Does CBD Get You High & How Does It Make You Feel?

Will CBD get me high? How will I feel after taking CBD? These are two of the most frequent questions we get asked, so what better way to cover the topic than to provide an in depth post explaining the answers.

Given the close association with cannabis, it’s easy to see why people think CBD may get you high. For this reason it’s also wrongly assumed that CBD is illegal, given that cannabis is. Before we delve into whether CBD gets you high and how it makes you feel, it will first be beneficial to explore what CBD is. 

What Is CBD?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of hundreds of chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. CBD is extracted from the hemp variety of the plant and mixed with a transporter such as an oil in order to create a CBD product. It is important to note here that there are two types of cannabis plant. The hemp plant and the marijuana plant. The hemp plant contains small amounts of THC and large amounts of CBD, whilst the marijuana plant contains far less CBD and much more THC. THC is the psychoactive substance within the cannabis plant that causes users to experience a high, and the main reason why cannabis is illegal. In the UK, CBD products are legal so long as they contain less than 0.2% THC. Although many products are made to contain zero THC. THC and CBD both interact with the endocannabinoid system which helps to regulate bodily functions like sleep, inflammation, and anxiety.

Does CBD Get You High?

So, now we know what CBD is, we can now answer the question of whether it will get you high. To put it simply, CBD will not get you high. Whether you’re using CBD oil, CBD vape juice or any other method of consumption, you will not become high from consuming CBD. You would need to consume astronomical amounts of CBD in order to feel a high, which would be impossible. This is because all CBD products contain less than 0.2% THC in order to remain legal under UK law, and many products on the market even contain zero THC.

Products which contain zero THC are often referred to as broad spectrum CBD, whilst products which contain traces of CBD fall under the category of full spectrum CBD. With broad spectrum products it is physically impossible to get high due to the lack of THC. Whereas with full spectrum CBD products they can contain up to 0.2% THC, so you would need to consume a very very large amount in order to experience a high. Such an amount would be impossible to consume. You can therefore enjoy the benefits CBD has to offer without worrying about getting high.

So, How Does CBD Make You Feel?

So, now we know that CBD will not get you high, you’ll be wondering how it actually makes you feel. To provide a definitive answer to this is difficult as it affects different people in different ways. There are a number of factors which can influence how CBD can make you feel including the method of consumption and the strength of the product, as well as physiological factors like weight, height, metabolism and gender.

Research into CBD is in its early stages so definitive claims about how it makes you feel and what it can do are difficult to make. However, there is a growing amount of evidence to suggest that it can help to reduce pain, reduce depression and anxiety, and help you to sleep. We’ll take you through some of the evidence supporting each of these claims below so you can make your own decision based on how CBD can make you feel. There is other research available online which we would encourage you to check out yourself.

Does CBD Reduce Pain?

When looking at the evidence for whether CBD can reduce pain, there is a range of studies which claim it can do so. There are many different factors which can cause pain, but a study from 2018 reviewed how well CBD can relieve chronic pain caused by cancer pain, fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain. It was concluded that CBD is able to effectively manage pain without causing any negative side effects. 

Similarly, a study on rodents in the European Journal of Pain found that CBD offers an effective method to help lower pain and inflammation caused by arthritis.

Does CBD Reduce Anxiety?

Alongside the anecdotal studies, there are an array of clinical studies which have found a link between CBD and the reduction of anxiety. In 2010, a study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that CBD was able to reduce anxiety in people with social anxiety disorder.

A 2011 study in the Neuropsychopharmacology Journal then supported this by measuring the anxiety levels of people partaking in public speaking. The participants who took CBD showed significantly reduced anxiety when compared to those who took a placebo.

Research on animals in the CNS & Neurological Disorders – Drug Targets Journal concluded that CBD oil had an anti anxiety and antidepressant effect. 

Does CBD Help You To Sleep?

In terms of looking at the evidence as to whether CBD helps you sleep, there is less studies that have been carried out than for anxiety or pain. However, in 2019 The Permanente Journal published a study into the effects of CBD on anxiety and sleep. From taking 25mg of CBD capsules a day, 67% of the subjects reported better sleep, whilst 79% of the subjects reported improvements to their anxiety.

Final Thoughts

CBD does not cause users to experience a high due to the small or non existent levels of THC that it contains. This means you can consume CBD safely in order to feel its benefits. As we discussed, it is too early to definitively claim how CBD makes you feel, although early evidence suggests it can reduce pain, reduce depression and anxiety, and help you to sleep. It’s important to remember that the effects of CBD are different for everybody and the effects will change from person to person. This can be down to their age, weight, sex, metabolism and also their previous exposure to CBD. We’d also like to make it clear that we do not claim to cure, diagnose or treat any medical conditions and we advise anyone thinking about taking CBD to speak to a GP or healthcare professional. We are only stating the results of early trials and do not claim this to be conclusive.