What is CBD?
CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the cannabis plant's own substances, the cannabinoids, and unlike THC it doesn't get you high. Along with THC, it's the best-known cannabinoid and the one most often mentioned on seed product pages.
The cannabis plant makes dozens of cannabinoids. Two of them stand out because of how much of them there's: THC, which is the one that changes how you feel, and CBD, which doesn't have that psychoactive effect.
CBD forms in the same place as THC: the trichomes, those tiny, shiny glands that cover the buds. Just like THC, in the living plant it's almost all in an acid form, CBDA, which turns into CBD with heat.
Think of THC and CBD as two ingredients in the same recipe. Each strain has a different proportion of each, and that mix changes the character of the plant a lot.
What is a CBD-rich strain?
Most strains today have been selected to have lots of THC and hardly any CBD. CBD-rich varieties are the ones selected for exactly the opposite: they have a high amount of CBD and, usually, lower THC. Their effect is much gentler and less intense.
What the THC:CBD ratio means on a product page
With CBD strains you'll often see a figure like "THC:CBD 1:1" or "1:20". It shows the proportion between the two cannabinoids, according to the seed bank's data:
- 1:1: roughly the same amount of THC as CBD.
- 1:20 or other high numbers: much more CBD than THC, so the THC is very low.
As with THC, it's a guide: the actual result depends on the plant and on how you grow it.
Is a CBD strain still cannabis?
Yes. Even if it has little THC, it's still a cannabis plant, and growing it's subject to the same laws as any other strain.
Related terms
Before you grow, check the laws in your country: growing cannabis is not allowed everywhere.
