What Is CBD Used For?

CBD or cannabidiol is one of the active ingredients in marijuana. The FDA has approved a pharmaceutical version called Epidiolex for childhood seizure disorders, but the chemical is under investigation for potential to treat all sorts of disorders, from chronic pain to PTSD.

CBD stands for cannabidiol, an active ingredient of cannabis. CBD can be isolated from any cannabis plant, but in the U.S., the majority of CBD on the market derived from the hemp plant, a strain of the marijuana plant with low concentrations of psychoactive chemicals. Hemp, though part of the same species as cannabis strains used for recreation, is used for industrial purposes like rope, fabric and culinary oils.

CBD is a component of marijuana, but it does not cause a person to experience the euphoria and psychomotor impairment that characterize the marijuana "high." The culprit in this phenomenon is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol.

What Is CBD Used For?

Research on CBD is ongoing and the FDA has not approved the whole cannabis plant for any medical use. The first CBD-based drug Epidiolex was approved in  2018, however, to treat childhood seizure disorders called Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS).

Some research also suggests CBD may be helpful in treating: 

• Nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy
• Loss of appetite and weight loss associated with HIV/AIDS
• Chronic pain 
• Multiple sclerosis symptoms
• Treating withdrawal symptoms from marijuana addiction

Research on cannabis or cannabinoids for other conditions is in its early stages but it may be helpful for:

• Decreasing opioid use
• Anxiety
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Movement disorders due to Tourette syndrome
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Sleep problems