I’m sure you’ve heard it said that “CBD is non-psychoactive”. It is true that CBD is not intoxicating, but is it truly non-psychoactive? Let us first look at the definition of psychoactive.
According to the World Health Organization, "psychoactive substances are substances that, when taken in or administered into one's system, affect mental processes, e.g. cognition or affect. This term and its equivalent, psychotropic drug, are the most neutral and descriptive term for the whole class of substances, licit and illicit, of interest to drug policy.”
Many people use CBD oil for its reported calming and relaxing effects, so it would have to affect mental processes. We also know that CBD works, in part, by directly binding to TRPV1 receptors and directly activates 5HT1A serotonin receptors, which clearly demonstrates how inaccurate it would be to call CBD non-psychoactive.
Speaking to our many repeat customers and reading through the plethora of testimonials regarding CBD, we can see that though psychoactive, it is non-intoxicating. When describing how they feel after using CBD, most people describe a lack of symptoms (less pain, less stress, etc.) rather than a pronounced change of mental state as may be experienced with THC.
Some other examples of psychoactive substances that are non intoxicating are caffeine and acetaminophen. These also work in the brain without causing intoxication. Many people rely on caffeine and acetaminophen regularly without ever thinking of them as psychotropics or worrying about becoming intoxicated. I believe CBD should be thought of in much the same way, but with fewer side effects. Caffeine can cause high stress, stomach irritation and can become addictive, causing withdrawal symptoms when usage is stopped. Acetaminophen can cause nausea, stomach pain and loss of appetite. The most common side effect of CBD is sleepiness and can often be remedied by lowering the dose you are taking.
I’m sure those making the claim that CBD is non-psychoactive are doing so to ease people's minds and avoid the stigma that some may associate with cannabis. However, it is more appropriately described as non-intoxicating. I encourage you to discover for yourself the potential benefits this psychoactive, non-intoxicating chemical may have in store for you.
