is cbd oil addictive?

Many people who are interested in trying CBD oil might be hesitant to do so since it derives from the same genus as marijuana, Cannabis. They sometimes worry that taking CBD will lead to possible addiction. But if you’re one of those worried about addiction, we are here to help clarify any concerns — because CBD is not addictive at all.

You read that right: CBD is not addictive. Countless studies have been conducted on CBD and all have found that it does not cause addiction issues in users. The World Health Organization (WHO) embarked on a massive study of drugs, and their findings showed that CBD does not lead to addictive problems. They wrote in their report that “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential…To date, there is no evidence of public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”

The potential for cannabis addiction has been commonly argued. While it certainly does not cause the same type of chemical dependency in users that certain drugs produce, a report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that consistent marijuana users may develop a dependency that could be constituted as addictive. However, it’s important to note that these dependencies only surround THC and have nothing to do with CBD.

what is cbd?

CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis, meaning it does not alter a user’s mental state. Rather, it is a different cannabinoid, THC, which causes the psychoactive effects of cannabis. So that feeling of “getting high” that a person experiences when using marijuana is caused by THC. This doesn’t mean that CBD doesn’t produce effects that help a person feel better. It just means that users won’t have the mental and perceptual changes the way someone using a product with THC would experience.

Most CBD products will contain some THC, although, in most places, the legally acceptable amount is only 0.3%. While this trace amount of THC is too small to produce psychoactive effects, research has shown that it can enhance the positive effects that CBD has on the body. This is referred to as the entourage effect. 

Most  CBD extracts don’t come from marijuana. In fact, most CBD extracts are derived from hemp, a plant in the cannabis plant family that contains almost no THC. CBD extracts derived from marijuana plants have higher amounts of THC in them, while CBD from hemp will always contain 0.3% THC or less.

Addictions are often caused by dopamine regulation issues. Using drugs or other substances stimulates dopamine neurons in the brain, which causes a dopamine rush that provides pleasure to a person. The user then becomes hooked on this sensation and tries to recreate it over and over, eventually developing an addiction. 

CBD, unlike other drugs, does not interact with dopamine neurons. So, using CBD will not lead to the dopamine rush for the user the same way cocaine, heroin and other drugs do.

As WHO noted, CBD does not exhibit any factors for abuse and dependence potential, and doesn’t cause public-health related issues. The possibly concerning substance in marijuana is THC, which is often not even present in CBD products. So, if you are concerned about whether CBD oil is addictive, you no longer need to worry. CBD is proven in countless scientific studies to be a non-psychoactive, non-addictive compound.