Last reviewed October 18, 2026
Hemp is cannabis, but it isn’t weed in the everyday sense. Both are the same plant species, Cannabis sativa. The difference is THC: in Canada, a plant only counts as industrial hemp if its flowering heads and leaves contain 0.3% THC or less, far too little to cause a high. Weed is bred for high THC, often 20% or more.
| Hemp | Weed (marijuana) | |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Cannabis sativa | Cannabis sativa |
| THC | 0.3% or less in flowering heads and leaves | Often 15–30% |
| Gets you high? | No | Yes |
| Grown for | Fibre, seeds, oil and CBD | Flower and extracts |
| Growing style | Dense fields, often tall and thin | Spaced plants bred for big flowers |
| Common products | Hemp seeds, rope, textiles, CBD | Flower, pre-rolls, vapes, concentrates, edibles |
The legal line in Canada
Canada’s Industrial Hemp Regulations define hemp by THC concentration: 0.3% or less by weight in the flowering heads and leaves, counting THCA that could convert to THC. Hemp growers need a licence from Health Canada. Products like hemp seeds and hemp hearts are sold as ordinary food. CBD made from hemp flowers is still a cannabis product under the Cannabis Act, which is why CBD oils are sold through cannabis channels.
Is hemp the same as CBD?
No. Hemp is the plant; CBD is a compound that hemp happens to make plenty of. Hemp seed oil, sold in grocery stores, contains little or no CBD; it’s pressed from seeds, not flowers.
Does hemp flower get you high?
No. With 0.3% THC or less, hemp flower doesn’t produce the high that weed does. People who smoke it usually want the CBD and the experience of smoking without much THC.
Common questions
Is hemp weed?
It’s the same species, but legally and practically different: hemp has 0.3% THC or less and won’t get you high.
Can you smoke hemp?
Yes, but it’s mostly CBD with very little THC, so it won’t feel like weed.
Will hemp products show up on a drug test?
Hemp seeds and seed oil are unlikely to. Full-spectrum CBD products can contain small amounts of THC, so check the label if testing matters to you.
Is CBD from hemp legal in Canada?
Yes, through authorized cannabis sellers. CBD is regulated under the Cannabis Act like other cannabis products.
