CBD gummies shouldn’t get you high. They aren’t designed to — while CBD is highly relaxing, it lacks the intoxicating properties that have made THC both famous and infamous as a recreational substance.
Getting high isn’t popular with everyone, and CBD gummies give you an alternative that still delivers the benefits of cannabis. Learn more about CBD gummies in this guide to make sure you know why they won’t get you high.
What Are CBD Gummies?
CBD gummies are convenient and tasty edibles that deliver all the benefits of CBD and cannabis but without any mess or high. Similar to gummy vitamins you may have taken, CBD gummies are easy to pack with you and snack on whenever you feel the urge.
Gummies that contain CBD can include a wide variety of additional ingredients. As people have learned more about healthy ingredients, the CBD gummy industry has gradually gravitated toward simple ingredients like tapioca starch and cane sugar, which have the potential to be organic.
Do CBD Gummies Contain THC?
While some CBD gummies contain a small amount of THC, another shift the CBD gummy industry has taken recently is toward broad-spectrum CBD extract. Full-spectrum CBD gummies can contain up to 0.3% THC, but broad-spectrum CBD gummies remove the THC while leaving all the other beneficial components of cannabis plants intact.
Broad-spectrum has a clear advantage over CBD isolate, which only contains CBD. Unlike full-spectrum CBD products, though, broad-spectrum CBD gummies don’t pose any chance at all of getting you high, even if you’re extremely sensitive to THC.
What Is THC?
Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol is the cannabinoid most commonly referred to as “THC,” though the acronym can refer to any cannabinoid in the THC family. All forms of THC are alike in that they cause at least some degree of intoxication, and delta 9 THC causes greater activation of your brain’s high-inducing CB1 receptors than any other common natural cannabinoid.
Banned outright in many countries and existing within a precarious legal state in the USA, THC is a contentious subject worldwide. CBD brands have striven extensively to associate their cannabinoid with hemp to avoid THC stigma — even though, scientifically speaking, hemp and cannabis are the same plant.
THC vs. CBD
One of the other cannabinoids commonly found in Cannabis sativa is CBD, often used to make CBD oil. Since the early 2010s, the world has looked on, spellbound, as CBD has seemingly performed miracle after miracle, becoming the new millennium’s preferred panacea.Â
Studies on CBD have confirmed rather than denied its impressive traits — though scientists and regulators still urge caution when making specific medical claims. Whatever the exact facts may be on CBD, the obvious truth is that it has helped countless people. And, all without getting any of them unwantedly high.
Do CBD Gummies Get You High?
No, CBD gummies should not get you high as long as they comply with federal law and contain less than 0.3% THC. Even full-spectrum CBD gummies, which contain some CBD, can’t include any more than 0.3% of the substance, which isn’t enough to cause intoxication for the vast majority of individuals.
The entourage effect, offered by both broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD gummies, can certainly enhance the effects of CBD. This enhanced psychoactivity could hardly be called a high, however. It just makes the relaxing effects of CBD more relaxing.
If you’re unusually sensitive to THC, the less-than-0.3% of the substance present in full-spectrum CBD could cause a reaction. For children, individuals with cannabis allergies, or those recovering from THC dependency, therefore, THC-free broad-spectrum CBD gummies are the clear choice.
Factors that Influence the Effects of CBD Gummies
In addition to the dosage you consume, your individual tolerance to CBD can considerably impact how CBD gummies affect you. Also, while the differences are subtle, full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD extracts can have noticeably different effects for some users.
Then, there’s also the overall quality of the CBD gummies to consider. CBD gummies containing high-quality CBD extract and natural or organic accompanying ingredients will likely have a stronger and more enjoyable effect compared to low-quality gummies. That’s part of why you should always check the ingredients when you buy CBD gummies online.
Benefits of CBD Gummies Without the High
CBD gummies with zero-THC extracts like broad-spectrum CBD come with a lot more benefits than just not getting you high. They make it possible for you to experience the benefits of CBD more fully, for instance, which people rely on for getting to sleep, relaxing, and reducing stress.
When you choose zero-THC CBD gummies, there’s no chance of your daily activities being impaired. While CBD might exacerbate any latent sleepiness that’s already there, you deserve a power-nap, anyway.
Here are some other ways you might benefit from choosing zero-THC CBD gummies:
- No drug test worries
- Not a problem with employers
- Better effects, some say
- No concerns over your CBD being confused with “medical marijuana”
- Complies with the letter of many anti-cannabis state laws
- Broad-spectrum CBD is more refined and often higher quality
How to Choose the Right CBD Gummies
There are quite a few different CBD gummies to choose from. Knowing how to pick the right option, therefore, is necessary if you want to end up with the exact results you’re envisioning. Here are some of the most important factors to consider as you make your choice:
Always Check for Lab Reports
Just like returning your cart when you’re done shopping at the grocery store, having third-party lab reports commissioned for each batch of CBD products isn’t a legal requirement. How seriously CBD companies take independent lab reporting, however, tells you just as much about them as your shopping cart choices say about you.
