What is hemp?

My first experience with hemp was back in high school. We were at Bath & Body Works looking for relief for my dry lips (a side effect of the Accutane being prescribed at the time for my severe acne). I settled on a chapstick made of hemp oil. At that time, hemp was rarely discussed in popular culture and we had a long wait for the research being performed today.
Fast-forward 15 years and hemp is all the rage, its popularity growing wider every day. For most people, the question remains: 

WHAT IS HEMP?

All Hemp is Cannabis, Not All Cannabis is Hemp.
While Hemp and Marijuana are both members of the Cannabis Sativa species, their chemical makeups are markedly different.

  • Taste: Hemp and Marijuana taste the same. Raw plant is quite bitter, but the byproducts (oil, seed, heated flower/bud) of both can be added to food, beverages, sprays, tinctures, lozenges, and more.
  • Touch: Hemp and Marijuana feel the same. The flower/buds are a bit sticky to the touch.
  • Smell: There are hundreds of strains (types) of Cannabis, each with their own unique smell (from terpenes) but we cannot determine whether one is Hemp or Marijuana based on smell alone. 
  • Sight: Which is a photo of Hemp? Which is a photo of Marijuana?

Left - Hemp; Right - Marijuana.
So how do we know the difference between the two if we can't use any of our 5 senses?
Lab analysis. A lab performs special tests that determine the chemical composition of each strain of cannabis. If a particular strain has <0.3% THC it is classified as Hemp; >0.3% THC is classified as Marijuana. Medicinal Hemp will have 10+% CBD and Medical Marijuana will have 10+% THC. 

WHAT ARE THE USES OF HEMP?

Hemp has two primary uses: medicinal and industrial.

Female hemp plants produce flower, or "buds," that contain little sticky appendages known as trichomes (this is where we get our name). These trichomes contain hundreds of different cannabinoids, the most common being THC and CBD. The cannabinoids have different effects on the human body and we are discovering new cannabinoids and uses for hemp every day. 
Male hemp plants produce seeds which are exceptionally nutritious and rich in healthy fats, protein, and various minerals.

Industrial hemp is grown for the fiber and seeds. This fiber can be used to make products such as cloth and paper. The seeds can be used to make hemp seed oil that is used for many similar purposes as petroleum: plastics, fuel, lubricants and more! This oil contains little to no CBD.

The greatest benefit of hemp is its impact upon the environment. 
Petroleum is created naturally underground over the course of millions of years and requires much environmental stress to abstract and use. Trees take years to mature before they can be cut down and turned into paper products. Hemp, on the other hand, allows us to make the same products without the destruction and pollution. This is a win-win for us and the planet!

Taylored Trichomes grows hemp for medicinal purposes. Follow us to continue learning more about the miraculous hemp plant and to see what amazing products will be released in 2020 and beyond!