No, Hemp does not get you high.
Sure you won’t be satisfied with a one-liner, so let’s dive right in to feed your curiosity of cannabis family plants. Hemp High is more of an unexplored topic rather than a controversial one. The controversy only arises when people confuse it with the Marijuana plant and the psychoactive effects of THC that come along with it. In this blog post, we will explore the effects of hemp consumption, be it through smoking, edible products, CBD tinctures, or any other method, and whether or not it can get you high. If you’re also looking for an explanation as to “why smoking hemp won’t make you high“, you’ve come to the right place.
To begin with, let’s try to figure out how different Hemp and Marijuana are from each other.
What is the difference between Hemp and Marijuana?
Cannabis is the source of both marijuana and hemp plants. Even though hemp and marijuana plants are identical, so similar in appearance you might just want to call them twins, but their effects couldn’t be more different.
Before we understand how hemp and marijuana affect our bodies, we need to understand the difference between the two and also their relationship to the compounds found in cannabis plants called cannabinoids – mainly THC and CBD.
Cannabinoids are active compounds present in the cannabis plant that interact with the endocannabinoid system in our body to produce varied effects like euphoria, relaxation, pain relief, anti-inflammatory action, and many others.
Marijuana and Hemp are terms that are often used interchangeably, which is incorrect.
The marijuana plant is a flowering plant with a long history of medical and recreational use that is grown for its high THC content. On average, a Marijuana plant can have THC levels as high as 5-30%, which is the major cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant that is responsible to cause mind-altering psychoactive effects
Hemp, on the other hand, is a type of cannabis that’s grown mainly for industrial and commercial use. Every part of the hemp plant – from the stalk to the leaves, seeds, and buds – can be used to manufacture different products. THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana that causes the “high,” is virtually non-existent in hemp. The THC levels in hemp plants are 0.3 percent or lower.
Instead, Hemp is high in CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid that has been studied and shown to have a variety of health benefits. CBD-rich hemp oil can be used to manufacture a range of CBD-based products, such as edibles, topicals, tinctures, and capsules.
Read more about the benefits of this wonder plant.
Not only does hemp provide possible health benefits, but it is also an environmentally sustainable crop. It uses less water than other crops and doesn’t need external herbicides or pesticides to grow.
As a result, hemp has the potential to provide a sustainable source of CBD for people around the world. The environmental friendliness of hemp also makes this crop an ideal solution if you’re looking forward to making your home more green while still enjoying some relief from pain!
Read more about How Hemp can help improve the environment: The Wonder Plant
This is a brief overview of the key distinctions between Hemp and Marijuana.
| Hemp | Marijuana | |
| THC concentration | Low (Less than 0.3% THC) | High (normally 5% to 30% THC) |
| CBD Concentration | High | Low |
| Psychoactive | No | Yes |
| Products | CBD Oil, Hemp Oil | Hash Oil, Weed Oil, etc |
Why doesn’t Hemp Get you high?
To break this down, let’s drill into CBD, the cannabinoid found in these plants are in high concentrations, and THC found in Marijuana plants are in high concentrations. The following analogy should make it clear why Hemp does not make you high, whereas marijuana does.
Analogy Time
As an example, let’s use batteries to explain the logic of how THC and CBD affect our bodies. Yes, you read that right, batteries – AAs and AAAs.
Both cannabinoids, THC, and CBD interact with our endocannabinoid system to produce a variety of effects.
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is responsible for many vital functions in our body, including but not limited to: learning and memory processing, emotional responses, sleep cycles, pain tolerance, appetite regulation, and immunity. The ECS consists of 2 cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 that bind with the various cannabinoids in the cannabis plant.
Consider THC as a AA Battery and CBD as a AAA battery.
The CB1 cannabinoid receptor is responsible for the majority of the mood-altering effects of cannabinoids, while CB2 receptors mostly contribute to the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects.
The CB1 receptor only gets activated when the right size of the battery is inserted, in this case, THC (AA batteries). The AA binds to and activates the receptor, causing the mind-altering psychoactive effects.
The AAA batteries (CBD) also do bind with the receptor, but it’s not an exact match so they don’t activate the CB1 receptor. They bind more efficiently with the CB2 receptor.
This is why CBD or Hemp doesn’t get you high as it’s not built to activate the CB1 receptors that cause your world to go psychedelic.
If you were intrigued by our analogy of cannabinoids to batteries, you might want to know more about how Hemp Batteries work.
Learn more about a sustainable and efficient way to generate power.
Now you might wonder that if Hemp doesn’t get you high, then how do you feel after consuming hemp?
How does consuming Hemp make you feel?
When we tell people that you can’t get high off of hemp, they often don’t believe us. For these individuals, we suggest they should consider trying it for themselves. Roll up a joint or add some drops of Hemp-Oil to your food or beverage to see what happens. For those who want to know, here are some of the most frequently mentioned effects of smoking hemp flower, better known as CBD flower.
Hemp may provide a soothing and relaxing experience to many individuals who use it.
Hemp has also been shown to alleviate pain and suppress appetite. THC activates the CB1 receptors, which causes an appetite-stimulating hormone to be released. On the other hand, CB1 receptor antagonists may help reduce appetite and control obesity. This is because CB1 receptor antagonists block the function of this particular receptor.
Key Takeaways
Hemp does not get you high. Period. Marijuana on the other hand does.
Both these plants are very similar in appearance but have very different effects on our bodies.
You might be surprised to know that Hemp has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments, and recent studies have shown that there are many health benefits. It can be used to improve gut health, relieve pain, and reduce inflammation. Hemp is also a great source of protein and essential fatty acids, making it an excellent addition to your diet.
If you are looking for a natural way to improve your health, hemp is a great option.
Share this article to get the word out about how amazing this wonder plant is and dispel any false information people may know.
Here are few articles on same dilemma by some renowned institutions:
- The New York Times: This Drug Gets You High, and Is Legal (Maybe) Across the Country
- Healthline: Hemp Vs Marijuana
