HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — While the legal status of marijuana has been a hot issue for decades now, not all of us are familiar with the language tied to the topic. Legislators and opponents alike throw around terms like Delta, THC and hemp as if we all know precisely what they mean.

Are all cannabis products considered marijuana?
FOX54 verifies!

Jennifer Boozer Stewart, Alabama Cannabis Coalition

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

No, not all cannabis products are the same.

According to the FDA, Cannabis sativa L. is a plant that contains more than 80 different naturally occurring compounds called cannabinoids.

Two well-known cannabinoids are CBD and THC.

THC is the psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces a ‘high.’ There are several types of THC in the plant, but raw plants are high in THCA, which converts into Delta-9 THC with the application of heat.

CBD is non-psychoactive and does not cause intoxication. CBD primarily interacts with CB2 receptors, which are more involved in regulating pain and inflammation.

Cannabis plants are grown to produce varying concentrations of these cannabinoids.

Delta 8, 9, 10 and THCA are all types of THC cannabinoids, or products of the cannabis plant.

Stewart, with the Alabama Cannabis Coalition, tells us that hemp is a legal term that means the plant meets the federal legal limit of 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC by dry weight. In other words, it has very little that would alter your mood.

Marijuana is also a legal term, meaning it exceeds the federal limit and contains more than 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC.

Delta 9 THC by dry weight is the primary distinguishing difference between hemp and marijuana.

If there’s anything you’d like us to verify for you, text us at 256-382-2692!