Nithin Kamath, the CEO and Co-founder of Zerodha recently took to Twitter to explain the distinction between hemp and marijuana. In addition, he stated that he plans to allocate capital to startups focused on hemp once regulatory clarity is obtained.
He explained that because hemp and marijuana share a similar appearance and come from the same family of plants, hemp is often misidentified as marijuana, which is the main reason why it has yet to gain mainstream acceptance.
He shared two photo explanations via Twitter that illustrated the differences between the two plants.
“Hemp belongs to the Cannabis sativa family—the same as marijuana. They look similar, but hemp is versatile and has multiple uses, including as a superfood. It’s also good for the planet. Unlike its notorious cousin, hemp doesn’t get you high. Partly why it isn’t popular.”
According to Kamath, his introduction to hemp occurred while assessing a startup that specializes in hemp protein.
“We’re now convinced about allocating capital to startups working on hemp, but we’re also seeking regulatory clarity. This discussion in the @RainmatterOrg Grove forum helped too,” he tweeted.
He said the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India approved hemp seeds for human consumption, “but the notorious cousin and the tainted family are bound to create issues.”
“Some states, like Uttarakhand, are working on a policy on hemp. It will be awesome to get input from anyone who has spent time on this,” Kamath added.