa-dominant strains. These are known for extremely low THC production—ratios of around 100 parts CBG to 1 part THC—and for their long list of potential medical benefits and enjoyable non-psychoactive effects. We have never seen any of our CBG varieties come close to hitting 0.3% total THC. Our CBG varieties are among the only seeds we offer that will always be considered hemp by the U.S. government. The frost level on our CBG varieties is so insane there is no way you can differentiate them from traditional THC varieties side by side.
Type V Cannabis
Type V cannabis refers to plants that produce no cannabinoids at all. These are extremely rare—and while we have a few up our sleeve, we’ve never introduced them to the public. While one might assume this category would include grain and fiber cannabis crops, it does not. Even grain and fiber hemp plants produce cannabinoids in their flowers, often exceeding legal limits. A THC content of 0.3% is extremely low. As for commercial applications of non-cannabinoid cannabis plants, we’ll have to wait and see.
Marijuana Seeds vs. Hemp Seeds
On the bright side, the US government has declared that all marijuana seeds are hemp seeds as they do not contain THC.
Moving from Marijuana to Cannabis
To some, the word "marijuana" carries no stigma and only brings to mind positive thoughts. But to the masses, it does not. Let’s nip it in the bud and move toward a more science-backed approach. Cannabis is cannabis. It has many types, many uses, and moving away from calling it marijuana may be an important step toward full legalization.
