Hemp, cannabis and marijuana: the differences explained

Revised on October 9, 2026 · Hanfgeflüster Editorial Team

Hemp, cannabis and marijuana are often treated as three different plants. In fact, the terms describe different botanical, economic or colloquial contexts. What matters is which plant parts and active ingredients are meant – and what they are used for.

Cannabis is the botanical starting point

Cannabis refers to a genus of plants in the hemp family. However, the word is often used more narrowly in everyday language: as a term for THC-containing flowers or products made from them. This use should be distinguished from botany. A hemp plant grown for fiber production also belongs botanically to cannabis. The names alone therefore indicate neither the cannabinoid content nor the legal classification of a finished product.

What does industrial hemp mean?

Industrial hemp refers to hemp grown for fibers, seeds or other industrial purposes. Which varieties and cultivation conditions are permitted depends on the respective regulations. An agricultural THC limit is not a blanket approval for every food, flower or extract. Processing, use and product category must each be considered separately.

Marijuana and hashish

Marijuana is a colloquial term for dried cannabis flowers, often with reference to their intoxicating use. Hashish, on the other hand, refers to a product made from the plant's resin. Both terms should be distinguished from hemp seed oil: This is pressed from seeds and is not a synonym for a CBD or THC extract. A similar plant origin therefore does not mean that the composition or risks are the same.

How to correctly interpret product labels

First, check whether a product is a seed oil, an extract, a cosmetic or a medicine. Then, the list of ingredients, intended use and verifiable analysis data will be helpful. Terms such as natural, hemp or cannabis do not replace this information. For cosmetic oral care oils, the stated use applies; the word oil does not imply suitability as food. Neither variety, color nor smell alone can prove a specific effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hemp always THC-free?

No. The term hemp alone does not prove a THC content. A suitable analysis is required for that.

Are hemp oil and CBD oil the same?

Not necessarily. Hemp oil can mean hemp seed oil, while CBD oil contains a CBD-containing extract or CBD in a carrier oil.

Read more

• What is CBD? Cannabidiol explained simply
• CBD vs. THC: Differences, similarities and risks
• What is a carrier oil? Formulation, ingredients and differences

Sources and classification

• Federal Ministry of Health: Questions about the Cannabis Act