CBD Oil

What you should know about this constituent of the hemp plant

- Lisa Turner

You’ve probably heard of—and wondered about—CBD (cannabidiol), a constituent of the hemp plant that’s being used in everything from topical creams to daily supplement pills. And even though CBD has been used as a medicinal cure for thousands of years around the world, it’s still shrouded in mystery—and fears that it will make you high, or that it’s not safe for kids. Here’s what you need to know:

IT’S NOT POT.

CBD oil comes from the hemp plant, which is in the same plant family as marijuana. But it’s not pot. “CBD is like marijuana’s non-psychoactive cousin,” says Alex Corren, founder and CEO of Hempower Nutrition, Inc., in Boulder, Colo. CBD is made from a type of hemp that’s very low in THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the component that’s responsible for marijuana’s mood-altering effects. The hemp plant has been used for thousands of years for building materials, textiles, and food products like hemp seed and hemp oil—which is not the same as CBD oil (more on that below).

IT WON’T MAKE YOU HIGH.