1.
Cannabis
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Cannabis is a genus of flowering plant in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed, the genus is indigenous to central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Cannabis has long used for hemp fibre, for hemp oils, for medicinal purposes. Industrial hemp products are made from cannabis plants selected to produce an abundance of fiber, to satisfy the UN Narcotics Convention, some cannabis strains have been bred to produce minimal levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive constituent. Many plants have been bred to produce a maximum of THC. Various compounds, including hashish and hash oil, are extracted from the plant, globally, in 2013,60,400 kilograms of cannabis were produced legally. In 2014 there were an estimated 182.5 million cannabis users and this percentage has not changed significantly between 1998 and 2014. Cannabis is an annual, dioecious, flowering herb, the leaves are palmately compound or digitate, with serrate leaflets. The first pair of leaves usually have a single leaflet, the number gradually increasing up to a maximum of thirteen leaflets per leaf, depending on variety. At the top of a plant, this number again diminishes to a single leaflet per leaf. The lower leaf pairs usually occur in a leaf arrangement. As is common in serrated leaves, each serration has a central vein extending to its tip, however, the serration vein originates from lower down the central vein of the leaflet, typically opposite to the position of, not the first notch down, but the next notch. This means that on its way from the midrib of the leaflet to the point of the serration and this venation pattern varies slightly among varieties, but in general it enables one to tell Cannabis leaves from superficially similar leaves without difficulty and without special equipment. Tiny samples of Cannabis plants also can be identified with precision by microscopic examination of leaf cells and similar features, the plant is believed to have originated in the mountainous regions northwest of the Himalayas. It is also known as hemp, although this term is used to refer only to varieties of Cannabis cultivated for non-drug use. Cannabis normally has imperfect flowers, with male and pistillate female flowers occurring on separate plants. It is not unusual, however, for plants to bear both male and female flowers. Male flowers are borne on loose panicles, and female flowers are borne on racemes
2.
Hemp
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Hemp or industrial hemp, typically found in the northern hemisphere, is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products. It is one of the fastest growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber 10,000 years ago. It can be refined into a variety of items including paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food. Hemp has lower concentrations of THC and higher concentrations of cannabidiol, the legality of industrial hemp varies widely between countries. Some governments regulate the concentration of THC and permit only hemp that is bred with an especially low THC content, then it appears to have been borrowed into Latin, and separately into Slavic and from there into Baltic, Finnish, and Germanic languages. Following Grimms law, the k would have changed to h with the first Germanic sound shift, after which it may have been adapted into the Old English form, hænep. Another possible source of origin is Assyrian qunnabu, which was the name for a source of oil, fiber, cognates of hemp in other Germanic languages, include Dutch hennep, Danish and Norwegian, hamp, German, hanf, and Swedish, hampa. Hemp is used to make a variety of commercial and industrial products including rope, clothes, food, paper, textiles, plastics, insulation, the inner two fibers of the plant are more woody and typically have industrial applications, such as mulch, animal bedding and litter. When oxidized, hemp oil from the seeds becomes solid and can be used in the manufacture of oil-based paints, in creams as an agent, for cooking. Hemp seeds have been used in bird feed mix as well, a survey in 2003 showed that more than 95% of hemp seed sold in the European Union was used in animal and bird feed. Hemp seeds can be raw, ground into a meal, sprouted. The leaves of the plant can be consumed raw in salads. Hemp can also be made into a liquid and used for baking or for such as hemp milk, hemp juice. Hempseed oil is cold-pressed from the seed and is high in unsaturated fatty acids. In 2011, the U. S. imported $11.5 million worth of products, mostly driven by growth in demand for hemp seed. In the U. S. imported hemp can be used legally in food products,100 grams of hulled hemp seeds supply 586 calories. They are 5% water, 5% carbohydrates, 49% total fat, Hemp seeds are notable in providing 64% of the Daily Value of protein per 100 gram serving. Hempseed amino acid profile is comparable to other sources of such as meat, milk, eggs
3.
