What They Do, What the Evidence Shows & Safety.
Explore cannabinoids, terpenes and 1,248 strains with real lab numbers: what each is, what trials in people found, and when to be careful.
Four quick questions. We show you where to start and what to check first. It takes about a minute.
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Choose any that apply, or none. It only changes what we show first.
Labels are market categories. They do not predict effects.
Dashed line: middle value, 22% reported THC.
Number of strains that list each terpene.
No strain matches all of your choices. Tap a chip again to remove it.
Strains that also appear in our own lab-report data, with a full source-checked profile.
Compounds with a full evidence page are links. The others are planned and shown in grey.
Cannabinoids
Terpenes
Cannabinoids are the compounds in the cannabis plant that act on the body's own cannabinoid system. THC and CBD are the best known, but the plant makes over a hundred others. This guide takes the best-known ones one at a time: what each is, what research really shows in people, and what the risks are.
Some of them are approved medicines in some countries, some are only sold as consumer products, and some have almost no human research. Each page keeps those apart.
The main compound that causes the high. Also the one with the clearest mental-health and driving risks.
Does not cause a high. One prescription CBD medicine is approved for certain childhood epilepsies; shop products are a different matter.
The raw form of THC in the fresh plant. Turns into THC with heat, which is why labels list both.
The raw form of CBD in the fresh plant. Early research only, mostly in animals and cells.
The parent molecule the plant uses to make the other cannabinoids. Very little human research.
Forms as THC ages. Often sold for sleep, but the sleep claims are not backed by good trials.
A minor plant cannabinoid. Mostly laboratory and animal research so far.
A THC look-alike found in small amounts in some plants. Small human studies only.
The raw "mother" form the plant uses to make THCA, CBDA and CBCA.
A CBD look-alike with a shorter side chain. Mostly lab and early clinical research.
The raw acid form of THCV, found in small amounts in some plants.
A rare CBG look-alike with a shorter side chain. Very little research.
More compounds (CBGA, CBDV, delta-8, HHC and others) are covered in the minor-cannabinoid pages and will get their own pages. Lab numbers are measurements of flower content, not promises about effects.
Terpenes are the aroma molecules in cannabis. The same ones give lemons, pine, lavender and black pepper their smell. They are real, measurable parts of cannabis flower, and they are easy to measure in a lab.
What they do to people is a much weaker story. Most terpene research was done in cells and animals, and there is very little good human evidence that a terpene changes how cannabis feels. Each page shows what is measured, what is studied and what is only marketing.
Earthy, musky aroma. Often the most common terpene in measured flower. Also in hops, mango and lemongrass.
Citrus aroma. Best known from citrus peel and orange oil.
Pine aroma. Found in pine needles, rosemary and many other plants.
Floral, lavender-like aroma. Found in lavender, coriander and basil.
Peppery, spicy aroma. The one terpene known to bind a cannabinoid receptor in the lab.
Woody, earthy aroma. Named after hops, where it was first found.
Fresh, piney-floral aroma. Dominant in some cannabis, rare in others.
Sweet, herbal aroma. Found in basil, mint and many flowers.
Lilac-like, piney aroma. Found in pine, lilac and tea tree.
Woody, floral aroma.
Floral, honey-like aroma. Best known from chamomile.
Rose-like aroma. Found in roses and geranium oil.
Damp-woods, pine aroma.
Piney, woody aroma.
Cool, minty aroma. The main part of eucalyptus oil.
Other terpenes (bisabolol, nerolidol, terpineol, borneol and more) are covered on the 'other terpenes' page. Percentages from different labs and units cannot be compared directly.
Each use gets a certainty rating based on the best human research we could check. "Very low" means a possibility, not a finding. Most terpene evidence is from animals or cells.
Strong proof exists only for the prescription solution in three rare epilepsies. For anxiety, sleep and pain the evidence is weak or mixed. Liver enzyme rises, sleepiness, drug interactions and mislabelled products are real concerns.
Best evidence: high certainty12 uses rated · 53 sources
Safety first: the main risks are psychosis and mental health problems with heavy or daily use, cannabis use disorder (about 22% of people who use cannabis), cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, driving impairment, low birth weight and preterm birth, and serious poisoning in young children from edibles.
Best evidence: moderate14 uses rated · 57 sources
Safety first: THCA converts to THC with heat, so the risks of THC apply to products that are smoked, vaped or baked: psychosis and mental health problems with heavy use, dependence (about 22% of people who use cannabis), driving impairment, harm in pregnancy and poisoning of children.
Best evidence: low8 uses rated · 56 sources
No trial has tested CBDA on its own in people. Two small human studies used mixed products, and one of them had no placebo group. Almost everything else is mouse, rat or cell work, mostly from a few research groups. Safety, drug interactions and product accuracy are unstudied or poor.
Best evidence: very low12 uses rated · 58 sources
No study of CBGA alone in people was found. The evidence is mouse, dog, cell and test-tube research, with mixed seizure results in mice, and several studies are linked to companies or patents. Safety in people is unknown.
Best evidence: not enough evidence10 uses rated · 40 sources
A handful of small human studies and two surveys exist, mostly in healthy adults and often company-linked. They found few side effects and little proof of benefit. Most other claims rest on mouse, rat or cell work. Liver effects with repeated use, drug interactions and product accuracy are unstudied.
Best evidence: very low15 uses rated · 49 sources
Human research is five placebo-controlled or comparison trials in sleep (20 to about 1,800 people), a few old volunteer studies and several reviews. The sleep-recording trial and the 7-night trial both missed their main result; the larger home trials were industry-funded or company-run.
Best evidence: low12 uses rated · 55 sources
No trial has tested CBC alone in people. The only human data are a 43-person blood-level pilot of a CBD-rich oil and a 12-week study of capsules where one of three held 3 mg CBC among other cannabinoids; both come with big limits. Everything else is mice, rats or cells.
Best evidence: very low8 uses rated · 36 sources
Human research is one 13-week diabetes trial, a 10-man pilot, two brain-scan studies, a 90-day study of a THCV plus CBD strip, a trial of the man-made delta-8 form in 21 adults and some urine-testing studies. The diabetes trial missed its main target. Findings on weight are mixed and mostly not about THCV alone.
Best evidence: low10 uses rated · 41 sources
No human trial of THCVA and no animal study of the pure compound were found. The evidence is one computer model, one cell and enzyme study in which THCVA was one of 11 compounds, and two dish studies of whole cannabis extracts. The rest of the 23 PubMed records are chemistry and forensic work.
Best evidence: not enough evidence3 uses rated · 18 sources
Human research is two small seizure studies, a nerve-pain trial, two single-dose brain-scan studies in men, and a few registered trials that ended early or have no results. The main trial, in adults with focal seizures, found no difference from placebo. A trial in children with autism is still recruiting.
Best evidence: not enough evidence11 uses rated · 52 sources
There is no human study. The research is a handful of cell, enzyme and computer studies and a few mouse experiments, mostly reporting CBGV beside many other compounds with few or no numbers in the abstracts. Nothing here shows that CBGV helps or harms any condition.
Best evidence: not enough evidence8 uses rated · 23 sources
Safety and honesty first: most evidence is from animals or cells. In people, the only study of pure myrcene is a 10-person driving-simulator pilot, which suggests impairment. The other human studies tested mixtures. Rodents given very high doses for two years developed kidney and liver tumours;
Best evidence: very low7 uses rated · 40 sources
Safety and honesty first: nearly all evidence is from animals, cells or small human studies. In people, the best-designed study is a 20-person vaporizer trial in which a high d-limonene dose lowered anxious and paranoid ratings after THC but changed nothing else. Orange-scent studies used whole oil.
