Cannabis 101
What is the difference between cannabis, marijuana and hemp?
Cannabis is the plant. Hemp is legally defined by a low delta-9 THC threshold, and 'marijuana' is the older common term for cannabis with higher THC.
Last reviewed
Cannabis is the name of the plant. Everything else is a legal or colloquial label applied to it.
Under federal law, hemp is cannabis containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis. Cannabis above that threshold is what state adult-use programmes regulate, and it is what people historically called 'marijuana'.
New York regulates adult-use cannabis for people 21 and over through licensed businesses. Bsmile rolling papers are made from hemp fibre and contain no cannabinoids at all — they are an accessory, not a cannabis product.
Sources
- What You Need to Know About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-Derived CompoundsU.S. Food & Drug Administration — reviewed September 11, 2026
- Adult-Use Cannabis InformationNew York State Office of Cannabis Management — reviewed September 11, 2026