Cannabis indica
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Cannabis indica, formally known as Cannabis sativa forma indica, is an annual plant in the Cannabaceae family. A putative species of the genus Cannabis, in 1785, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck published a description of a second species of Cannabis, which he named Cannabis indica. Lamarck based his description of the named species on plant specimens collected in India. Richard Evans Schultes described C. indica as relatively short, conical, loran C. Anderson described C. indica plants as having short, broad leaflets whereas those of C. sativa were characterized as relatively long and narrow. Cannabis indica plants conforming to Schultess and Andersons descriptions may have originated from the Hindu Kush mountain range, because of the often harsh and variable climate of those parts, C. indica is well-suited for cultivation in temperate climates. Broad-leafed Cannabis indica plants in India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan are traditionally cultivated for the production of charas, differences in the terpenoid content of the essential oil may account for some of these differences in effect. Common indica strains for recreational or medicinal use include Kush and Northern Lights, a recent genetic analysis included both the narrow-leaflet and wide-leaflet drug biotypes under C. indica, as well as southern and eastern Asian hemp landraces and wild Himalayan populations. There are several key differences between Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa and these include height and stature, internodal length, leaf size and structure, buds size and density, flowering time, odour, smoke and effects. Indica plants tend to grow shorter and bushier than the sativa plants, Indica strains tend to have wide, short leaves with short wide blades, whereas sativa strains have long leaves with thin long blades. The buds of indica strains tend to be wide, dense and bulky, while sativa strains are likely to be long, on average, Cannabis sativa has higher levels of THC compared to CBD, whereas Cannabis indica has lower levels of THC to CBD. However, huge variability exists within either species, a 2015 study shows the average THC content of the most popular herbal cannabis products in the Netherlands has decreased slightly since 2005. In the recent era of cannabis breeding higher-ratio CBD strains are being developed from Indica origins that may test out as 1,1 or even as high as a 22,1. The medical interests in Cannabis are taking this further and we will see increasing cultivation trends for more developed with CBD-dominant ratios. In California, cities such as Coachella and Desert Hot Springs are re-zoning areas for cannabis cultivation, low anxiety and hallucinogenic properties make these high-CBD strains very desirable for chronic treatment programs. There are three types of Cannabis, one with high levels of THC, one which is more fibrous and has higher levels of CBD. Cannabis strains with CBD, THC ratios above 5,2 are likely to be more relaxing and this may be due to CBDs antagonistic effects at the cannabinoid receptors, compared to THCs partial agonist effect. CBD is also a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, which may contribute to an anxiolytic-content effect. The effects of sativa are well known for its cerebral high, users can expect a more vivid and uplifting high, while indica is well known for its sedative effects which some prefer for night time use
4.
Cannabis consumption
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Among the variety of ways cannabis is consumed, forms of smoking or oral consumption are most common. Each method leads to subtly different psychoactive effects due to the THC and other chemicals being activated, cannabis can be smoked with implements such as bongs, hookahs, and pipes. Makeshift pipes or commercial pipes may be used, or cigarette-like joint or cigar-like blunt may be smoked, local methods have differed by the preparation of the cannabis plant before use, the parts of the cannabis plant that are used, and the treatment of the smoke before inhalation. In early times, as in parts of Africa today, a pile of cannabis was simply laid on a fire. A vaporizer heats herbal cannabis to 157–210 °C, which causes the active ingredients to evaporate into a gas without burning any plant material (the boiling point of THC is 157 °C, a MAPS-NORML study using a Volcano vaporizer reported 95% THC and no toxins delivered in the vapor. An older study using less sophisticated vaporizers found some toxins, a pocket-sized form of vaporizer is available as of September 2013—one particular model uses a rechargeable battery, is constructed from wood, and features a removable cover. Typically, portable vaporizers can only be used for liquids, feature pre-soaked wicks, as an alternative to smoking, cannabis may be consumed orally. However, herbal cannabis must be heated or dehydrated to cause decarboxylation of its most abundant cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. All of the active constituents enter the body when cannabis is consumed orally and it has been shown that the primary active component of cannabis, Δ9-THC, is converted to the more psychoactive 11-hydroxy-THC by the liver. Titration to the effect by ingestion is more difficult than through inhalation. Cannabis material can be leached in high-proof spirits to create a “Green Dragon” and this process is often employed to make use of low-potency stems and leaves. Cannabis can also be consumed as a cannabis tea, although THC is lipophilic and only slightly water soluble, enough THC can be dissolved to make a mildly psychoactive tea. However, water-based infusions are considered to be an inefficient use of the herb. However, bhang, a decoction of cannabis and spices in milk, averts the issue, to kill potentially very dangerous aspergillus, and other microorganisms, researchers Levitz and Diamond suggested baking marijuana in home ovens at 150 °C for five minutes before smoking. Oven treatment killed conidia of A. fumigatus, A. flavus, however, neither this, nor other suggested sterilization methods, degrade microbial antigens or decompose the microbial toxins. Many cannabinoids evaporate below 150 °C, in particular, the more volatile aromatic oils and terpenes, which give cannabis its distinctive flavors and odors
5.
