CBD and THC come from the same hemp plant and even share the same chemical formula, but they act very differently in the brain. THC switches on the CB1 receptor and causes the cannabis "high". CBD does not. In 2018 the World Health Organization found that CBD shows no abuse or dependence potential in humans.
Key facts
- Same formula
- Both are C21H30O2. One ring is closed in THC and open in CBD, and that small difference changes how each acts in the brain.
- The high
- THC causes it. CBD does not: in controlled trials, doses up to 1,500 mg did not make people feel intoxicated.
- WHO, 2018
- "In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential."
- Driving
- THC-dominant cannabis impaired driving in a road trial; CBD-dominant cannabis did not.
- Drug tests
- Standard tests look for THC and its breakdown products, not for CBD.
- Our oils
- Full-spectrum oils with natural THC traces under 0.2%, and THC-free broad-spectrum oils. Every production batch is tested, and we publish the certificates of analysis.
What is the difference between CBD and THC?
CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) are the two best-known cannabinoids in Cannabis sativa. Hemp is the variety of the plant that is rich in CBD and low in THC. The main difference is what happens in the brain: THC produces a high, and CBD does not.
| CBD | THC | |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical formula | C21H30O2 (one ring open) | C21H30O2 (ring closed) |
| CB1 receptor in the brain | Very low affinity; does not switch it on | Binds and activates it (partial agonist) |
| Intoxicating high | No | Yes |
| Abuse or dependence potential | None found in humans (WHO, 2018) | Yes: about 9% of cannabis users develop dependence |
| Driving | No impairment in controlled trials | Impaired driving in the first hours after use |
| Standard drug tests | Not tested for | What the tests look for |
The chemistry is a good example of how small details matter. Both molecules contain 21 carbon, 30 hydrogen and 2 oxygen atoms (PubChem: cannabidiol; PubChem: tetrahydrocannabinol). In THC, one ring of atoms is closed. In CBD it is open, and that changes the molecule's shape enough that it no longer fits the brain's CB1 receptor the way THC does. THC itself was first isolated and described in 1964 by Yehiel Gaoni and Raphael Mechoulam (Gaoni & Mechoulam, 1964). For more on THC alone, see What is THC?
Does CBD get you high?
No. CBD does not produce a high, and this has been tested directly:
- WHO review (2018). The World Health Organization's Expert Committee on Drug Dependence reviewed the evidence and concluded: "In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential." It also found CBD "generally well tolerated with a good safety profile" and saw no evidence of recreational use (WHO, 2018).
- Frequent cannabis users could not tell it from placebo. In a double-blind study, 31 regular cannabis users took 200, 400 or 800 mg of CBD by mouth. Smoked cannabis reliably produced a high, while CBD was placebo-like on every abuse-related measure (Babalonis et al., 2017).
- Even high doses did not intoxicate. In a 2022 trial, 17 healthy adults took 15, 300 or 1,500 mg of CBD by mouth. No dose impaired thinking or made people feel intoxicated (McCartney et al., 2022).
"Non-intoxicating" does not mean "no effect at all". Some people feel drowsy, especially at higher amounts, and CBD can interact with some medicines. Our guides on CBD side effects and CBD and medication cover both.
A CBD product can only cause THC-like effects if it contains enough THC. That is why the THC content matters, and why we print it on every label to two decimal places.
Can CBD turn into THC in the body?
There is no evidence that it does in people. Laboratory experiments with simulated stomach acid have produced small amounts of THC from CBD, but the WHO review concluded that "there is no evidence that this transformation occurs in humans after oral CBD administration". A review of the clinical studies found that even high doses of CBD taken by mouth do not cause THC-like effects, and that CBD did not lead to detectable THC in the blood (Grotenhermen et al., 2017).
How do CBD and THC act on the brain?
Both work through the endocannabinoid system, the body's own signalling network, but in different ways.
- THC binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and partly activates them (Pertwee, 2008). This is what causes the high.
- CBD binds to CB1 only weakly. A systematic review calls it "a very low-affinity CB1 ligand" (McPartland et al., 2015). In cell studies, CBD changed how the receptor responded to THC rather than switching it on (Laprairie et al., 2015).