Best evidence: low12 uses rated · 53 sources
Safety and honesty first: only alpha-pinene has been tested with THC in people, in one 19-person vaporizer trial that found no effect on THC memory impairment. Everything else is from animals, cells, whole oils or mixtures.
Best evidence: very low12 uses rated · 45 sources
Safety and honesty first: the best human evidence is for Silexan, an oral lavender oil capsule, and it is not linalool. Pure linalool has been studied mainly in mice, rats and cells, with two very small human inhalation trials (shingles nerve pain, carpal tunnel) and one 24-person stress experiment.
Best evidence: low14 uses rated · 62 sources
Evidence first: most results are from cells and mice and are labelled that way. The CB2 binding finding has not been cleanly replicated, and no human trial of BCP alone shows a health benefit. Safety data in people are small and short.
Best evidence: very low10 uses rated · 29 sources
Safety and honesty first: nearly all evidence is from cells and animals. In rodents, humulene lowered inflammation signals and allergic lung inflammation. Results on cannabis-like and pain effects disagree between mouse and rat studies. No human trial of isolated humulene was found, so no health benefit is established.
Best evidence: mixed6 uses rated · 33 sources
Safety and honesty first: almost all evidence is from mice, fish, cells or computer models. In mice, inhaled terpinolene lowered movement and lengthened barbiturate sleep. In people, the only studies are a survey, one observational study that reported no terpinolene result in its abstract, and two small trials of whole oils.
Best evidence: very low11 uses rated · 43 sources
Safety and honesty first: there is no human study of ocimene on its own, so no health benefit is established. In rats, ocimene lowered swelling, inflammation signals and stomach ulcers; in a rat toxin model it was linked with less clumping of a Parkinson-related brain protein; in dishes it stopped a parasite from growing.
Best evidence: very low7 uses rated · 26 sources
Safety and honesty first: there is no human trial of alpha-terpineol alone. The mouse studies suggest less pain behaviour, the cell studies suggest lower inflammation signals and tumour-cell killing, and the rat studies suggest stomach and heart effects, but none of this is shown in people.
Best evidence: very low12 uses rated · 41 sources
Safety and honesty first: nearly all evidence is from cells and animals. In dishes and mice, nerolidol acted on parasites, pain and inflammation signals, anxiety-like behaviour and seizures, and it increased drug passage through human skin samples.
Best evidence: very low9 uses rated · 43 sources
Safety and honesty first: nearly all evidence is from cells and animals. In mice, bisabolol lowered skin and paw inflammation and pain responses. One small study tested a bisabolol cream on 28 women for skin lightening. No trial of bisabolol alone was found, so no health benefit is established.
Best evidence: very low9 uses rated · 32 sources
Safety and honesty first: almost everything known about pure geraniol comes from mice, rats and cells. The only human trials are two small studies of one gut-targeted supplement for irritable bowel syndrome, one with 56 people, by authors linked to the company.
Best evidence: low11 uses rated · 43 sources
Safety and honesty first: there is no human trial of camphene alone. Rat studies suggest lower blood fats, mouse studies suggest less pain behaviour and less liver fat, and cell studies suggest antioxidant action and the killing of tumour cells and microbes, but none of this is shown in people.
Best evidence: very low13 uses rated · 36 sources
Safety and honesty first: eucalyptol is the one cannabis-linked terpene with randomised trials of a purified capsule, but those trials are in airway disease, not cannabis, and the main ones were funded by the maker. A COPD trial of 242 adults and a bronchitis trial of 242 adults were funded by a Cassella-med grant.
Best evidence: moderate13 uses rated · 46 sources
Safety and honesty first: there is no human trial of guaiol and no human safety study. Most research is by one group in China that tested pure (-)-guaiol on lung cancer cells and in mouse tumour models; in these studies it killed cells and changed immune and growth signals, and none of this is shown in people.
Best evidence: very low9 uses rated · 30 sources
No compound page matches all the icons you picked. Tap an icon again to remove it.
For most uses, good human evidence is limited. Every use on our compound pages is rated for how strong the evidence is, and the rating is shown next to it. Across the 27 compound pages, 3 uses are rated high or moderate certainty.
Even here, the finding is usually for one product, one group of people and one outcome.
| Compound | Use | Certainty |
|---|---|---|
| CBD (Cannabidiol) | Seizures in Lennox-Gastaut, Dravet and tuberous sclerosis complex (prescription medicine only) | High certainty |
| THC (Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol) | Felt effects in volunteers: feeling high, relaxed or anxious | Moderate |
| Eucalyptol (1,8-Cineole) | Acute sinus infection that is not yet pus-filled | Moderate |
Strong proof exists only for the prescription solution in three rare epilepsies. For anxiety, sleep and pain the evidence is weak or mixed. Liver enzyme rises, sleepiness, drug interactions and mislabelled products are real concerns.
Safety first: the main risks are psychosis and mental health problems with heavy or daily use, cannabis use disorder (about 22% of people who use cannabis), cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, driving impairment, low birth weight and preterm birth, and serious poisoning in young children from edibles.
Safety first: THCA converts to THC with heat, so the risks of THC apply to products that are smoked, vaped or baked: psychosis and mental health problems with heavy use, dependence (about 22% of people who use cannabis), driving impairment, harm in pregnancy and poisoning of children.
No trial has tested CBDA on its own in people. Two small human studies used mixed products, and one of them had no placebo group. Almost everything else is mouse, rat or cell work, mostly from a few research groups. Safety, drug interactions and product accuracy are unstudied or poor.
No study of CBGA alone in people was found. The evidence is mouse, dog, cell and test-tube research, with mixed seizure results in mice, and several studies are linked to companies or patents. Safety in people is unknown.
A handful of small human studies and two surveys exist, mostly in healthy adults and often company-linked. They found few side effects and little proof of benefit. Most other claims rest on mouse, rat or cell work. Liver effects with repeated use, drug interactions and product accuracy are unstudied.
Human research is five placebo-controlled or comparison trials in sleep (20 to about 1,800 people), a few old volunteer studies and several reviews. The sleep-recording trial and the 7-night trial both missed their main result; the larger home trials were industry-funded or company-run.
No trial has tested CBC alone in people. The only human data are a 43-person blood-level pilot of a CBD-rich oil and a 12-week study of capsules where one of three held 3 mg CBC among other cannabinoids; both come with big limits. Everything else is mice, rats or cells.
Human research is one 13-week diabetes trial, a 10-man pilot, two brain-scan studies, a 90-day study of a THCV plus CBD strip, a trial of the man-made delta-8 form in 21 adults and some urine-testing studies. The diabetes trial missed its main target. Findings on weight are mixed and mostly not about THCV alone.
No human trial of THCVA and no animal study of the pure compound were found. The evidence is one computer model, one cell and enzyme study in which THCVA was one of 11 compounds, and two dish studies of whole cannabis extracts. The rest of the 23 PubMed records are chemistry and forensic work.
Human research is two small seizure studies, a nerve-pain trial, two single-dose brain-scan studies in men, and a few registered trials that ended early or have no results. The main trial, in adults with focal seizures, found no difference from placebo. A trial in children with autism is still recruiting.
There is no human study. The research is a handful of cell, enzyme and computer studies and a few mouse experiments, mostly reporting CBGV beside many other compounds with few or no numbers in the abstracts. Nothing here shows that CBGV helps or harms any condition.
