Cannabis light, hemp, marijuana are terms that are often found together. But are there differences? If so, what are they? Are they different species? Do they have different effects? Which ones are legal?
A first thing to say is that it is difficult to have a clear and agreed upon definition of these terms because definitions change depending on whether we consider physical characteristics (how it looks to us), effects on the body, chemical composition, legal implications, or how people use the term in everyday communications.
Cannabis as a plant
Let’s start with the basics. Cannabis and hemp are two terms often used to describe the same thing: a genus of green plant that is part of the family Cannabaceae. We prefer to use the term cannabis because it is the scientific term commonly used internationally as well. Thus, from a biological point of view, cannabis is a genus of plant in the family Cannabaceae that consists of about 170 species including trees and plants, such as hops (plant classification) . Cannabis has been divided into three primary species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Ruderalis, although some believe there is only one species, Cannabis Sativa from Central Asia. Be that as it may, these species, in turn, include different varieties, such as Cannabis Sativa Finola, Cannabis Indica Orange Bud, etc. which are the names found in the market.
Marijuana vs. Cannabis Light
We mentioned that the term cannabis refers to a broad set of plants. However, the chemical characteristics of these plants (so-called chemovars) and consequently the effects on the body have important differences, and it is these differences that distinguish so-called cannabis light from marijuana. These terms are often misunderstood. Cannabis light and marijuana are not species of plants; they are simply classifications of the cannabis plant based on the amount of THC contained in the plant itself. In fact, when people talk about marijuana they usually refer to cannabis plants with a high THC content having psychotropic (i.e., capable of altering the mental state) effects, while the term cannabis light is used to refer to those cannabis plants with a low THC content and a more or less high CBD content. But how low? In fact, it is not necessarily the case that plants with low enough THC are low enough to be considered cannabis light plants!
Cannabis is only light if it is legal
In theory, cannabis is light if the THC content in it is so low that it has no psychotropic effects. In practice, for a cannabis plant to be light, it must have a THC content below the legal limit, which is expressed as a % of THC present in the dry plant relative to the total weight of the plant (also dry). This limit varies from country to country. By setting a legal limit, an attempt is made to ensure that THC is so low that there is no “drugging effect” (i.e., psychotropic effect). However, determining what amount of THC has a concrete psychotropic effect remains a matter of controversy, for both scientific and social reasons. Controversy aside, to date, although a specific law is still lacking, under Italian law cannabis is legal, and therefore cannabis light, if the level of THC is less than 0.5 percent of its dry weight. The level of CBD, on the other hand, is not limited by law, because CBD has no psychoactive effects, but on the contrary is currently the subject of great scientific interest for its possible beneficial and therapeutic effects. All inflorescences offered by CBD THERAPY are high in CBD and low in THC, and THC is always below the limits specified by Italian law i.e. less than 0.5% THC.If you are curious about Cannabis Light, we recommend the best CBD Shop Online and we invite you to try it!