Cannabis cultivation
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This article presents common techniques and facts regarding the cultivation of the flowering plant Cannabis, primarily for the production and consumption of cannabis flowers. Cultivation techniques for other purposes differ, Cannabis belongs to the genus Cannabis in the family Cannabaceae and includes three species, C. sativa, C. indica, and C. ruderalis. It is typically an annual plant. C. sativa and C. indica generally grow tall and their females start the production of rich in tetrahydrocannabinol as the season changes from summer to autumn. However, commercial cross-bred hybrids containing both ruderalis, indica and/or sativa genes exist, Cannabis needs certain conditions to flourish. e. Nutrients are often provided to the soil via fertilizers but such practice requires caution and this value can be adjusted – see soil pH. Commercial fertilizers tend to make the more acidic. The optimal day temperature range for cannabis is 24 to 30 °C, temperatures above 31 °C and below 15.5 °C seem to decrease THC potency and slow growth. At 13 °C the plant undergoes a mild shock, though some strains withstand frost temporarily, light can be natural or artificial. There is a debate over the necessity of a dark period for vegetative growth. Typically, flowering is induced by providing at least 12 hours per day of complete darkness, some Indica varieties require as little as 8 hours of dark to begin flowering, whereas some Sativa varieties require up to 13 hours. Watering frequency and amount is determined by many factors, including temperature and light, the age, size and stage of growth of the plant, a conspicuous sign of water problems is the wilting of leaves. Giving too much water can kill young cannabis plants if the growing medium gets oversaturated, nutrients are taken up from the soil by roots. Nutrient soil amendments are added when the nutrients are depleted. Fertilizers can be chemical or organic, liquid or powder, commercial fertilizers indicate the levels of NPK. During the vegetative stage, cannabis needs more N than P and K, while during the flowering stage, the presence of secondary nutrients is recommended. Micro nutrients rarely manifest as deficiencies, because Cannabis nutrient needs vary widely depending on the variety, they are usually determined by trial and error and fertilizers are applied sparingly to avoid burning the plant. Germination is the process in which the seeds sprout and the root emerges, in Cannabis it takes from 12 hours to 8 days
6.
Cannabis strains
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Cannabis strains are either pure or hybrid varieties of Cannabis, typically of C. sativa, C. indica and C. ruderalis. Varieties are developed to intensify specific characteristics of the plant, or to differentiate the strain for the purposes of marketing or to make it effective as a drug. Variety names are chosen by their growers, and often reflect properties of the plant such as taste, color, smell. Cannabis strains commonly refer to those varieties with recreational and medicinal use and these varieties have been cultivated to contain a high percentage of cannabinoids. Several varieties of Cannabis, known as hemp, have a very low cannabinoid content, clone-only variety – The grower may distribute genetically identical clones of the plant. A clone is the way to propagate a plant while retaining its exact genetic makeup. Nevertheless, the conditions under which the plant is grown will still greatly affect the final product, stable seed variety – Creating a genetically stable variety involves selectively choosing male and female cannabis plants and breeding them over the course of multiple generations. The final generations seeds reliably grow into plants that exhibit the desired characteristics, Unstable seed varieties – Unstable varieties are produced without numerous generations of breeding. Although they can be produced quickly, plants grown from seeds may have widely varying characteristics. Commercial seed retailers generally do not distribute unstable seed varieties, though some disreputable shops might, amateur and third-party growers may, whether knowingly or not, produce unstable derivatives from well known varieties and misleadingly call them by their true variety name. Wild varieties or landraces – Some varieties, such as Colombian and Thai, typically, these plants are used as bases for the production of more specialized varieties, such as G-13, or Hash. The two species of the Cannabis genus that are most commonly grown are Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa, a third species, Cannabis ruderalis is very short and produces only trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, and thus is not commonly grown for industrial, recreational or medicinal use. However, because Cannabis ruderalis flowers independently of the photoperiod and according to age, pure sativas are relatively tall, with long internodes and branches, and large, narrow-bladed leaves. Pure indica varieties are shorter and bushier, have wider leaflets and they are often favored by indoor growers for their size. Sativas bloom later than indicas, often taking a month or two longer to mature, the subjective effects of sativas and indicas are said to differ, but the ratio of tetrahydrocannabinol to cannabidiol in most named drug varieties of both types is similar. Unlike most commercially developed strains, indica landraces exhibit plants with varying THC/CBD ratios, avidekel, a medical marijuana strain developed in Israel, has a very low content of THC but a high content of CBD, limiting its recreational value but maximizing medical effect. There has been a recent movement to characterize strains based on their reported subjective effects, for example, WoahStork has used machine learning algorithms to classify strains into 6 Distinct Activity groups. It is impossible for a hermaphrodite to create any male only plants, a hermaphrodite may create female only seeds and hermaphrodite seeds
