i would think that the difference would be the live plant vs the dead one. the live one can absorb while the dead one can release what has been absorbed.
in answer to grz and the political arguement, our governments have proved they are going to do what they are going to do. while we still have courts, the jurors need to excercise their rights to defend peoples rights by aquitting people for these stupid laws. if governments cant convict people of the laws, then why have them? they cant jail everyone.