Some companies skimp on their lab reports by not testing every batch or only testing for certain contaminants. A full certificate of analysis or “COA” for a CBD product includes:
- A date
- A batch number
- Cannabinoid concentrations
- Terpene concentrations
- Mycotoxin screen
- Bacterial screen
- Pesticide screen
- Heavy metal screen
- Information about the issuing lab
- Lab contact information
If a CBD lab report lacks any of these points, consider choosing a different source for your CBD gummies.
Choose Reputable Brands
These days, you can learn everything you need to know about CBD brands by spending just a few minutes searching the internet. Trusted brands like Colorado Botanicals have hundreds of verified reviews on independent sites like TrustPilot, displaying a level of transparency and accountability that’s rare to find in the industry.
If you’re not sure whether or not to trust a CBD company, reach out. How quickly and how well they respond to your inquiry can be the deciding factor in your search.
Identify the Type of CBD That Suits Your Needs
For each individual out there in search of CBD, there’s a gummy that suits their exact needs. Considerations to make include how many gummies you should eat in a serving compared to the dosage of the particular CBD gummies you’re considering. 25mg CBD gummies pack a lot more CBD per gummy than the 10mg equivalent, for instance.
Also, CBD brands vary considerably in terms of their reputation and the quality of the products they offer. Other considerations include flavor preference and tolerance to additional ingredients that may be present in the CBD gummy formula.
Do CBD Gummies Have Side Effects?
Yes, CBD gummies can have side effects, usually only amounting to sleepiness, slight digestive discomfort, or dry mouth. In rare cases of cannabis allergy or when you are taking other medications at the same time, however, more serious side effects can occur.
Also, full-spectrum CBD gummies can cause a very slight THC high in individuals who are sensitive to this substance, leading many to choose broad-spectrum gummies instead, which don’t have this side effect. If you’re concerned that CBD gummies are causing unwanted effects, stop using them immediately, and consult with a doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about why CBD gummies shouldn’t get you high below:
Do CBD gummies have THC in them?Â
CBD gummies can sometimes contain THC, especially in the case of marijuana-derived CBD such as is available at adult-use or medical cannabis dispensaries. The types of CBD gummies you can buy online, however, contain less than 0.3% THC by federal law. That’s not enough for most people to notice the effects of THC even the slightest bit.
Can full-spectrum CBD gummies get you high?
There’s a low chance that full-spectrum CBD gummies might make you feel the faintest bit of a high due to their up-to-0.3% THC concentration. On its own, CBD does not have any considerable psychoactive properties. Even 0.3%, though, could be enough to trigger a mild THC high in some individuals.
Can you drive after taking CBD gummies?
Whether it’s CBD or prescription medications, it’s never a good idea to get behind the wheel if you’re even the slightest bit impaired. Low doses of CBD, however, are very unlikely to impair you in any way. 10mg CBD gummies and other low-dose options are great choices if you want to enjoy CBD without becoming too sleepy or otherwise impaired to drive.
How do I know if my CBD gummies are THC-Free?
Most CBD gummies that do not contain THC feature clear labeling advertising this benefit. If you aren’t sure whether or not CBD gummies contain any THC, check for the term “full-spectrum” anywhere in the labeling. Full-spectrum CBD gummies contain up to 0.3% THC, but other types of CBD gummies do not.
If the information you’re looking for is still hard to find, check the lab report for the CBD gummies in question. If the listed THC concentration is anything but “0.00%,” then the gummies you’re considering aren’t THC-free.
Can kids take CBD gummies?
It’s up to parents to decide whether their kids can have CBD gummies. Parents who want to avoid giving their kids THC should choose broad-spectrum CBD gummies. These types of CBD gummies have no chance of causing an unwanted high in children. Investigate the other ingredients present in CBD gummies for kids as well to make sure they’re safe and healthy.
Summary: CBD Gummies & Intoxication
CBD gummies are not designed to cause intoxication. Even full-spectrum gummies, which contain up to 0.3% THC, usually won’t cause any amount of intoxication, even in sensitive individuals.
For some people, though, even a fraction of a percent of THC is enough to cause something at least similar to a high. Especially when giving CBD gummies to children, it’s understandable why you might want to avoid THC altogether.
That’s why it’s fortunate that we now have access to high-quality and reliable broad-spectrum CBD gummies. Broad-spectrum extract offers the entourage effect just like full-spectrum CBD, but without any THC whatsoever. If you’re worried about CBD gummies making you fail a drug test or getting you or your kids high, choose broad-spectrum CBD, and enjoy this cannabinoid’s incredible effects entirely worry-free.