Safety and honesty first: most evidence is from animals or cells. In people, the only study of pure myrcene is a 10-person driving-simulator pilot, which suggests impairment. The other human studies tested mixtures. Rodents given very high doses for two years developed kidney and liver tumours;
Safety and honesty first: nearly all evidence is from animals, cells or small human studies. In people, the best-designed study is a 20-person vaporizer trial in which a high d-limonene dose lowered anxious and paranoid ratings after THC but changed nothing else. Orange-scent studies used whole oil.
Safety and honesty first: only alpha-pinene has been tested with THC in people, in one 19-person vaporizer trial that found no effect on THC memory impairment. Everything else is from animals, cells, whole oils or mixtures.
Safety and honesty first: the best human evidence is for Silexan, an oral lavender oil capsule, and it is not linalool. Pure linalool has been studied mainly in mice, rats and cells, with two very small human inhalation trials (shingles nerve pain, carpal tunnel) and one 24-person stress experiment.
Evidence first: most results are from cells and mice and are labelled that way. The CB2 binding finding has not been cleanly replicated, and no human trial of BCP alone shows a health benefit. Safety data in people are small and short.
Safety and honesty first: nearly all evidence is from cells and animals. In rodents, humulene lowered inflammation signals and allergic lung inflammation. Results on cannabis-like and pain effects disagree between mouse and rat studies. No human trial of isolated humulene was found, so no health benefit is established.
Safety and honesty first: almost all evidence is from mice, fish, cells or computer models. In mice, inhaled terpinolene lowered movement and lengthened barbiturate sleep. In people, the only studies are a survey, one observational study that reported no terpinolene result in its abstract, and two small trials of whole oils.
Safety and honesty first: there is no human study of ocimene on its own, so no health benefit is established. In rats, ocimene lowered swelling, inflammation signals and stomach ulcers; in a rat toxin model it was linked with less clumping of a Parkinson-related brain protein; in dishes it stopped a parasite from growing.
Safety and honesty first: there is no human trial of alpha-terpineol alone. The mouse studies suggest less pain behaviour, the cell studies suggest lower inflammation signals and tumour-cell killing, and the rat studies suggest stomach and heart effects, but none of this is shown in people.
Safety and honesty first: nearly all evidence is from cells and animals. In dishes and mice, nerolidol acted on parasites, pain and inflammation signals, anxiety-like behaviour and seizures, and it increased drug passage through human skin samples.
Safety and honesty first: nearly all evidence is from cells and animals. In mice, bisabolol lowered skin and paw inflammation and pain responses. One small study tested a bisabolol cream on 28 women for skin lightening. No trial of bisabolol alone was found, so no health benefit is established.
Safety and honesty first: almost everything known about pure geraniol comes from mice, rats and cells. The only human trials are two small studies of one gut-targeted supplement for irritable bowel syndrome, one with 56 people, by authors linked to the company.
Safety and honesty first: there is no human trial of camphene alone. Rat studies suggest lower blood fats, mouse studies suggest less pain behaviour and less liver fat, and cell studies suggest antioxidant action and the killing of tumour cells and microbes, but none of this is shown in people.
Safety and honesty first: eucalyptol is the one cannabis-linked terpene with randomised trials of a purified capsule, but those trials are in airway disease, not cannabis, and the main ones were funded by the maker. A COPD trial of 242 adults and a bronchitis trial of 242 adults were funded by a Cassella-med grant.
Safety and honesty first: there is no human trial of guaiol and no human safety study. Most research is by one group in China that tested pure (-)-guaiol on lung cancer cells and in mouse tumour models; in these studies it killed cells and changed immune and growth signals, and none of this is shown in people.
Research and evidence overview
Safety and legal basics. Laws differ by country and change; check your local rules.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist before combining cannabis products with any medicine. Strength of evidence is shown for each item.
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Clobazam | High certainty | Only combine under a prescriber's care. Do not adjust either medicine yourself. |
| Valproate (valproic acid) | High certainty | Needs liver tests and medical supervision. |
| Warfarin and possibly other blood thinners | Very low | Anyone on warfarin should tell their prescriber before using any CBD and have INR checked more often if they start. |
| Medicines cleared by CYP2C19, CYP2C8, CYP1A2, CYP2B6 or UGT1A9 | Moderate | Ask a pharmacist to check every medicine you take. |
| P-glycoprotein substrates: everolimus, sirolimus, tacrolimus, digoxin | Moderate | Transplant and heart patients should not use CBD without their specialist. |
| Stiripentol | Moderate | Only under a prescriber's care. |
| Strong CYP3A4/CYP2C19 inducers such as rifampin | Moderate | A prescriber should decide. |
| Alcohol and other sedating drugs (sleep aids, anti-anxiety drugs) | Moderate | Avoid combining unless a clinician says it is fine; do not drive. |
| Antidepressants, opioid pain medicines, acetaminophen, THC | Low | Mention CBD use to your prescriber or pharmacist. |
| Food (especially a high-fat meal) and milk | High certainty | Be consistent and talk to a prescriber if on the prescription medicine. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Moderate | Do not combine, and do not drive. |
| Sedating medicines: benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids, lithium and other central nervous system… | Low | Tell your prescriber and pharmacist about cannabis use. |
| Warfarin and other highly protein-bound medicines (for example cyclosporine, amphotericin B) | Low | Ask a pharmacist; blood tests may be needed. |
| Medicines that block or boost CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 liver enzymes | Low | Ask a pharmacist if you take a medicine known to interact with these enzymes. |
| Medicines cleared by CYP2C9, CYP2C19 or CYP1A2 enzymes | Low | Ask a pharmacist. |
| Medicines that raise or lower heart rate or blood pressure | Low | Tell your doctor if you have heart disease. |
| Hormonal contraceptives | Not enough evidence | Ask a clinician about additional contraception if on this medicine. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Moderate | Do not combine, and do not drive. |
| Medicines cleared by CYP2C9, CYP2C19 or CYP1A2 enzymes (a review of THC, CBD and CBN) | Low | Ask a pharmacist before combining any cannabis product with regular medicines. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines handled by liver enzymes (CYP2B and CYP2D families, UGT enzymes) | Very low | Ask a pharmacist before combining any CBDA product with a prescription medicine. |
| Clobazam, stiripentol, everolimus and other medicines (from the CBD label) | Moderate | If you take any of these medicines, tell your prescriber about every CBD or hemp product you use. |
| Valproate (liver enzyme rise risk with CBD) | Moderate | Do not add CBD- or CBDA-containing products to valproate without asking the prescriber. |
| Strong CYP3A4 or CYP2C19 inducers such as rifampin (from the CBD label) | Moderate | Ask a pharmacist. |
| Alcohol and sedating medicines | Low | Avoid combining with alcohol or sedating medicines unless a clinician has said it is safe. |
| Chemotherapy (doxorubicin) and anti-seizure drugs | Very low | People on chemotherapy or anti-seizure medicines should ask their medical team first. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Clobazam and possibly other seizure medicines | Not enough evidence | Do not add any cannabis product to seizure medicine without the prescriber's agreement. |
| Medicines broken down by liver enzymes (such as CYP2C19, CYP3A4 and CYP2C9) | Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist before combining any cannabis product with a prescription medicine. |
| Alcohol, sleeping pills and other sedatives | Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist or doctor if you take sedatives. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines handled by the liver enzymes CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2B6 or CYP3A4 | Very low | Ask a pharmacist before combining CBG with any prescription medicine. |
| Warfarin and other coumarin blood thinners | Very low | Tell your prescriber before using any CBG product if you take warfarin. |
| Blood pressure medicines and other medicines that act on alpha-2 receptors | Very low | Ask a pharmacist if you take blood pressure, sedating or mood medicines. |
| Alcohol and other sedating medicines | Not enough evidence | Take care mixing with alcohol or sleep aids until more is known. |
