We are grateful for input from the Dagga Farmacy Grow Club and their resident expert, Haydn Kidd-Anderson. When we posed this question to the group, it caused quite a stir and generated loads of lively debate. Thanks also go to our resident researcher, Kenzi Riboulet-Zemouli, for his chilli-flavoured advice and access to his ongoing research and published papers. 

“It is interesting to know that the chilli pepper / sweet bell pepper plant – Capsicum annuum L. – is either banned as a chemical weapon (it is an ingredient in explosives), regulated as pharma, regulated as a food crop, or grown in people’s gardens with zero regulation!!  The same should apply to Cannabis sativa L.”

For centuries, human societies have cultivated, traded, and used Cannabis in a multitude of ways. It has been grown for fibre, seed, medicine, ritual, and for use as a safe relaxant. Yet, despite this long history, confusion persists in how Cannabis is classified and understood, particularly in legal and policy frameworks. In South Africa, as in many parts of the world, policymakers often treat “hemp,” “cannabis,” and other labels as if they were distinct species. The truth, supported by modern science, is far simpler: Cannabis is one plant — Cannabis sativa L.

A Single Species with Many Faces

The scientific name Cannabis sativa L. was formally published in the 18th century and remains the accepted designation for the plant. It belongs to the Cannabaceae family, alongside hops and hackberries. While people frequently speak of “sativa,” “indica,” and “ruderalis” as separate species, botanists and geneticists have reached a broad consensus that these are subspecies or regional varieties of a single species, not independent plants.

Much of the perceived difference between “types” of Cannabis comes from human cultivation and adaptation to the environment. Plants grown in hot lowland regions developed tall, slender forms with long leaves — what came to be called “sativa.” Highland crops exposed to harsher climates developed shorter, stockier forms with broad leaves — known as “indica.” Ruderalis, native to northern latitudes, is a hardy, weedy variant that flowers according to age rather than light cycles.

Despite these differences in appearance and growth habits, all belong to Cannabis sativa L. They interbreed naturally, share the same cannabinoid-producing capacity, and display a wide range of overlapping traits.

The Hemp–Cannabis Divide

One of the most persistent misconceptions is that hemp and cannabis are different plants. In fact, they are the same species. The only difference is legal, not botanical: hemp is defined in law by its low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content — typically below 0.3% by international standards, though thresholds vary by jurisdiction. South Africa has set a limit of 2% THC for hemp but this has yet to be confirmed. Hemp plants are cultivated for biomass, fibre, seed, and oil, while cannabis cultivated for other use is selected for resin rich in cannabinoids.

The comparison with Capsicum annuum above, the species that includes both sweet bell peppers and fiery chillies is useful in that no one suggests they are different species; they are simply varieties bred for different uses. In the same way, hemp and cannabis are varieties of Cannabis sativa L. with different applications.

Importantly, a single Cannabis plant can yield both “hemp” and “cannabis” products, depending on how it is grown, harvested, and processed. Recognising this opens opportunities for multipurpose cultivation that benefits farmers, regulators, and the environment. This is in line with the UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) Hemp report 2022 (Commodities at a Glance: Special Issue on Industrial Hemp), which recommends “multipurpose crops”, i.e. harvesting for both hemp products and other uses, from the same crops, since it is the same plant. Our South African “landrace” varieties seem perfect for this.

Why the Confusion Persists

The belief in multiple species of Cannabis is a relic of older botanical classifications and inconsistent terminology. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, some European botanists described “Cannabis indica” as a distinct species based on its cultivation in India and Persia. However, careful observation and modern genomic analysis have shown that these differences are environmental variations rather than fundamental taxonomic separations.

Legal frameworks reinforced the divide. During the 20th century, prohibitionist laws drew sharp lines between hemp and cannabis, embedding the false idea that they were different species. This misunderstanding continues to influence public policy today, creating unnecessary complexity in regulation.

Modern Science and Policy Implications

Advances in genetics have confirmed what careful observation suggested long ago: Cannabis is one species with multiple lineages. The plant’s remarkable diversity reflects human selection and geography, not distinct species boundaries. Recognising this fact is more than a scientific matter; it has real implications for law and policy.

Treating hemp and cannabis as different plants results in regulatory contradictions. Farmers may be penalised for cultivating a crop that, by scientific definition, is indistinguishable from another legal one. Regulators are left with arbitrary thresholds and confusing enforcement. Consumers and patients face uncertainty over quality and legality.

A unified approach, based on the recognition of Cannabis as a single species, would allow for more rational regulation. Instead of outdated categories, policymakers could focus on real issues: product safety, cannabinoid content, agricultural standards, and fair economic participation.

A Call for Clarity

The evidence is clear: whether tall or short, broad-leafed or thin, fibre-rich or resinous, Cannabis is one plant. The continued use of artificial distinctions between “hemp” and “cannabis” obscures science, complicates regulation, and hinders progress.

South Africa, like many countries, stands at a crossroads in developing its Cannabis framework. Clarity begins with acknowledging the plant’s true nature. By aligning policy with science, regulators can create a fairer, simpler, and more effective system — one that supports farmers, protects consumers, and unlocks the full potential of this remarkable crop.

Cannabis is one plant. Our laws should reflect that truth.

As always, we are here to answer your questions and members have access to our vast Resource Library.

Further Reading:

Small & Cronquist (1976). “A Practical and Natural Taxonomy for Cannabis.” Taxon, 25(4), 405–435.

This remains the most influential modern taxonomic paper on Cannabis. (Cronquist is a super famous botanist, beyond cannabis, the new Linnaeus! :-)) Small and Cronquist reviewed the morphological variation in Cannabis and argued convincingly that it is a single species, Cannabis sativa L., because there are no criteria permitting the distinguishing of “species” between different types of Cannabis. 

Ren, G. et al. (2021). “Large-Scale Whole-Genome Resequencing Unravels the Domestication History of Cannabis sativa.” Science Advances, 7(29): eabg2286.

This massive genomic study traced Cannabis domestication back ~12,000 years. They explicitly confirmed that all cultivated and wild forms belong to one species, with four major genetic groups shaped by human use (fiber, seed, drug, and wild). This paper is now the genomic cornerstone closing the species-level debate.