No, the research so far does not show that CBD is addictive. The World Health Organization's Expert Committee on Drug Dependence concluded that CBD "has no potential for abuse and no potential to produce dependence", and recommended in 2019 that pure CBD should not be placed under international drug control. Controlled human studies found no signs of abuse liability at normal doses and no withdrawal symptoms when CBD was stopped abruptly. THC, the intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis, is different: it can cause dependence in people who use it daily or near daily.
Key facts
- WHO view
- CBD "has no potential for abuse and no potential to produce dependence" (WHO Expert Committee, 41st report)
- Abuse-liability studies
- CBD was placebo-like in frequent cannabis users at 200 to 800 mg (Babalonis, 2017)
- Very high doses
- At 1,500 and 4,500 mg, "drug liking" was slightly above placebo but well below alprazolam and dronabinol (Schoedel, 2018)
- Withdrawal
- No withdrawal syndrome after stopping CBD abruptly after four weeks (Taylor, 2020)
- THC
- Can cause dependence with daily or near-daily use (WHO)
- Our oils
- Cosmetics for the skin; full spectrum under 0.2% THC or THC-free broad spectrum
What does "addictive" mean here?
Researchers look at two separate questions. Abuse potential is whether a substance makes people want to take it again for its effects, usually measured by asking volunteers how much they "like" the drug. Dependence is whether the body adapts so that stopping causes withdrawal symptoms. A substance can be studied for both, and CBD has been.
What the WHO concluded
In June 2018, the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) carried out a critical review of CBD. In its published 41st report, the committee states that CBD "does not have psychoactive properties and has no potential for abuse and no potential to produce dependence". It recommended that preparations considered to be pure CBD should not be scheduled under the international drug control conventions.
The committee also proposed a footnote stating that preparations containing mainly CBD and no more than 0.2% THC are not under international control. The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs rejected that footnote in its vote of 2 December 2020 (6 votes for, 43 against). That vote concerned how CBD preparations with THC traces are scheduled, not the committee's finding on dependence. Each country still sets its own rules, as our guides to CBD law in Germany and Spain show.
What the human studies found
| Study | Who and what | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Babalonis et al., 2017 | 31 frequent cannabis smokers; single oral doses of 0, 200, 400 and 800 mg CBD | CBD "was placebo-like on all measures collected" and showed no signal of abuse liability |
| Schoedel et al., 2018 | Recreational drug users; 750, 1,500 and 4,500 mg CBD compared with alprazolam, dronabinol (THC) and placebo | At 750 mg, drug liking was no different from placebo. At 1,500 and 4,500 mg it was slightly higher than placebo, but much lower than with alprazolam or dronabinol |
| Taylor et al., 2018 | Healthy volunteers; single doses up to 6,000 mg and repeated doses of 750 or 1,500 mg twice daily | "No clear evidence of any drug withdrawal syndrome"; the most common side effects were diarrhoea, nausea, headache and sleepiness |
| Taylor et al., 2020 | 30 healthy volunteers; 750 mg twice daily for four weeks, then CBD stopped abruptly or continued | "No evidence of withdrawal syndrome" after abrupt stopping |
These studies used purified CBD taken by mouth, often at doses far higher than in everyday products. Several were run or funded by the maker of a CBD medicine. They tell us about CBD as a substance; they do not show what any particular product does.
Why THC is different
THC is the main intoxicating compound in cannabis. The WHO notes that cannabis "can cause physical dependence in people who use the drug daily or near daily", with withdrawal symptoms when they stop, and that both DSM-5 and ICD recognise cannabis dependence. In the same report, THC is described as the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis, "while cannabidiol is also present but is not psychoactive". Our guide to CBD vs THC explains the difference in more detail.
Full-spectrum CBD products contain small amounts of THC. That is why the THC content matters on any label, and why THC-free broad-spectrum products exist. See full spectrum vs broad spectrum vs isolate.
Side effects are a separate question
Not being addictive does not mean CBD has no side effects. In trials with high doses, sleepiness, diarrhoea and changes in liver values were reported, and CBD can interact with some medicines. Read our guides to CBD side effects and CBD and medication.
From our production
Our CBD oils are made in our own production in Küssnacht am Rigi, Switzerland, from hemp grown in Switzerland following organic principles and extracted with CO₂. They are sold as cosmetics for use on the skin. Every production batch is tested, and the THC content is printed on each label to two decimal places: under 0.2% in our full-spectrum oils, and THC-free in our broad-spectrum oils.
Frequently asked questions
Is CBD addictive?
The evidence so far says no. The WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence concluded that CBD has no potential for abuse and no potential to produce dependence, and controlled human studies found no withdrawal symptoms when CBD was stopped.
Can you get withdrawal symptoms from stopping CBD?
In a 2020 randomised trial, 30 healthy volunteers took 750 mg of CBD twice daily for four weeks. Those who stopped abruptly showed no withdrawal syndrome.
Does CBD get you high?
No. The WHO describes CBD as not psychoactive. The intoxicating compound in cannabis is THC.
Is THC addictive?
THC can cause dependence in people who use cannabis daily or near daily, with withdrawal symptoms when they stop, according to the WHO.
Did the UN take CBD off the list of controlled drugs?
Pure CBD has never been listed in the UN drug conventions. In December 2020, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs rejected a proposed footnote that would have excluded CBD preparations with up to 0.2% THC from international control.
Do your CBD oils contain THC?
Our full-spectrum oils contain less than 0.2% THC, and our broad-spectrum oils are THC-free. The THC content of every batch is printed on the label.
Related guides
This article summarises published research and official reports. It is not medical advice. Formula Swiss CBD oils are sold as cosmetics for use on the skin. They are not food supplements or medicines and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed:
Sources
- World Health Organization. WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence: forty-first report. WHO Technical Report Series 1018, 2019.
- World Health Organization. Cannabidiol (CBD): critical review report. Expert Committee on Drug Dependence, 40th meeting, June 2018.
- UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Press statement on the vote on the WHO cannabis recommendations, 2 December 2020.
- Babalonis S, Haney M, Malcolm RJ, et al. Oral cannabidiol does not produce a signal for abuse liability in frequent marijuana smokers. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017;172:9-13. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.11.030
- Schoedel KA, Szeto I, Setnik B, et al. Abuse potential assessment of cannabidiol (CBD) in recreational polydrug users: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Epilepsy Behav. 2018;88:162-171. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.07.027
- Taylor L, Gidal B, Blakey G, Tayo B, Morrison G. A Phase I, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose, multiple dose, and food effect trial of the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of highly purified cannabidiol in healthy subjects. CNS Drugs. 2018;32(11):1053-1067. doi:10.1007/s40263-018-0578-5
- Taylor L, Crockett J, Tayo B, Checketts D, Sommerville K. Abrupt withdrawal of cannabidiol (CBD): a randomized trial. Epilepsy Behav. 2020;104(Pt A):106938. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.106938
