Glossary
Cannabidiol (CBD)
Updated:
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid made by the Cannabis sativa L. plant. Hemp-derived CBD comes from plants at or below 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. It is the main cannabinoid in most hemp tinctures, gummies, softgels and topicals.
Cannabidiol is one of the two most studied cannabinoids in cannabis, alongside THC. NIH counts more than 100 cannabinoids identified in the plant, and CBD is the one most often sold on its own (NCCIH).
CBD does not produce the intoxication that THC does. It is extracted from hemp, which federal law defines as Cannabis sativa L. with a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis (7 U.S.C. 1639o). That definition changes on December 11, 2026, when total THC and a 0.4 mg per container limit apply (P.L. 119-103).
FDA regulates CBD under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Its stated position is that CBD cannot be added to food in interstate commerce and is excluded from the dietary supplement definition, because CBD was first studied as a drug (FDA). One purified CBD drug, Epidiolex, has FDA approval.
How much CBD the body absorbs depends on the route. Oral CBD taken with food produced roughly 5 times the exposure of CBD taken fasted in one study reviewed by Millar and colleagues (Millar 2018). That is why carrier oils and fat-based formulations matter.
Sources
- Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoids: What You Need To Know NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (accessed 2026-10-13)
- FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD) U.S. Food and Drug Administration (accessed 2026-10-13)
- 7 U.S.C. 1639o, Definitions (hemp) Cornell Legal Information Institute (accessed 2026-10-13)
- A Systematic Review on the Pharmacokinetics of Cannabidiol in Humans (Front Pharmacol, 2018) PubMed (accessed 2026-10-13)