| High-fat food | Low | No amounts are advised here. |
| THC, CBD and other cannabinoids in the same product | Moderate | Read the certificate of analysis for the exact batch. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Melatonin | Very low | Ask a pharmacist before taking CBN with melatonin or other sleep aids. |
| Caffeine and other medicines broken down by CYP1A2 | Very low | Ask a pharmacist before combining CBN with any prescription medicine. |
| Medicines cleared mainly by CYP2B6, CYP2C9 or CYP2E1, and by UGT1A9 or UGT2B7 | Very low | Tell your pharmacist or prescriber which CBN product you use if you take regular medicines. |
| Warfarin and other blood thinners | Very low | Tell your prescriber before using any CBN product if you take warfarin. |
| Alcohol, sedating medicines and other sleep aids | Very low | Do not mix with alcohol or sedating medicines unless a doctor or pharmacist agrees. |
| THC and CBD (cannabis products or blends) | Low | If you use a cannabis or hemp product, ask a pharmacist about the whole product, not only CBN. |
| Urine drug tests (THC screens) | Low | If you may be drug tested, ask the testing lab or employer and keep the product label and batch certificate. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines broken down by the liver enzymes CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C19, 2D6 or 3A4 (and UGT 1A1, 1A8, 1A9, 2B7) | Very low | Ask a pharmacist before combining CBC with any prescription medicine. |
| THC (cannabis products that contain both) | Very low | Many cannabis products contain several cannabinoids. Read the label and ask a pharmacist. |
| Products that also contain CBD (CBD-rich oils that include CBC) | Not enough evidence | If you take clobazam, valproate, warfarin or any other prescription medicine, ask a pharmacist before any cannabis or hemp product. |
| Alcohol, sedatives and other medicines that cause sleepiness | Not enough evidence | Ask a doctor or pharmacist if you use sedatives or alcohol. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| THC and cannabis | Very low | Do not assume THCV makes THC safer. Ask a doctor or pharmacist. |
| Diabetes medicines (including insulin) | Very low | Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using THCV if you take medicine for blood sugar. |
| Alcohol and sedating medicines | Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist before combining a THCV product with alcohol or sedating medicines. |
| CBD | Very low | No advice can be drawn from these results. |
| Medicines broken down by liver enzymes (CYP/UGT) | Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist before combining THCV with any prescription medicine. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines, alcohol, THC and CBD | Not enough evidence | Because nothing is known, ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any cannabis product with other medicines. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Other seizure medicines (for example carbamazepine, lamotrigine, valproate, levetiracetam, lacosamide) | Very low | Do not add CBDV to a seizure treatment without the prescriber. Never stop a seizure medicine because of a cannabinoid. |
| CBD and products containing CBD (clobazam, valproate, warfarin and other medicines with known CBD… | Not enough evidence | Ask a doctor or pharmacist about the whole product, not just one compound on the label. |
| Medicines broken down by CYP enzymes (liver enzymes) | Not enough evidence | Treat this as a reason to ask a pharmacist, not as a known interaction. |
| Alcohol, sedatives and opioids | Not enough evidence | Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how a product affects you, and ask a doctor or pharmacist about combinations. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Any prescription medicine | Not enough evidence | Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any cannabis product you use, and never stop or change a prescribed medicine, particularly a seizure medicine, because of a… |
| Medicines that CBD is known to interact with (clobazam, valproate, warfarin and others) | Not enough evidence | If you take any of these medicines, ask a pharmacist before using any cannabis-derived product. |
| Alcohol, sedatives and opioids | Not enough evidence | Ask a doctor or pharmacist about combinations, and avoid driving until you know how a product affects you. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Sedatives: sleeping pills, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids, alcohol | Very low | Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you use myrcene-rich products with sedating medicines. |
| Medicines broken down by liver enzymes | Not enough evidence | Ask your pharmacist if you take medicines with a narrow safety margin. |
| THC and cannabis | Not enough evidence | Treat any cannabis product as impairing. |
| CBD | Low | Not applicable. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| THC (cannabis) | Low | Do not assume limonene removes the risks of THC. Impairment from THC still applies. |
| Sedatives: sleeping pills, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids, alcohol | Very low | Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you use concentrated limonene products with sedating medicines or alcohol. |
| Drugs processed by liver enzymes CYP2C9 or CYP2C19 | Very low | If you take prescription medicines, ask a pharmacist before using concentrated limonene products. |
| Other fragrance allergens (fragrance mix, balsam of Peru, colophony, linalool) | Low | People with fragrance allergy should read product ingredient lists and ask a dermatologist about patch testing. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| THC (cannabis) | Low | Do not assume pinene protects against THC. Impairment from THC still applies; do not drive after THC. |
| Sedatives, sleep medicines, alcohol and other drugs that cause drowsiness | Very low | Ask a doctor or pharmacist before combining concentrated pinene products with sedatives. |
| Antibiotics | Very low | Do not use pinene products in place of, or alongside, prescribed antibiotics unless your clinician agrees. |
| Medicines broken down by liver enzymes (CYP drugs) | Not enough evidence | Unknown. A doctor or pharmacist can check your list of medicines. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription drugs handled by CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 (examples: caffeine, tolbutamide,… | Low | Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you take lavender oil capsules or concentrated linalool products with prescription medicines, especially medicines with a narrow safe… |
| CYP3A4-processed drugs (lab data on linalyl acetate and lavender oil) | Very low | Ask a pharmacist if you use lavender oil capsules with CYP3A4 medicines. |
| Sedatives: sleeping pills, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids, alcohol | Very low | Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you use concentrated linalool or lavender oil products with sedating medicines or alcohol. |
| THC and cannabis | Not enough evidence | Do not assume that linalool in a cannabis product reduces the risks of THC, such as impaired driving, anxiety or psychosis in vulnerable people. |
| CBD | Very low | Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using CBD products if you take prescription medicines; CBD itself has well-known interactions (see the CBD page). |
| Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicines | Not enough evidence | Do not replace or add to an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medicine with a lavender or linalool product without asking your doctor. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription and other medicines in general | Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before adding any BCP supplement or concentrated terpene product, especially if you take medicines that need regular blood tests. |
| THC and CBD | Very low | If a product contains THC, the risks of THC (impairment, anxiety, interactions with sedatives or alcohol) apply to the product as a whole. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| THC and other cannabinoids | Very low | Treat the idea that humulene boosts or softens THC as unproven. |
| Opioids such as morphine | Very low | Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any cannabis or terpene product if you take opioids. |
| Cancer drugs (for example paclitaxel) | Very low | Tell your oncology team about any terpene or essential-oil product. |
| Liver-processed medicines (CYP enzymes) | Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist before combining concentrated terpene products with medicines. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| THC and other cannabis compounds | Not enough evidence | Do not assume a terpene label changes the effects or risks of THC. Impairment from THC still applies. |
| Sedatives: sleeping pills, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, opioids, alcohol | Very low | Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you use concentrated terpene products together with sedating medicines or alcohol. |
