In Canada, following the passage of the Cannabis Act, which legalized adult-use cannabis, both hemp-derived and marijuana-derived CBD are available in all provinces.

Medical researchers have found CBD to have a host of health benefits, including the following.

• Pain relief: CBD may be effective in reducing pain associated with diseases like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Mental health and mood disorders: Using CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression in both human and animal studies. It can also help improve the quality of your sleep.
• Alleviating cancer symptoms: Though CBD can help reduce symptoms related to cancer and cancer treatment, and may even have cancer-fighting properties, further research will help assess its efficacy and safety.
• Skin care: CBD may have beneficial effects on acne due to its anti-inflammatory qualities and its ability to control the overproduction of oil from the sebaceous glands.
• Heart health: Though researchers need to conduct more studies, CBD may benefit heart health in several ways, including by reducing blood pressure and preventing heart damage.
• Preventing seizures: Many types of childhood epilepsy cause seizures which typically don’t respond to antiseizure medications. In numerous studies, CBD was able to reduce the number of seizures, and in some cases, it was able to stop them altogether.

Please refer to our Dosage Guide for more information.

The two most common ways to take CBD are orally and topically. Many people prefer to swallow capsules. You can also take CBD oil as a tincture by placing a few drops under your tongue. Some people also cook with CBD oil, adding it to recipes. Another ingestible option is to take CBD in the form of chewable gummy candy.

People looking to use CBD for skin care or to soothe aches and pains can also choose to apply it topically to their skin.

You might also prefer to smoke CBD strains such as Charlotte’s Web or ACDC, or vape with CBD oil, but be aware that both smoking and vaping can damage your lungs and cause respiratory problems.

Though marijuana in general is associated with producing a euphoric high, CBD derives from the non-psychoactive compound of the marijuana plant. However, you will experience noticeable effects of taking CBD: It produces a relaxing sensation that can last several hours.

Because CBD does not have any intoxicating effects, it will not impair you in the traditional sense you may be envisioning if you have ever used marijuana strains containing THC. However, because of the relaxing effects, you will feel drowsy, and you should refrain from driving or operating heavy machinery until your dose wears off.

Known side effects of CBD include nausea, fatigue and irritability. If you take a blood thinner, be aware that CBD can increase the level of this medication in your body. It can also raise levels of certain other medications in your blood by the same mechanism that grapefruit juice does. If you are considering using CBD for the first time, you should always consult with your physician first.

The straightforward answer to this question is no. CBD is not habit-forming.

March 2017 study published in the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence examined this by administering various oral dosages of CBD to frequent marijuana users alone and in combination with smoked marijuana, which contained 5.3% to 5.8% THC. After analyzing the abuse liability profile of CBD compared with an oral placebo and active marijuana, the research team concluded that CBD did not display any signals of abuse liability.