Does CBD Oil Get You High?

Most people are familiar with what cannabis is and know that smoking weed can get you high.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound mostly found in (industrial) hemp, which is a type of cannabis. However, hemp is not the same as a traditional cannabis plant as it doesn’t get you high.

Confused yet?

CBD is indeed a cannabis compound, but on its own it is non-intoxicating, and CBD cannot get you high. However, there are a few essential kinks to realise if you are interested in looking to use CBD oil which we will cover in this post.

So let’s dive in and tell you what you need to know before you buy CBD oil.

CBD is a non-intoxicating Cannabinoid

The reason you can feel intoxicated from cannabis is because it contains a cannabinoid called THC.

Hemp, on the other hand, at maximum only contains trace levels of THC (below 0.2% on average in the EU) and as a result, it does not get you high.

Usually, street marijuana contains 15%+ of THC and often more. Skunk cannabis can contain 20%+ THC, leading to an intense psychoactive experience.

CBD, when used exclusively on its own or via hemp-derived CBD products will not result in in a high. 

For clarity: There are over 100+ known cannabinoids (cannabis compounds) outside of THC which are non-intoxicating.

Does CBD have psychoactive effects?

If you search online, you might read that CBD does not have psychoactive effects. However, that’s incorrect. 

Any substance which can alter your mood is classed as psychoactive. A more accurate statement would be that CBD is non-psychotropic.

Psychoactive: A substance which can affect the mind.

Psychotropic: A substance which can alter your mental state

It’s important to realise that this isn’t something to be worried about. Research has even classified chocolate as lightly psychoactive! It’s just a matter of using the right terminology with respect to how cannabinoids interact with our body via the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

CBD oil can also be derived from Marijuana…Technically

While most CBD oil is made from hemp, it is possible to manufacture (high THC) CBD oil from marijuana which could get you high.

While in most countries across the world, CBD supplements are derived from Industrial Hemp; there are some exceptions.

Products which are prescribed by a physician in countries with a medical cannabis program can contain much higher levels of THC, which would lead to the product being psychotropic and hence intoxicating. 

It’s also possible that CBD oil bought from a marijuana dispensary where recreational cannabis is legal could contain THC in beyond trace levels.

For example, in the UK where there is a medical cannabis program, it is theoretically possible for an individual to be prescribed CBD oil derived from cannabis by their consultant physician. Assuming they fit the profile for the use case of course and have exhausted all other treatments.

These products are different from those bought on the high street or online, as they are licensed medicines, not supplements. They can contain whatever level of THC the consultant deems necessary, and they are manufactured to pharmaceutical standards along with being tested for product contents and safety.

Untested products can contain higher levels of THC

In ideal conditions, CBD works in tandem with other cannabinoids, and as a result, most CBD products also include other cannabinoids in addition to CBD.

Dependent on the exact CBD oil, it could contain THC, and if that product is not third party tested to examine its contents, it could contain illegal levels of THC, which could then lead to people getting high along with other side effects.

The crux of the problem is the CBD oil industry is largely unregulated around the world as CBD products are sold as supplements.

Meaning CBD sold today does not need to go through a stringent quality assurance process to check if the CBD oil contains the labelled CBD content along with checking if it’s safe to consume.

Most serious brands and retailers in this space have decided to self regulate through a process of testing their products via third-party labs at their own discretion.

Broad-spectrum CBD Oil and Isolates do not contain THC

Another critical point is that there is a wide variety of CBD oil available on the market today. While most of these are classed as full-spectrum CBD oils (whole plant extracts) and contain trace levels of THC, there are many which contain 0.00% THC.

It’s just a matter of finding the right one if you are searching for a broad spectrum CBD oil or a CBD Isolate oil.

These types of products are favored by athletes and people in other professions who may be drug tested and are interested in using CBD with zero THC.

Related Read: Will I Fail A Drug Test Using CBD?

Broad-spectrum and CBD Isolate oils contain 0.00% THC because they have been further refined from a full spectrum hemp extract often via distillation or a process known as high-performance liquid chromatography.

Nonetheless, it’s important to still look at the third party test result, as discussed above. In addition to checking what the minimum testing level the lab can accurate estimate at. For example, if it is 0.1% then any CBD products contain <0.1% THC will be classed as THC free due to the minimum concentration threshold required to be classed as detectable being 0.1%.

Final Word

So we have established that CBD oil does not get you high and using CBD is safe.

Still, when it comes to anything related to the cannabis plant is aware of the points mentioned above is crucial to ensure you do your due diligence before buying something you will place into your body.

When purchasing CBD oil, looking for transparent organisations who are willing to outline how their CBD is sourced and share their third party test results is often an indicator of product quality.

Untested CBD may lead to you getting high or worse committing a crime through the possession of a banned substance.

Just being aware of these complications puts at a better sted in finding the right CBD oil for you and hopefully make a difference in your wellbeing!