| Cancer chemotherapy (paclitaxel) | Very low | Tell your cancer care team about every cannabis product or terpene product you use. Do not use terpinolene in place of treatment. |
| Antibiotics such as oxacillin | Very low | No action for readers; listed so the laboratory result is not mistaken for a treatment. |
| Prescription drugs processed by liver enzymes (CYP enzymes) | Not enough evidence | If you use cannabis products and take prescription medicines, ask your pharmacist about the whole product, not just one terpene. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin (NSAIDs) | Very low | Do not use ocimene or cannabis terpenes to protect your stomach from an anti-inflammatory drug. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about stomach protection. |
| THC, CBD and other cannabinoids | Not enough evidence | Treat the idea that ocimene boosts or softens THC or CBD as unproven. |
| Medicines broken down by liver enzymes (CYP enzymes) | Not enough evidence | Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any cannabis or terpene product you use, especially with prescription medicines. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| THC (cannabis) | Not enough evidence | Do not assume a terpene makes THC safer or milder. Impairment, anxiety and dependence risks from THC still apply. |
| Antibiotics (colistin) | Not enough evidence | Do not add terpene products to antibiotic treatment unless a doctor says so. |
| Oral medicines that need quick absorption | Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist if you take time-critical oral medicines and use concentrated terpene products. |
| Prescription medicines, sedatives, alcohol and blood thinners in general | Not enough evidence | Ask a doctor or pharmacist before combining terpene products with medicines. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription drugs processed by CYP3A4 (many common medicines) | Very low | If you take medicines with narrow safe ranges, tell your pharmacist before using concentrated terpene oils or cannabis products. |
| Medicines or creams applied to the skin | Very low | Ask a pharmacist before putting a concentrated nerolidol-containing product on skin that is also treated with a medicine. |
| Antibiotics | Very low | No action beyond asking your pharmacist if you use concentrated terpene products. |
| Alcohol, sedatives and sleep medicines | Very low | Treat any added sleepiness as possible if you use concentrated products with alcohol or sedatives. Ask a pharmacist. |
| THC and other cannabinoids | Not enough evidence | Treat the idea that nerolidol changes THC's effects as unproven. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines broken down by liver enzymes (CYP enzymes) | Very low | Treat drug-interaction risk as unstudied. If you take medicines, ask a pharmacist before using bisabolol supplements or concentrated products. |
| Other ingredients in the same skin product | Low | If you react to skin products, patch-test and ask a doctor. |
| THC, CBD and other cannabinoids | Not enough evidence | Treat the idea that bisabolol changes the effect of THC or CBD as unproven. |
| Alcohol, sedatives and other drugs that cause drowsiness | Not enough evidence | No data. Cannabis with THC does interact with sedatives and alcohol; see the THC page. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription drugs handled by CYP enzymes (CYP450 family) | Very low | Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any geraniol supplement or essential oil you take by mouth. |
| THC, CBD and other cannabinoids | Not enough evidence | Do not assume geraniol-rich strains or products are stronger or calmer. Ask a doctor if you take medicines and use cannabis. |
| Morphine and other opioid painkillers | Not enough evidence | Ask a doctor before combining any terpene supplement with painkillers. |
| Chemotherapy (docetaxel, 5-fluorouracil) | Not enough evidence | Do not take geraniol supplements or oils during cancer treatment without asking your oncologist. |
| Other fragrance allergens (citral, limonene, linalool) and ketoprofen gel | Low | If you have a known fragrance allergy, check labels for geraniol. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| THC (cannabis) | Not enough evidence | Do not assume a terpene makes THC safer or milder. The risks of THC, such as impairment, anxiety and dependence, still apply (see the THC profile). |
| Cholesterol medicines (statins and others) | Not enough evidence | If you take cholesterol medicine, do not change it because of this research. Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using concentrated terpene products. |
| Antibiotics and antiparasitic drugs (ceftazidime, pyrimethamine, metronidazole) | Not enough evidence | Take prescribed anti-infective medicines as directed. Do not add terpene products on your own. |
| Sedatives, alcohol and sleep medicines | Not enough evidence | No camphene-specific advice can be given. The sedative effects of THC and alcohol are covered in the THC profile. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Drugs broken down by CYP3A4 (many medicines) | Not enough evidence | Tell a doctor or pharmacist about any cineole or eucalyptus product if you take regular medicines. The EU herbal committee lists no interactions as reported. |
| Oral steroid tablets (asthma) | Very low | Do not change steroid tablets because of a cineole product. |
| Sedatives, sleeping medicines and alcohol | Not enough evidence | Take care with anything that makes you sleepy. This is a signal from mice. |
| Opioids (morphine) | Not enough evidence | Ask a doctor if you take opioid pain medicines. |
| THC (cannabis) | Not enough evidence | Do not assume a terpene makes THC safer or milder. THC impairment, anxiety and dependence risks do not go away. Sources on THC were not read for this page. |
| With | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| THC and other cannabis compounds | Not enough evidence | Do not assume a terpene makes THC safer or milder. The THC risks (impairment, anxiety, dependence) still apply. |
| Alcohol, sedatives and other medicines that affect the brain | Not enough evidence | Ask a doctor or pharmacist before combining cannabis or plant oils with other medicines. |
| Medicines broken down by liver enzymes (CYP enzymes) | Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist if you take medicines with narrow safety margins, such as blood thinners or anti-seizure medicines. |
| Cancer treatment | Not enough evidence | Tell your oncology team about any plant extract, oil or cannabis product you use. |
Safety and legal basics · Hemp vs marijuana
Education only. This library explains the cannabis plant, each cannabinoid and terpene, named strains, laboratory reports, product forms, research by health topic, safety and how laws differ. It separates approved medicines, research findings, marketing claims and personal reports. It gives no dosing, buying, growing, extraction or manufacturing advice and sells nothing.
This library is information only. It does not tell anyone what to use, how much, where to buy it or how to grow, extract or prepare it. It does not sell anything: there are no shops, product listings, brand names, prices or purchase links. It does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist.
A plain guide to the cannabis plant: how it grows, what it contains, and what words like marijuana, hemp, THC, CBD and terpenes mean, with safety and legal pointers.
A short, sourced history of cannabis from early use in Asia and the Old World through 19th-century Western medicine, 20th-century controls and modern research.
What the endocannabinoid system is, how CB1 and CB2 receptors and the body's own cannabinoids work, and which claims about it are established, proposed or marketing.
Plain-language chemistry of cannabis: cannabinoids, acid forms like THCA and CBDA, what heat changes, terpenes, and how strong the evidence for an entourage effect is.
A plain guide to the parts of the cannabis plant, including flowers, leaves, stems, resin glands and seeds, plus male and female plants, with sources and no growing advi…
What cannabis trichomes and resin glands are, the types plant scientists describe, what they hold, and why a microscope picture is not a lab result. Education only.
What cannabinoids are, how plant, body-made and laboratory-made types differ, how receptors fit in, and where to read about each named compound. Education only.
Is CBD psychoactive? This page separates psychoactive, intoxicating and impairing, and shows what studies found for THC, CBD, CBG, delta-8 and newer compounds.
How natural, semisynthetic and fully synthetic cannabinoids differ, why K2 and Spice are different from cannabis, and what is known and unknown about HHC and delta-8.
Why THCA and CBDA change into THC and CBD, why acid and neutral forms matter on lab reports and labels, and what is known about acids. Chemistry only, no instructions.
Why the same cannabis plant can lead to very different products and effects, covering composition, preparation, route of use and labels, with sources and no instructions.
