RE: “Defending the most versatile crop on Earth†[Viewpoint, June 5]:
It is interesting that hemp is defined differently from marijuana. Sadly, genetically, they are the same species. In fact, there is only one species within the cannabis family and it is cannabis sativa.
You can plant varieties with low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active ingredient of marijuana, but it is difficult to guarantee that future generations will also be low in THC.
I suspect that the Canadian hemp industry is being used as a model. Up here in Canada, hemp seed must be certified that it will only produce non-viable cannabis with unusually low levels of THC.