CBD Foundation Series #2: CBD Myths

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I developed the following series of articles to educate industry professionals, consumers, and wellness practitioners. This series is intended to provide a basic educational overview of the topic of the cannabis- and hemp-derived molecule cannabidiol, better known as CBD. This particular component of the cannabis plant—one of the 146 cannabinoids* that have been isolated and identified to date—has received a significant volume of attention from both the national media and the medical establishment.

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For more than a century, the hemp plant and the science of its constituent components—primarily cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) and terpenes—has been obfuscated by controversy and misunderstanding. 

The sudden popularity of wellness supplements formulated with parts of the hemp plant has resulted in a marketplace and consumer communities that are confused by an herb mired in urban legend and outright myth.  

Below I tackle some of the myths surrounding CBD within the general public and the medical establishment. And to those who argue that CBD is psychoactive: This phytocannabinoid is "psychoactive" only this state is defined as including a mild to severe reduction in anxiety. Such an emotional and cognitive shift is of note and could, in loose terms, be defined as psychoactive.

Myth #1: CBD is Psychoactive 

Unlike its chemical cousin tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD delivers no overt disorientation or blatant psychoactivity (other than a decrease in anxiety and relaxation), or other potentially negative side effects. While many medical authorities and researchers intelligently argue that CBD is psychoactive, this obviously depends on the definition of the term being applied (in my world of technical writing, the definition necessarily changes depending on the audience my client is attempting to reach).

Copyright ? 2016-21 by Curt Robbins. All Rights Reserved.

According to a basic Google search, "psychoactive" is defined as "(chiefly of a drug) affecting the mind." Not exactly a precise definition, eh? So let's spotlight the definition of psychoactive by Merriam-Webster as "affecting the mind or behavior." Obviously, decreased anxiety is a change in "the mind" and results in different behavior. In this mass-market definition, CBD is somewhat psychoactive. But compared to THC, it is barely psychoactive or minimally psychoactive. Again, this gets down to semantics and the precise definitions of these terms (which often vary, depending on the source or organization being cited).

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About the Author

Curt Robbins is a technical writer, instructional designer, and lecturer who has been developing science-based educational and training content for Fortune 200 enterprises for more than 30 years. His clients have included Federal Express, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Northrop Grumman, National City Bank, Strainprint Technologies Ltd., the J.M. Smucker Company, and USAA. 

Robbins has developed more than 600 educational articles regarding hemp and its various health components, including terpenes, cannabinoids, and the human endocannabinoid system for clients in the U.S., Canada, and Israel. His latest white paper, CBG: The Mother of Cannabinoids, is an evidence-based 50-page deep dive into the biochemistry of the hemp-derived phytocannabinoid cannabigerol that features 60 peer-reviewed research study citations.

Robbins currently serves as Director of Curriculum Development for Higher Learning LV? based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Robbins can be found on Twitter at @RobbinsGroupLLC and via email at [email protected]. To learn more, search for his social media hashtag campaigns on your favorite social media network:

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