How regulator-approved cannabinoid medicines differ from medical-program cannabis, hemp CBD and other consumer products, and why results from one do not carry over to an…
What CBD is, the one approved CBD medicine, what research shows for anxiety, pain and sleep, and the liver, interaction, pregnancy and product-quality concerns.
What THC is, how it affects the body, the THC-based medicines the FDA has approved, and the short- and long-term risks, including edibles, driving and use disorder.
THCA is the raw, non-intoxicating acid form of THC found in the plant. Learn how it turns into THC, what research exists, and why its legal status is unsettled.
CBDA is the raw acid form of CBD. Here is what it is, how it differs from CBD, what animal and cell studies suggest, and why human evidence is missing.
CBG is a minor cannabinoid made from CBGA. Learn what it is, what one small human trial and mostly animal studies show, and what is still unknown.
CBGA is the acid precursor the cannabis plant uses to build THCA, CBDA and CBCA. See what it is, what mouse studies show, and why human evidence is missing.
CBN is a minor cannabinoid formed as THC breaks down. See what it is, what a 2026 human sleep trial and older research found, and how to read sleep claims.
CBC (cannabichromene) is a minor cannabinoid. Read what it is, what mouse and lab studies suggest, and why human evidence and safety data are missing.
What delta-8 THC is, why it is rarely found in meaningful amounts in the plant, what regulators and poison centers have reported, and what is still unknown.
What delta-10 THC is called, what little research exists on it, what poison center and mouse data show, and why its legal and safety status is unclear.
What THCV is, how it differs from THC at the receptor level, and what a small diabetes trial and early reviews show, with clear evidence labels and limits.
What CBDV (cannabidivarin) is, what animal studies, a failed focal-seizure trial and a tiny Rett syndrome study show, and what has not been tested.
What HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) is, why its isomers matter, what surveys, lab work and case reports show, and how it was placed under international control in 2025.
What THCP is, how it was found in the plant, what laboratory and animal work suggests about its strength, and why human safety data are missing.
What THC-O, HHC-O and other acetate cannabinoid names mean, what product tests and poison center data show, and the large gaps in safety and legal clarity.
A plain guide to CBT, CBL, CBE and other rarely studied cannabinoids, what the few studies show, and where Proper evidence not found is the honest answer.
A short at-a-glance guide to CBG, CBN, CBC, THCV, CBDV, CBGA, delta-8, delta-10, HHC, THCP and THC-O, with a link to a full page for each compound.
A directory of named cannabis cultivars, commonly called strains, with documented identity, reported lineage and laboratory data kept separate, and no invented percentag…
How cultivar profiles in this library separate names, lineage claims, retail labels and lab results, and why one batch result never describes every product with that nam…
Why one cannabis cultivar can have many names and one name can cover different plants, with what genetic studies found about duplicates, clones, seed lines and renamed v…
How to weigh claims about a cannabis cultivar's parent plants and breeder, what genetic testing has and has not shown, and how this library labels confidence.
Blue Dream is a widely sold cannabis cultivar name. See what sources say about its reported lineage, labels and the one lab dataset found, and why batch data matters.
OG Kush is one of the best-known cannabis names, yet its origin story is disputed and published lab results under the name vary widely. Here is what sources show.
Sour Diesel profile: reported Chemdawg and Super Skunk lineage, conflicting genealogy entries, genetic-testing limits, and why no verified potency or terpene figures are…
Girl Scout Cookies (GSC) is a widely named cannabis cultivar. See what sources say about its lineage, one published terpene dataset, and why no verified potency figure i…
Gelato is a popular dessert-named cannabis cultivar with several phenotype names. See reported lineage, naming conflicts, the one lab terpene dataset and why no typical …
Wedding Cake is a popular cannabis name with three competing lineage stories and no verified batch data here. See what sources say and where the evidence stops.
Gorilla Glue #4 (GG4) profile: its renamed identity, reported Chem's Sister, Sour Dubb and Chocolate Diesel lineage, and one lab test that found a retail sample far belo…
Northern Lights is a classic named cannabis cultivar. See how sources describe its Afghani and Thai lineage, Dutch history, and why no verified potency or terpene value …
Jack Herer is a cannabis cultivar named for a cannabis author. See reported lineage, the terpinolene-rich lab dataset, label limits and why no typical potency is given.
White Widow is a long-running Dutch-origin cannabis name with a disputed breeder story, one small terpene dataset and one small oil trial. See the sources and the limits.
Durban Poison profile: its reported South African origin, genetic and aroma studies, three retail samples that tested well below their labels, and why no typical potency…
Granddaddy Purple (GDP) is a popular purple-hued cannabis cultivar. See the two competing lineage stories, what one terpene study grouped it with, and why no potency fig…
Pineapple Express is a cannabis name with at least three different breeder stories and little measured data. Read the claims, the genetics findings and what is unknown.
Zkittlez profile: the name dispute and reported Grape Ape and Grapefruit lineage, the limits of seed-listing data, and why no verified potency or terpene figures are ava…
AK-47 is a cannabis cultivar with competing explanations for its name. See reported breeder and lineage, genetic findings from sampled products, label limits and why no …
Trainwreck is a cannabis name linked to Arcata, California, with a terpinolene-rich terpene dataset but disputed ancestry. See sources, lab data limits and one case repo…
Super Lemon Haze profile: reported Lemon Skunk and Super Silver Haze lineage, breeder attribution, consumer-report data, and why no single verified potency or terpene fi…
Amnesia Haze is a Dutch-bred, haze-type cannabis cultivar name. See the breeder's own account, conflicting sativa percentages, two lab studies, and why no potency figure…
Chemdawg, also spelled Chemdog, is a cannabis cultivar with a well-told origin story. See what is documented, spelling and cut names, lab terpene data and why no potency…
Harlequin is a cannabis name used for a CBD-rich cultivar. Learn what two studies and breeder-side sources say about identity, lineage, chemistry and what is still unkno…
Cannatonic profile: a CBD-rich cultivar with a disputed MK Ultra and G13 Haze lineage, the breeder's own correction, research use as a CBD chemovar, and the limits of th…
ACDC is a CBD-dominant cannabis cultivar reported to come from Cannatonic. See its lineage claims, how it was classified in a genetics study, and why no verified CBD or …
Charlotte's Web is a high-CBD hemp cultivar and also a company name. See what sources say about its origin, the lack of public lab data, and how it differs from an appro…
Maui Wowie is a cannabis name linked to Hawaii and the 1970s, but the history rests on seller accounts and no measured batch data was found. Here is what sources say.
Ice Cream Cake profile: its reported Wedding Cake and Gelato #33 lineage, a breeder-order conflict, and why no verified potency or terpene values are given for this rece…
Bubba Kush is a Florida-linked cannabis cultivar with competing origin stories. See lineage claims, name variants, one published terpene dataset, and why no verified pot…
What "indica" means in botany, how the word changed over 240 years, how shops use it today, and why it does not tell you a cultivar's chemistry or effects.
What "sativa" means as a botanical name, how it came to describe tall, energizing retail cannabis, and why the label is not a measurement of chemistry or effects.
What "hybrid" means in cannabis: a genetic cross in breeding, a retail category on packaging, and why "indica dominant" or "70/30" is not a chemical measurement.
A side-by-side look at indica, sativa and hybrid as botanical names and retail labels, what studies of genetics and chemistry found, and why there is no universal winner.
