What's the difference between growing medical and recreational cannabis?

When discussing the differences between cannabis used for therapeutic purposes and recreational cannabis, we refer to the use a consumer makes of the cannabis. Recreational cannabis will be used for its psychoactive properties, while a patient will use medical marijuana to treat its symptoms and benefit from its therapeutic effects.

But what about culture? According to the cannabis industries in the United States, the line between medical and recreational cannabis is becoming blurred.

Chris Conrad, an expert witness at Oaskterdam University in California, explains, «In terms of physiology and according to the plant's compounds, the two types of cannabis are imperceptible.» The only major difference is non-psychoactive strains used for therapeutic purposes, such as strains based on cannabidiol (CBD).

He also claims that in the context of cannabis cultivation, the distinction is made in how the cannabis is used once harvested. He adds that there is no need to separate the two types of cultivation if they are properly regulated.

California regulations

Recreational cannabis is Legal in California since November 2016 (but will be implemented in early 2018) while therapeutic use has been legal for 20 years. The following two laws, the California's Adult Use of Marijuana Act and the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (the famous Proposition 64) allow citizens to legally grow cannabis from the age of 21. Prior to this, patients could grow cannabis with a doctor's recommendation.

California's medical cannabis laws allow patients to grow up to 100 square feet, or 9 square meters, of cannabis. Medical cannabis dispensaries can grow up to 500 square feet, or 46 square meters.

The director of a wellness center in the city of Arcata, California, explains that those who grow cannabis for recreational use are looking for more potent strains, while those who prioritize medicinal cultivation will focus on a strain specialized in relieving a specific illness.

What about France?

In France, cannabis cultivation for Its use for personal purposes is strictly prohibited. whether for recreational or medical use. Only industrial hemp varieties with a THC content of less than 0.2% are permitted. France is Europe’s leading producer of industrial hemp and the world’s second-largest producer behind China. Finally, there are 20 varieties authorized for cultivation in France, and anyone can grow them at home. under certain conditions.

Mehdi Bautier