Brain scans show the contrast. At King's College London, 15 healthy men were scanned three times, one hour after a capsule of 10 mg THC, 600 mg CBD or placebo. THC and CBD had opposite effects on activity in several brain regions, including the striatum during a memory task, the hippocampus, and the amygdala while people looked at fearful faces. In a second small experiment with six volunteers, CBD given before THC prevented the acute psychotic symptoms that THC caused (Bhattacharyya et al., 2010).
CBD does not cancel out THC
A later trial gave 46 people cannabis with 10 mg THC and 0 to 30 mg CBD. At these ratios, which are common in cannabis products, CBD did not reduce THC's effects on memory or its psychotic-like effects (Englund et al., 2023). Don't rely on CBD to make a THC product safer.
What does THC do, and what are its risks?
A review in the New England Journal of Medicine lists the short-term effects of cannabis as impaired short-term memory, impaired coordination (including driving skills), altered judgement and, at high doses, paranoia and psychosis. With long-term or heavy use, about 9% of users become dependent, and the risk of psychotic disorders rises in people who are predisposed (Volkow et al., 2014). These effects come from THC. Other cannabinoids are compared in Which cannabinoids are psychoactive?
Does CBD affect driving?
In controlled trials, no. In an on-road study in the Netherlands, 26 occasional cannabis users drove 100 km after vaporising different types of cannabis. The researchers measured lane weaving and compared it with placebo and with calibrated alcohol levels.
Source: Arkell et al., JAMA 2020. Doses: 13.75 mg THC and/or 13.75 mg CBD. Measured as the standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP).
CBD-dominant cannabis drove no differently from placebo, while THC-dominant cannabis and the THC/CBD mix impaired driving about as much as a 0.05% blood alcohol level. By four hours the differences had gone. The authors note that larger studies are needed to rule out small effects (Arkell et al., 2020). The 2022 simulator trial reached the same conclusion for CBD taken by mouth at up to 1,500 mg (McCartney et al., 2022). If CBD ever makes you feel sleepy, don't drive.
How much THC is allowed in hemp?
Hemp varieties grown in the EU must have a THC content below 0.3% (European Commission).
Our full-spectrum oils contain natural THC traces under 0.2%, and the exact value is printed on each label to two decimal places. The certificate for every batch is on our test results page.
Full-spectrum or THC-free: which should you choose?
We make both, so this comes down to what you prefer.
| Full-spectrum | THC-free broad-spectrum | |
|---|---|---|
| What's in it | CBD with the hemp plant's natural range of cannabinoids | CBD with other hemp cannabinoids, without THC |
| THC | Natural traces, under 0.2% | 0.0%: no detectable THC on the batch reports |
| Good fit if | You want the whole hemp profile | You want zero THC, for example because you are drug-tested |
| In our range | Classic oils (full-spectrum option), Zermatt Balance, St. Moritz Restore | Classic oils (broad-spectrum option), Lugano Clarity, Lucerne Calm |
If you are ever tested, THC-free is the simple choice. In a two-week study, 20 adults used a broad-spectrum CBD product daily (taken by mouth in the study), and no THC or THC breakdown products were found in their urine (Zvorsky et al., 2025). More on the two types: full-spectrum or broad-spectrum?
Will CBD show up on a drug test?
CBD itself is not what drug tests look for. Workplace, roadside and sports tests detect THC or its breakdown product THC-COOH. Test cut-offs, national driving rules and anti-doping rules differ a lot, so we cover them in a separate guide: CBD, drug tests and driving.
If you are tested
Choose a THC-free oil. Our THC-free oils show no detectable THC on their batch reports. Athletes should also read the drug-test guide, because anti-doping rules cover cannabinoids other than THC.
Frequently asked questions
Does CBD get you high?
No. CBD does not activate the brain's CB1 receptor the way THC does. In controlled trials, doses up to 1,500 mg did not make people feel intoxicated, and the WHO found no abuse or dependence potential in humans.
Is CBD intoxicating?
No. CBD does not produce THC's high and did not impair thinking or driving in controlled trials. Non-intoxicating does not mean no effect at all: some people feel drowsy, so don't drive if CBD makes you sleepy.
What is the main difference between CBD and THC?
THC activates the CB1 receptor in the brain and causes the cannabis high. CBD has the same chemical formula but a slightly different shape, binds to CB1 only weakly and does not cause a high.
