If you’re reading this article, you probably have a situation with buying ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil.
Let us guess — you’ve just searched for “ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil near meâ€� and you’ve been flooded with results like “ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº marijuana oil,â€� “ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº hemp oil,â€� “cannabis oil,â€� or “hemp seed oilâ€�.
All of a sudden, a childishly easy task becomes one hell of a challenge.
Buying the wrong type of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil can prevent you from experiencing the desired effects, not to mention potential legal problems when you try to purchase marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil where marijuana is banned.
In this article, we’ll focus on different types of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil and discuss their differences in detail so that you can decide which one is better for you.
Let’s talk about different species in the cannabis plant family, to begin with.
Cannabis, Hemp, Marijuana: It’s Not All The Same

Semantics is where the majority of conflicts arise. ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil has different names depending on its source. Here we explain the meaning of cannabis, hemp, and marijuana terms so that you never confuse them again.
What is Cannabis?
Cannabis is a broad term used to define a family of plants. The family’s full name is Cannabis Sativa L.
Put simply, cannabis is the genus; hemp and marijuana are its species.
In essence, marijuana and hemp are two cannabis plants sharing the same parent. By analogy, all squares are rectangles, and so all marijuana and hemp plants are cannabis. But not every cannabis plant is just hemp or marijuana — just as not every rectangle is a square.
What is Marijuana?
Marijuana is a cannabis plant that’s mostly grown for its euphoric and psychoactive properties as well as for medical use. The fibers and stalks of marijuana have no commercial applications. Instead, marijuana plants are cultivated specifically for their resinous flowers, which carry high concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes.
Marijuana plants are naturally high in THC and low in ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº, although breeders are continuously coming up with new high-ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº varieties. To maximize the THC content in marijuana, the plant is often grown indoors in a controlled environment, including light, humidity, and temperature.
Any male marijuana plants are removed to prevent fertilization, which lowers the marijuana’s THC content. Marijuana grows shorter and bushier than hemp, with lots of flowers.
Since marijuana is psychoactive due to high levels of THC, use and possession of marijuana are federally illegal, although states have the right to implement their own regulations. So far, 11 states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana and 35 states have some sort of medical marijuana program.
What is Hemp?
Hemp is a more versatile cannabis plant than marijuana. On top of its flowers, hemp seeds and stalks are used to produce a wide range of products from food to textiles, paper, building materials, and biofuels. Depending on which parts of the plant are used, the chemical makeup of hemp oil will vary. For example, hemp oil extracted from the flowers has high concentrations of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº along with other cannabinoids and terpenes, whereas the oil from seeds carries no ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº at all but is considered a superfood due to its dense nutritional profile.
Unlike marijuana, hemp is typically grown outside, with both male and female plants cultivated together to prompt wind pollination and increase seed production. The hemp plants usually grow tall with sturdy stalks and thin leaves, reaching up to 4 meters in height. It’s also very resistant to insects and thus can be grown without herbicides or pesticides.
Hemp has naturally high concentrations of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº and only trace amounts of THC (less than 0.3% per dry mass). Hemp products are non-psychoactive and federally legal thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill.
Different Types of Cannabis Oil