How botanists name and group cannabis, where the one-species versus two-species debate stands, and how those scientific names differ from shop labels like indica, sativa…
A review of genetic, chemical and user-report studies on whether indica, sativa and hybrid labels predict how cannabis affects a person, with null, mixed and limited fin…
What chemotypes I, II and III mean (THC-dominant, mixed and CBD-dominant), how genetics sets them, and how they relate to the legal word hemp, with no typical percentage…
What cultivar, chemotype, indica, sativa and strain names mean, and what genetic and lab studies show about whether those labels predict a product's chemistry or effects.
Why a cannabis cultivar (strain) name does not guarantee the same potency or chemistry, what studies found about batch and lab variability, and how names and lab results…
What myrcene, limonene, pinene, linalool, caryophyllene and other cannabis terpenes are, what research does and does not show, and why product terpene profiles vary.
Myrcene is a common aroma compound in cannabis and hops. This page explains what it is, how labs measure it, what animal and human research shows, and its safety limits.
Limonene is the citrus-scented terpene also found in cannabis. Learn how it is measured, what the human and lab research shows, and what safety questions remain.
Alpha-pinene and beta-pinene are pine-scented terpenes found in cannabis and conifers. Read how they differ, how labs measure them, and what the human trial shows.
Linalool is a floral-scented terpene found in cannabis and many aromatic plants. See how it is measured, what small human and animal studies show, and its skin and safet…
Beta-caryophyllene is a spicy terpene in cannabis and common foods that binds the CB2 receptor. See what that does and does not prove, plus measurement and safety limits.
Humulene (alpha-humulene) is a woody-scented terpene found in cannabis and other plants. See how it is measured and why human evidence is still missing.
Terpinolene is a fresh, piney terpene found in some cannabis and many herbs. See how it is measured, why studies disagree on where it is high, and what evidence exists.
Ocimene is a sweet, floral terpene found in many plants and in some cannabis. This page covers its forms, measurement, the very limited research, and what is unknown.
What is known about terpineol, bisabolol, nerolidol, borneol, geraniol, camphene and eucalyptol in cannabis, where each was found, what research exists and where proper …
A plain comparison of terpenes and cannabinoids in cannabis: what each group is, how they differ, where they are made, what is known about their effects and what is stil…
What the entourage effect idea claims, what receptor, animal and human studies have found so far, and why full-spectrum marketing goes further than the evidence.
How the terpenes a cannabis plant makes differ from terpene blends added to products, what changes in extraction and heating, and the inhalation safety questions that re…
How laboratories measure and report cannabis terpenes, why results differ between labs, what a terpene profile can and cannot tell you, and why a strain name never gives…
What lab studies found about mislabeled and contaminated CBD products, and how to read a certificate of analysis, including what a lab report can and cannot prove.
A plain walk through a cannabis certificate of analysis: what each part of a lab report shows, which numbers are measured or calculated, and what a single report cannot …
Why a lab report can show a small THC number next to a large THCA number, how the two relate, and how the total is calculated, explained for reading labels and not for u…
How CBD and CBDA appear as separate numbers on hemp and CBD lab reports, how total CBD is calculated, and why the acid form is not the same as CBD, explained for reading…
What total THC and total CBD mean on a lab report, the published formula with its 0.877 factor, what it assumes, and why a calculated total is not a measured dose.
How percent, milligrams per gram, milligrams per milliliter, per serving and per container figures relate on cannabinoid labels, with arithmetic for understanding, not f…
What LOD, LOQ and "not detected" mean on a cannabis lab report, why "ND" is not the same as zero, and how to read results that fall below a limit.
Why two cannabis lab results can differ, what the research found on inflated potency and "lab shopping," and how batch numbers and test dates tie a report to one product.
How laboratories measure cannabinoids and terpenes with HPLC and GC, what each method can and cannot see, and why two labs can report different numbers.
What pesticide testing looks for in cannabis products, what published studies of legal and illicit samples found, and what is still unknown about health effects.
Why lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury can show up in cannabis and hemp products, how labs test for them, and what studies of real products found.
How mold, bacteria and mycotoxins can affect cannabis products, what testing checks, and why inhaled mold matters most for people with weakened immunity.
What residual solvents are, why labs test extracts and concentrates for them, what studies have found, and the safety limits of the evidence.
A certificate of analysis describes what is in one batch, not whether a product works or is safe for you. Learn what a COA shows, what it cannot, and why.
What hemp foods and hemp seed oil are, how they differ from CBD oil, what the US food regulator says, and what small human studies do and do not show.
A plain guide to CBD oils, topicals and edibles: what the US regulator says, what lab studies found on labels, and what to check on a package before relying on it.
What "CBD oil" means on a label, how it differs from hemp seed oil and from the approved CBD medicine, what US regulators say, and the risks and quality problems documen…
Why "cannabis oil" has no single meaning, how hemp-derived and THC-rich oils differ, what the US cancer institute says about highly concentrated oils, and where the lega…
Hemp seed oil is a food oil pressed from seeds; CBD oil is a cannabinoid extract. Learn how they differ in source, content, regulation and labeling, and why "hemp oil" c…
What full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and isolate mean on CBD products, what testing shows about THC in "THC-free" claims, and what is known about the so-called entourage e…
What is and is not known about oils that combine CBD with CBG, CBN or other ingredients, including sleep claims for CBN, one small CBG trial, and interaction cautions.
What a cannabinoid tincture is, how alcohol-based and oil-based products differ, what carrier oils are, and what studies in people and animals say about absorption and s…
How to read milligrams per container, per milliliter and per serving on a cannabinoid oil label, with worked arithmetic and the reasons a label number may not match the …
Marketing says holding CBD oil under the tongue absorbs faster or better. This page reviews the human and review evidence on sublingual versus swallowed cannabinoids, an…
What research shows about heat, light and oxygen breaking down CBD, why shelf-life claims are weakly documented, and why child-resistant, out-of-reach storage matters mo…
Plain-language guide to what cannabis concentrates are, why the product names overlap, how they differ from flower, and why sourced facts matter more than label words.
What hash, hashish, bubble hash and kief mean as terms, how they relate to the plant's resin glands, and what is and is not known about their strength and risks.
What rosin, resin, live resin and live rosin mean, why the words are confusing, and why pine rosin in some products is a safety concern unrelated to the cannabis product…
What distillate, isolate and crystalline cannabinoid products mean, how they differ in composition, and why a sold term still needs batch-level laboratory data to interp…
What has been found in cannabis vape liquids and cartridges, including vitamin E acetate and the 2019 EVALI lung-injury outbreak, and why labels on illicit cartridges ca…
What the research says about high-potency cannabis and concentrates, including problem use, dependence and lung effects, with the limits of the evidence and no use advic…
What cannabinoid gummies are, what independent lab tests of CBD gummies found, how to read the numbers on a label, and what regulators and research say about safety and …
What is known about cannabinoid chocolates, baked goods and drinks: how they differ from gummies, what research found, how labels and rules vary, and the risks to childr…
How cannabinoid capsules, softgels, powders and "water-soluble" or "nano" products differ, what absorption studies show, why label milligrams are not comparable across f…
Educational guide to THC edibles: why effects are delayed and variable, what research and poison data show about risks, how labels and rules differ, and who faces higher…
What to do first after a child or adult eats too much cannabis edible, why effects are delayed, what overconsumption can look like, and what sources say about child-resi…
A claim check on CBD, CBN, THC and melatonin "sleep gummies": what trials and reviews show, what label tests found, and the sedation and quality risks to know.