Is CBD addictive like THC?
No. The WHO's 2018 review found that "in humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential". THC is different: about 9% of cannabis users develop dependence.
Can CBD turn into THC in the body?
There is no evidence that it does in people. Some laboratory experiments with simulated stomach acid produced traces of THC, but the WHO found no evidence of this in humans, and high doses of CBD did not cause THC-like effects.
Does CBD cancel out the effects of THC?
Not reliably. A brain-scan study found that CBD and THC have opposite effects in several brain regions, but a 2023 trial found that CBD did not reduce THC's effects at the ratios common in cannabis products.
How much THC is in your full-spectrum CBD oil?
Natural traces under 0.2%. The exact value is printed on each label, and every production batch is tested, with the certificates of analysis published. If you want no THC at all, choose our THC-free broad-spectrum oils.
Will CBD make me fail a drug test?
Standard drug tests look for THC, not CBD. If you are tested, choose a THC-free oil; our THC-free oils show no detectable THC on their batch reports. Our drug-test guide covers cut-offs, driving rules and sport.
Our CBD oils are cosmetic products for use on the skin. They are not medicines and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Studies mentioned here used other products, often taken by mouth, and are described as research only. Talk to your doctor before use if you take medication or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Last reviewed:
Sources
- World Health Organization, Expert Committee on Drug Dependence. Cannabidiol (CBD): critical review report. Geneva: WHO; 2018.
- Babalonis S, Haney M, Malcolm RJ, et al. Oral cannabidiol does not produce a signal for abuse liability in frequent marijuana smokers. Drug Alcohol Depend 2017;172:9–13. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.11.030
- McCartney D, Suraev AS, Doohan PT, et al. Effects of cannabidiol on simulated driving and cognitive performance: a dose-ranging randomised controlled trial. J Psychopharmacol 2022;36(12):1338–1349. doi:10.1177/02698811221095356
- Grotenhermen F, Russo E, Zuardi AW. Even high doses of oral cannabidiol do not cause THC-like effects in humans. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2017;2(1):1–4. doi:10.1089/can.2016.0036
- Pertwee RG. The diverse CB1 and CB2 receptor pharmacology of three plant cannabinoids: Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin. Br J Pharmacol 2008;153(2):199–215. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707442
- McPartland JM, Duncan M, Di Marzo V, Pertwee RG. Are cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin negative modulators of the endocannabinoid system? A systematic review. Br J Pharmacol 2015;172(3):737–753. doi:10.1111/bph.12944
- Laprairie RB, Bagher AM, Kelly ME, Denovan-Wright EM. Cannabidiol is a negative allosteric modulator of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. Br J Pharmacol 2015;172(20):4790–4805. doi:10.1111/bph.13250
- Bhattacharyya S, Morrison PD, Fusar-Poli P, et al. Opposite effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on human brain function and psychopathology. Neuropsychopharmacology 2010;35(3):764–774. doi:10.1038/npp.2009.184
- Englund A, Oliver D, Chesney E, et al. Does cannabidiol make cannabis safer? A randomised, double-blind, cross-over trial of cannabis with four different CBD:THC ratios. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023;48(6):869–876. doi:10.1038/s41386-022-01478-z
- Volkow ND, Baler RD, Compton WM, Weiss SR. Adverse health effects of marijuana use. N Engl J Med 2014;370(23):2219–2227. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1402309
- Arkell TR, Vinckenbosch F, Kevin RC, et al. Effect of cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on driving performance: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA 2020;324(21):2177–2186. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.21218
- Zvorsky I, Kulpa J, Mechtler LL, et al. Urinalysis and perceived effects following 2-week use of a commercial broad-spectrum cannabidiol product. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2025;33(1):62–67. doi:10.1037/pha0000747
- Gaoni Y, Mechoulam R. Isolation, structure, and partial synthesis of an active constituent of hashish. J Am Chem Soc 1964;86(8):1646–1647. doi:10.1021/ja01062a046
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem compound summaries: cannabidiol (CID 644019) and tetrahydrocannabinol (CID 16078).
- European Commission, Agriculture and rural development. Hemp.
- Formula Swiss. Certificates of analysis for every production batch. Test results
