Industrial hemp growing under irrigation. Photo: Colorado Department of Agriculture HOW IS HEMP DIFFERENT FROM MARIJUANA? Hemp and marijuana are the same plant species, Cannabis sativa. They are legally distinguished based on their THC content, which is the psychoactive compound associated with ‘getting high’. Hemp is Cannabis sativa with a THC content that does not exceed 0.3% by dry weight, while marijuana is Cannabis sativa with a THC content greater than 0.3%.
