TL;DR:
Hemp flower and cannabis (weed) flower come from the same plant species, but differ primarily in their THC content and legal classification. Hemp flower is federally legal and typically contains under 0.3% Delta 9 THC, while cannabis has higher THC levels and is regulated differently. The experience of smoking each differs based on the type and strength of cannabinoids present.
- Key Difference: Hemp contains ≤0.3% Delta 9 THC; cannabis contains more and is more psychoactive.
- Legal Status: Hemp is federally legal; cannabis legality varies by state.
- Psychoactive Effects: Cannabis flower is naturally potent with Delta 9; hemp flower is infused with other cannabinoids like Delta 8 or HHC.
- User Experience: Smoking methods are similar, but effects vary based on the cannabinoids used.
- Flexibility: Hemp flower allows more variety in effects by using different infused cannabinoids.
There are many similarities between smoking hemp flower vs weed, and for a very good reason. While hemp and cannabis (often commonly called weed) are legally distinct, they are biologically almost identical.
However, there are also some major differences between hemp flower and cannabis flower. Learning about the similarities and the differences can help you better understand both types of flowers, and being an informed consumer is always a good thing.
So, how do cannabis vs hemp compare when it comes to flower? Let’s dive in, starting with the key facts about both types of flowers and following up with a comparison of the two.
What are Cannabis and Hemp Flower?
Cannabis flower and hemp flower are exactly that – the flowering part of the cannabis and hemp plant. Smoking flower itself, and at-home or commercial processing to create oils, tinctures, edibles, and other products, are common ways to enjoy the effects of cannabis and hemp flower.
The cannabis and hemp plants are nearly identical. They are the same species of plant, as Healthline explains. The difference between them is their Delta 9 THC (commonly referred to simply as THC) content.
This is a practical distinction as well as a legal one. In the marijuana vs hemp flower comparison, these two differences are what matter most.
Legal Differences Between Hemp Flower and Weed
On the legal level, the United States federal government set the hemp plant vs marijuana difference in the 2018 Farm Bill. This piece of federal law legalized the commercial production and sale of hemp plants. It defined hemp plants in legal terms as having no more than 0.3% Delta 9 THC by dry weight.
The details of that law opened up a new market for cannabinoids. How? Because the law specifically and only mentions Delta 9 THC. It doesn’t include other cannabinoids that are chemically distinct from Delta 9 but have similar effects.
This was the starting point for the entire hemp-derived cannabinoid industry. Because other cannabinoids weren’t included in the definition of cannabis, only Delta 9 was restricted on the federal level after the 2018 Farm Bill passed. Industrious brands and retailers started producing products containing cannabinoids like Delta 8, THC-P, and many others.
So, a hemp plant has a maximum of 0.3% Delta 9 THC content, while a cannabis plant has higher THC content. Hemp plants are legal federally and in many but not all states. Cannabis, on the other hand, is illegal at the federal level but legal in roughly half of all states for medical use, recreational use, or both.
Practical Differences Between Hemp Flower and Weed
What about the practical difference between hemp flower and cannabis? What are the differences for users?
Flower that’s smoked by cannabis and hemp enthusiasts is harvested and dried to prepare it for consumption. For cannabis flower, drying is a key part of the process. It helps to activate the THC in the flower. In other words, drying changes the active ingredient in cannabis flower from THCA, which is not psychoactive, into THC, which is psychoactive.
High levels of THC give cannabis flower its signature effects when consumed, like altered perceptions and an elevated mood. Hemp flower, on the other hand, has a very low THC content. Hemp flower that comes directly from the hemp plant generally won’t have noticeable psychoactive effects.
Hemp flower goes through additional steps in processing to provide its effects. In simple terms, more abundant cannabinoids found in hemp, like CBD, are chemically converted into psychoactive cannabinoids, like Delta 8 THC and HHC. These cannabinoids are then added to the hemp flower before it’s sold to consumers.
For users, that means that while cannabis plants come in different strains, like indica, sativa, and hybrid strains, the major active ingredient is always Delta 9 THC. In hemp flower, the major active ingredients can be a variety of different cannabinoids, as well as a combination of them.
This is also the distinction in hemp THC vs THC found in cannabis: Cannabis THC is always Delta 9, while hemp THC is really a range of cannabinoids. As far as CBD flower vs THC flower, the difference is in the major active ingredient. THC flower features THC, while CBD flower either has CBD added to hemp or comes from plants engineered to have high CBD content.
Smoking Hemp Flower vs Weed: Differences & Similarities
Now that we know what sets hemp and cannabis apart, it’s a little easier to understand the differences in smoking hemp flower vs. weed.
The process of smoking, or of using a vape that heats ground flower, is similar for both hemp and cannabis flower. You apply heat, a vapor or smoke is produced, and you inhale.
The cannabinoids then cross over into the bloodstream by passing through the lungs, creating fast effects as the cannabinoids interact with endocannabinoid receptors in the body.
So, what are the differences in smoking hemp flower vs weed? The most important distinction is the active ingredient. Hemp flower that features Delta 8 can be thought of as a “nicer, younger sibling” to cannabis flower featuring Delta 9. Research published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Cannabis Research found that users report Delta 8 as having less-intense effects and side effects than Delta 9.
Of course, Delta 8 is only one of many cannabinoids that can be found in commercially produced hemp flower. There are stronger options available when it comes to cannabinoids derived from hemp, as well as weaker ones. One of the benefits of hemp flower is that it gives users more alternatives than cannabis flower, which always has Delta 9 as its major active ingredient.
The Very Best Hemp Flower & Pre-Rolls at Delta 8 Resellers
At Delta 8 Resellers, we carefully choose the brands with which we partner to make sure you get only the best hemp flower and pre-rolls! Whenever available, we share the results of independent third-party lab testing for our products on their individual product pages. That makes it easy to see key details about purity, potency, and cannabinoid content for yourself.
Shop our full collection of hemp flower and pre-rolls!
