Cannabis | Definition, Species, & Marijuana - Britannica

🤑 Explore Britannica's Newest Newsletter: Money Matters Learn More Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos cannabis Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics Images & Videos Quizzes Plants: From Cute to Carnivorous Contents Science Plants Flowering Plants CITE verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/plant/cannabis-plant Feedback External Websites Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

• Healthline - A Quick Take on Cannabis and Its Effects
• World Health Organization - Cannabis
• European Union Drugs Agency - Cannabis drug profile
• Brookings - Cannabis as Plant and Product
• Verywell Health - What Is Cannabis?
• Canada.ca - Medical use of cannabis
• CSIRO Publishing - Australian Journal of Chemistry - The Chemistry of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
• National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Cannabis, a complex plant: different compounds and different effects on individuals
• Frontiers - Cannabis: a multifaceted plant with endless potentials

cannabis plant Ask Anything Homework Help Also known as: Cannabis Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Mar. 10, 2026 •History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

News •

Recreational drugs can more than double risk of stroke, study suggests • Mar. 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET (The Guardian) ...(Show more) A huge study finds a link between cannabis use in teens and psychosis later • Feb. 21, 2026, 1:15 AM ET (NPR) Show less

cannabis, (genus Cannabis), genus of medicinal, recreational, and fibre plants belonging to the family Cannabaceae. By some classifications, the genus Cannabis comprises a single species, hemp (Cannabis sativa), a stout, aromatic, erect annual herb that originated in Central Asia and is now cultivated worldwide. A tall canelike variety is raised for the production of hemp fibre, while the female plants of a short branchier variety are prized as the more abundant source of the psychoactive substance tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient of marijuana. See also medical cannabis.

Related Topics: medical cannabis marijuana hemp What Is the Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana? Cannabis indica (Show more) See all related content

Morphological differences in wild and cultivated forms of cannabis have introduced taxonomic uncertainties. Hence, in addition to C. sativa, some scientists consider the genus as including a second species, C. indica, and even a third, C. ruderalis. These two species are also sometimes treated as subspecies of C. sativa.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Barbara A. Schreiber.