If you are brand new to using products that contain CBD, one of the first bits of information that will catch your attention is that it is derived from hemp, which itself is a cultivated strain of cannabis. While many may not be specifically familiar with CBD, most people are familiar with the word cannabis and associate it strongly with marijuana, which is, of course, most famous for making people high. So, a natural question to come up is “does CBD make you high?” Let’s find out!

Does CBD Make You High?

The short answer is no, it does not. While CBD is derived from hemp, which is cultivated from cannabis, it is not the psychoactive component in marijuana that makes you high. The compound you want to watch out for is THC, which is the most common cannabinoid found in marijuana and definitely is responsible for making you high. CBD has no intoxicating effect, which is why many opt to use it throughout the day.¹

Are There Side-Effects to CBD?

However, just because it doesn’t make you high doesn’t mean there aren’t side-effects you need to be on the lookout for. CBD can make you drowsy, so if you are going to be driving or working in a space that requires you to be on high alert, you’ll need to be careful when you take CBD. High-doses of CBD can also cause diarrhea, upset stomach, strong fatigue, and even dizziness. If you are trying to find the right dose, we recommend starting with very small doses of CBD and working your way up until you feel that you are getting the physical benefit you need while avoiding some of the side-effects.¹

Finding the right dosage of CBD can be tricky. There aren’t any prescription drugs with CBD (save one that is used for treating seizures), and since the CBD industry isn’t tightly regulated in terms of how much CBD is in a given product, you may find varying strengths of CBD across different brands of CBD products. The potency of a CBD product may impact you differently based on how you ingest it, too. Smoking hemp or vaping CBD oil tends to allow you to feel effects quickly, but those effects don’t last as long. Ingesting CBD in the form of tinctures or gummies will take longer to feel the effects, but the effects tend to last throughout the day.

How Will I Know How CBD Affects Me?

Besides precise dosing being potentially in question, you’ll need to keep in mind that CBD affects different people in different ways. Some are able to take normal doses of CBD and not have any side-effects at all. Others may end up being quite sensitive to the side-effects and will struggle with feeling fatigued or anxious throughout the day. You may find that you can easily take CBD in the morning, while others may not be able to take any at all until night where they can safely drift to sleep. This is another reason why you should always start with lower doses and work your way up, especially if you plan on using CBD in the morning or throughout the day and are unsure of how it will affect you physically.

Conclusion

CBD doesn’t make you high, but that doesn’t mean you should use it carelessly. The known side-effects of using CBD products can impact your daily life if you don’t use them wisely, so always use caution when trying CBD for the first time, switching brands, or switching the form in which you administer CBD. As always, remember to consult your doctor before beginning any kind of CBD regimen to make sure these side-effects aren’t enhanced by medication you are already taking.

References

1. Holland, Kimberly. “Does CBD Get You High? Understand the Difference between CBD and THC.” Healthline, 23 Aug. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/does-cbd-get-you-high#thc. Accessed 11 July 2020.

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