KEY POINTS
CBD’s controversial journey into the mainstream
Cannabidiol (CBD) is an increasingly popular supplement consumed by adults of all ages in the United States for its purported wellness benefits. In fact, a recent Forbes Health survey of 2,000 American adults conducted by OnePoll found that 60% of respondents have tried a CBD product. However, because it can be derived from both hemp and cannabis sativa, a plant often criminalized because it contains the intoxicating psychoactive substance delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), regulators are wary of fully legalizing it without restrictions.
For this reason, the CBD market is murky. Consumers are often responsible for researching the science and sourcing of CBD, and weighing the potential risks and benefits of each product.
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Despite these challenges, the Forbes Health survey reports that 58% believe it is safe to consume CBD. Additionally, 64% believe CBD is safer to consume than alcohol, a highly addictive substance that has remained legal in the US since 1933.
Interestingly, while the majority believe that CBD is safer to consume than alcoholic beverages, 21% of American adults believe that CBD should still be considered illegal, and 19% remain it closes with this problem.
Is CBD socially acceptable yet?
It is clear how difficult it can be for lawmakers, regulators and consumers to separate CBD products from the controversial reputation of THC. But the survey data suggests progress on this front: Only 15% of American adults believe it is socially unacceptable to consume CBD or THC, and 45% say it is socially acceptable to consume CBD exclusively.
As mentioned above, 60% of US adults have tried a CBD product before and believe the cannabinoid offers medicinal benefits. When asked why they use CBD, this subset of respondents reported a variety of reasons, primarily to reduce stress (62%), relieve pain (60%), improve sleep quality (58%), relieve anxiety (51%) and follow medical advice (48%).
The survey results also make it clear that most people who consume CBD are comfortable using it in various forms. Gummies and other edibles are most preferred (58%), followed by oils and tinctures (55%), capsules (55%) and lotions (53%).
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CBD and Drug Testing: What You Need to Know
Despite its widespread use and growing social acceptance, CBD still makes people nervous when it comes to drug testing, a practice that remains commonplace for employment testing in industries across the country. While a person may appreciate the stress and pain relief benefits that can come from using CBD, if it ends up costing them a job, those scales don’t quite balance.
According to the Forbes Health survey, 46% believe that using CBD would result in a positive drug test, and 28% are not sure if it would affect the results of a drug test.
This level of concern is understandably high. A small 2020 study in JAMA Psychiatry found that CBD use can lead to a positive drug test result if the person used CBD products that contained THC even at a very low level of 0.3% in dry weight, which is too low to meet federal guidelines for scheduling. 1 ranking Only CBD products labeled “full spectrum” should contain up to 0.3% THC, but 56% of respondents don’t fully understand the differences between full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and isolate CBD of CBD.
Most CBD oil products fall into one of three categories:
- Full spectrum CBD The products contain all the extracts of the cannabis sativa plant: CBD, terpenes, flavonoids, essential oils and other cannabinoids (including THC) present in the plant. Current regulations state that the THC concentration of any CBD product must be less than 0.3% dry weight, a minimum amount, but probably not enough to create the intoxicating effects of THC.
- Broad spectrum CBD The products also contain all extracts of the sativa cannabis plant, with the exception of THC. Many broad-spectrum CBD products claim to be THC-free.
- CBD isolated it is harvested from cannabis sativa plants using extraction methods that exclude all other components of the plant. CBD isolate products must contain pure CBD and no trace of THC.
For people who want to use CBD but are concerned about potential drug test results, CBD isolate products may be the safest option. That said, if a drug test result has the potential to significantly affect your life, the safest option is to skip CBD altogether until the regulatory environment changes.
Survey methodology
This online survey of 2,000 US adults was commissioned by Forbes Health and conducted by market research firm OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected April 8-9, 2022. This poll was overseen by the research team at OnePoll, which is a member of the MRS and has a corporate affiliation with the American Association for Research in Public Opinion (AAPOR). For complete survey methodology, including geographic and demographic sample sizes, please contact pr@forbesadvisor.com.
Forbes Health covers CBD and cannabis products in accordance with FTC guidelines. Learn more about Forbes Health’s practices and policies on how we cover CBD and cannabis as an editor.
Footnotes
Dahlgren MK, Sagar KA, Lambros AM, et al. Urinary tetrahydrocannabinol after 4 weeks of full-spectrum, high-cannabidiol treatment in an open-label clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2021;78(3):335-337.
References
Cannabis Sativa. ScienceDirect. Accessed on 12/4/2022.
What you need to know (and what we’re working to find out) about products that contain cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds, including CBD. US Food and Drug Administration. Accessed on 12/4/2022.
Prohibition History.com. Accessed on 12/4/2022.
