Hemp is usually associated (and confused) with marijuana. Though they are both considered cannabis plants, their difference lies in their chemical content. These chemicals are known as CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), and they are both found in marijuana and hemp. THC is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana; the one that gives the person a feeling of getting “high”. In its turn, CBD works with other elements in the body linked to feelings of well-being.

On a legal basis, hemp is classified as cannabis with 0.3% or less THC content. If the THC content exceeds of hemp 0.3%, it is considered marijuana, which is still illegal in most countries. In some of them, though, hemp harvesting is a regulated crop. This is the case of China and France, for instance, and means that producing hemp is unlawful without a production license. Some products that use hemp are building materials such as varnishes and insulation for walls. This requires fiber processing of the plants materials and not necessarily the seeds. Recently, in the automotive industry, some bioplastic materials that contain hemp are used. Some examples are car door interiors and glove boxes. This involves different equipment to process hemp when compared to the seed processing equipment. However, they all derive from the seed, which are obviously vital to the whole growing hemp procedure.