When you hear or read “cannabis oil�, this doesn’t actually tell you anything aside from the fact that it was extracted from one of the cannabis plants — hemp or marijuana.
Some people even refer to hemp seed oil as the “cannabis oil,� which doesn’t help the situation.
Here’s the only breakdown of different cannabis oils you’ll ever need. Read it carefully!
1. Marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Oil
As the name suggests, marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil is sourced from the flowers of high-ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº marijuana plants. Since ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº is the main ingredient and the ratios of THC are lower than in typical marijuana oil, it can produce mild psychoactive effects on top of the health benefits associated with ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº. However, they are nowhere near the high you get from consuming a high-THC strain. If you want to buy marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil, you need to live in a state that allows, at least, the medical use of marijuana.
2. Hemp ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Oil
This type of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil comes from hemp and has less than 0.3% THC and high levels of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº ranging between 5% and 30%. Hemp-derived ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº products are federally legal because they don’t produce psychoactive effects. They’re currently classified as health supplements and can be found over the counter in cannabis dispensaries, health stores, and head shops all over the country. The vast majority of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil advertised online come from hemp.
3. Hemp Seed Oil
Technically, hemp seed oil comes from cannabis because hemp is a cannabis plant. But calling hemp seed oil “cannabis oil� is a huge overstatement. That’s because — by definition — cannabis oils contain cannabinoids and hemp seeds have hardly any cannabinoids. Instead, the seeds of hemp plants are full of nutrients, such as omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, protein, fiber, vitamins, and trace minerals. Hemp seed oil is usually used as a cooking ingredient or as a base for body care products.
ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Hemp Oil vs ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Marijuana Oil: An Overview of the Differences
In this section, we’ll cover the differences between ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº hemp oil and ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº marijuana oil in detail. The table below contains a general overview:
| ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Marijuana Oil | ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Hemp Oil | |
| Cannabinoid Makeup | High ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº / low-to-high THC | High ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº / very low THC (below 0.3%) |
| Is It Psychoactive? | Yes | No |
| Legal Status | Legal in 11 states for recreational use
Legal in 35 states for medical use Federally illegal |
Federally legal |
| Where Can You Buy It? | Cannabis dispensaries | Cannabis dispensaries, head shops, health stores, online stores |
| What Is It Used For? | Medical purposes
Also used for better therapeutic effects. Experts argue that as little as 1% of THC can unlock the full potential of the full spectrum of cannabinoids in the plant. |
General supplementation and medical purposes |
| Possible Side Effects | Dry mouth, lower blood pressure, dizziness, diarrhea | Dry mouth, dry eyes, poor coordination, anxiety, paranoia |
1. The Source of the Oil
As mentioned, marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil is made from high-ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº marijuana flowers, whereas hemp ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil uses hemp cultivars for extraction.
2. Cannabinoid Makeup
Both types of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil have high concentrations of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº, but with different levels of THC. Marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil can have low to high levels of THC depending on the strain. There are varieties carrying ratios between ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº and THC such as 1:1, 2:1, 5:1, and even 20:1.
Hemp ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil has high levels of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº and only trace amounts of THC. Everything that has less than 0.3% of THC is considered hemp in the United States.
3. Psychoactivity
ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº marijuana oil is psychoactive because it has more THC inside. However, the high from ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº marijuana oil is more gentle than what you get from consuming a THC tincture. With strains that have a 10:1 or 20:1 ratio of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº, it’s unlikely that you get intoxicated.
ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº hemp oil is completely non-psychoactive. The aforementioned 0.3% of THC is not enough to produce any intoxicating effects — the main reason why hemp products are federally legal.
4. Uses
Both types of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil have a wide range of health benefits. However, people use them for different purposes.
Due to a higher THC content, ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº marijuana oil is the preferred option among patients with eating disorders, inflammatory pain, bowel disease, , and cancer.
ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº hemp oil, on the other hand, is better for those seeking the benefits of cannabis without getting high. This type of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil is reported by patients to help with the management of anxiety, seizures, chronic pain, poor immune function, compromised stress response, and skin problems.
Although ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº marijuana oil can produce mild psychoactive effects, it’s rarely used for recreational purposes, which is no wonder given the abundance of high-THC products these days.
5. Side Effects
Hemp ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil is generally considered safe and has a very short list of mild side effects, such as dry mouth, a drop in blood pressure, dizziness, or diarrhea. However, that last side effect results from consuming too much oil, not ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº per se.
Although marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil doesn’t have any life-threatening side effects — nobody has ever died from a marijuana overdose — consuming too much of the product can cause you to experience feelings of unease, anxiety, and create paranoid thinking patterns. Fortunately, these side effects are short-lived and can be dealt with using simple stress management techniques and staying well hydrated.
However, this would call for consuming marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil in very large quantities because ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº has the ability to counter some of the psychoactive effects of THC.
Should You Buy Hemp ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Oil or Marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Oil?

One of the misconceptions about hemp-derived ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº products is that ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº from hemp is less potent than the one sourced from marijuana strains. While it’s true that high-ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº marijuana plants have more ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº than hemp plants by dry weight, this difference begins negligible once the oil is extracted. This just means that you need more plant material to achieve the desired potency in hemp ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil.
The economical argument is also invalid considered that hemp can be grown closely together and grows much faster than marijuana, so hemp farmers can create a more environmentally sustainable product.
It’s also worth noting that all cannabis plants are bioaccumulators (absorb and collect contaminants), so this trait is not only unique to the hemp species. In addition, a marijuana plant grown with toxic pesticides or fertilizers is more dangerous to consumers than an organically grown hemp plant that requires minimal care and can be quickly harvested when grown outdoors.
Not to mention that on the molecular level, ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº is the same regardless of its source.
The main reason why proponents of marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil consider it superior to hemp ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil is the higher THC content in marijuana products. Experts explain that higher levels of THC in a ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº extract can make it more effective in managing certain conditions, such as arthritis, chronic pain, and gut inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer.
However, the levels of THC in marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil are too high to be considered legal on the federal level. Unless the federal government removes the ban on cannabis, people in “illegal statesâ€� must rely on ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil from hemp.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that hemp ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil is less potent than its marijuana-derived counterpart. It may just require you to take higher doses in certain cases, but then again, you’re staying away from legal troubles and avoid getting high.
After all, not everybody enjoys the psychoactive side of cannabis.
Final Thoughts on ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Hemp Oil vs ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº Marijuana Oil
With so much contradicting information about different types of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil available online, it’s important for consumers to filter that knowledge and only rely on trusted sources. We hope that this guide has helped you get a good understanding of the differences between ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº hemp oil and marijuana ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil. If you live in a state where marijuana is legal, at least, for medical use, you can try both products on yourself and see which one works better for your condition.
Just remember that everybody reacts differently to ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº and the effects might not necessarily happen overnight. Sometimes, it takes time for ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº to take hold, so keep a dosage diary and monitor the effects. To learn more about the benefits of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº, read our introductory overview of ÄÛ²ÝÓ°Ôº oil products!