Hemp. Cannabis. Marijuana. Hash.
Chances are you've heard these words before, though you many not know the difference between them. Are they the same or different? The answer is "both."
Hemp is a plant that, like other plants, has roots, a stalk, leaves, flowers and seeds. Hemp stalks are often used to make fibre-based items such as paper and fabric.
Cannabis is the scientific name for the hemp plant. There are many different kinds of cannabis. The leaves and flowers of each kind produce varying mind-altering and medicinal effects when smoked or consumed. The most talked-about strains of the hemp plant are cannabis sativa and cannabis indica.
Marijuana refers to the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant (also know as "bud").
Hash, short for hashish, is made of pressed resin from cannabis buds, and is therefore stronger in effect.
Other Terminology
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC) is one ingredient in cannabis and is known for its psychoactive (mind-altering) effects, which effectively causes someone to feel "high". THC can alter behavior, consciousness, mood and perception. THC can lead to increased appetite for some people.
CBD
Unlike THC, Cannabidiol (CBD) is another cannabis ingredient and has no psychoactive properties. In recent years, CBD has become popular for treating nausea, cancer, arthritis, seizures, pain and other ailments and conditions. CBD is useful for people who want the benefits of cannabis without the "high". CBD can be extracted from the cannabis plant and can be processed into a variety of different forms including topical creams, oils, and tinctures.
Edibles
Edibles are cannabis-infused products that are consumed orally and pass through the body's digestive system. Eating an edible is different than smoking cannabis because it's being digested instead of inhaled, which often has a more intense and elongated effect. It can take an hour or more to digest the edible and for the full impact to be felt. Some of the more common forms of edibles include baked goods (like brownies and cookies) and candy (like chocolate, gummies and lollipops) but can also be found in coffee, beef jerky, soda and more.
Vaporizer
A vaporizer heats cannabis buds or oils to a very specific temperature and turns it into a vapour to be inhaled. Many people believe that inhaling vapour is less harmful to the body than inhaling smoke. Because vapour is hard to see or smell, it is more difficult to keep track of how much is being consumed. There are also smaller forms of vaporizers called "vape pens" or "e-vapes", which people carry with them.