A claim check on cannabinoid products sold for energy, focus or ADHD, covering THCV, CBG, CBD and THC, what human studies show, and why most claims lack human evidence.
How regulators in the US, UK, EU and Canada classify cannabinoid products as food, supplement or medicine, what each said, and why per-serving and per-package amounts ma…
What research actually shows for CBD creams, balms and lotions applied to skin, including null trials, small positive trials, animal data and how US rules treat these pr…
Roll-ons and bath products with cannabinoids: what the forms are, why no direct human research was found, and what the nearby skin research and US rules say.
A claim check on CBD and hemp skincare: what lab, animal and human studies show, what the US FDA says about cosmetic claims, and how to read marketing statements.
What a transdermal patch is, the one small human study of CBD and THC entering the blood through skin, what is unknown about patches, and skin reaction risks.
How topical and transdermal cannabinoid products differ in design and purpose, what research shows about each, and why neither is proven for treating conditions.
Skin irritation, allergic reactions and added ingredients in cannabinoid creams, balms and patches, with what safety data exist and when to stop and get medical help.
Which cannabinoid medicines regulators have approved (Epidiolex, dronabinol, nabilone, nabiximols), for what, in which countries we verified, and the main warnings on th…
What large systematic reviews say about cannabis and cannabinoid medicines for medical conditions, with evidence levels by condition, common side effects and the limits …
What research shows for cannabinoids in epilepsy, multiple sclerosis spasticity, Parkinson's disease and anxiety, with approved uses, evidence levels, safety warnings an…
What systematic reviews and guidelines found for cannabis and cannabinoids in chronic pain, with separate sections for neuropathic, cancer and joint pain, side effects a…
What reviews and trials show for cannabis, CBD, THC and CBN in insomnia and sleep, with evidence levels, side effects, withdrawal insomnia and why sleep labels are not p…
Which epilepsy syndromes a prescription CBD medicine is approved for in the US, EU and England, what trials and reviews found, and the liver, sleepiness and interaction …
What regulators and reviews say about approved cannabinoid medicines for chemotherapy nausea and vomiting, how older trials differ from today's care, and why smoked cann…
What Cochrane and other reviews found for cannabinoids in multiple sclerosis spasticity, pain and bladder symptoms, where nabiximols is approved, and the side effects.
What reviews and trials show for CBD, THC and cannabis in anxiety disorders, why THC can worsen anxiety, the limits of small studies, and where to find care.
What reviews show for cannabinoids in PTSD, appetite loss, cancer symptoms, Parkinson's disease, arthritis, dementia and a few other conditions, with evidence levels and…
Plain facts on cannabis side effects, cannabis hyperemesis, psychosis risk, withdrawal and cannabis use disorder, with US emergency and treatment contacts as listed by N…
How CBD and THC can interact with other medicines, what is known about liver effects and acute toxicity, and where the evidence is thin. For education, not advice.
What research shows about cannabis and driving: crash risk, which driving skills are affected, how long impairment can last, and how some laws treat it.
What cannabis dependence and withdrawal are, how common they are, which symptoms are described, and what research says about treatment, with US help lines from NIDA.
Why some people feel anxiety, panic or paranoia after cannabis, who is more likely to, what emergency department data show, and when to get urgent help.
What research shows about cannabis and psychosis, schizophrenia, and mania in bipolar disorder: dose-response patterns, high-potency use, and why the findings show assoc…
What is known about cannabis and the heart and blood vessels: effects on heart rate and blood pressure, links to heart attack and stroke, and what remains uncertain.
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) causes repeated vomiting after long-term heavy cannabis use. What it is, how it is recognized, what research says about treatment,…
Specific CBD and medicine interactions documented on the approved CBD medicine's label and in reviews: clobazam, valproate, warfarin, transplant medicines and more, with…
What the FDA, Health Canada, NIDA and research say about cannabis and CBD in pregnancy and breastfeeding, including birth outcomes, milk transfer and unanswered question…
What research and health agencies report about cannabis and the teen and young-adult years: thinking and school, mood, psychosis, cannabis use disorder and where to find…
What is known and not known about cannabis and CBD in older adults, including falls, thinking, sleep claims and interactions with prescription medicines.
What regulators and trials report about CBD and liver enzyme rises, what is known about THC and liver disease, and why consumer product content is uncertain.
What research says about breathing in cannabis smoke, vapor and concentrates: cough and bronchitis, lung injury linked to vaping, heart and cancer questions, and secondh…
If a child or pet may have swallowed cannabis or a cannabinoid product, call for help now. Signs reported in children and dogs, what poison centers say, and prevention.
How drug tests for THC work, what studies report about how long THC can be detected, and what is known about CBD, hemp foods, topicals and secondhand smoke.
What laboratory studies and the FDA report about CBD and other cannabinoid products that contain more or less than the label says, contaminants, unlisted THC and adulter…
When to call 911, Poison Help or 988 after cannabis or cannabinoid use, with warning signs reported for children, edibles, vaping, repeated vomiting and mental health cr…
How cannabis, hemp and CBD are regulated in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as read from official sources, with notes on what could not be verified.
How "medical" and "adult-use" cannabis are separate legal categories in the United States, what changed federally in 2026, and why neither one means a product is an FDA-…
How United States law defines hemp, the 2018 delta-9 THC test, the 2025 change to a total THC test with a per-container limit, and why the effective date needs checking.
How regulators in the United States and the European Union treat prescription cannabinoid medicines such as Epidiolex, and why approval of a drug does not extend to flow…
How the FDA and European food-safety experts treat consumer CBD products, why "hemp-derived" does not settle legality, and what is still unresolved. Not legal advice.
What the FDA says about hemp seed foods, added THC or CBD in food, and cannabis ingredients in cosmetics, plus the EU novel food position on CBD. Not legal advice.
How United States law, courts and the United Nations treat delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, THC-O and HHC, what the 2025 hemp change would do, and what we could not verify.
Why THCA is a legal question in the United States, how the 2018 delta-9 test and the 2025 total THC test treat it, and which marketing claims to read carefully. Not lega…
What the TSA, US Customs and Border Protection, the FDA and Health Canada say about cannabis at airports and borders, and why state or local legality does not settle it.…
How this library reads, dates and limits its cannabis legal statements, plus a dated snapshot of the 2026 federal rescheduling and the pending hemp definition change. No…
A plain comparison of CBD and THC covering effects, approved medicines, risks, interactions, legal differences and why neither is a universal winner.
CBD and CBG are both non-intoxicating cannabis compounds. This guide compares their chemistry, the evidence behind each, safety questions, and what labels can and cannot…
CBD and CBN are often paired in sleep marketing. This guide compares their origins, what research shows, how they bind in the body, and why the sleep claims need care.
What separates hemp from marijuana in US law and in practice, how hemp seed foods differ from hemp-derived CBD and THC products, and why hemp-derived does not mean safe.
THC and THCA are two forms of one cannabis compound. This guide compares what each is, how heat links them, and why labels and laws treat them differently.
CBD and CBDA are the same cannabis chemistry before and after heat. This guide compares what each is, what research exists, and why one label may list both.
Delta-8 and delta-9 THC are close chemical relatives. This guide compares where each comes from, how they act, what regulators warn about, and why labels need care.
Cannabis flower and cannabis oil are different product forms. This guide compares what they are, how the body takes them in, how labels differ, and the main risks of eac…
CBD oils and gummies are both swallowed products but differ in absorption, labeling and risks. This guide compares them using published reviews and laboratory checks.
Rosin and resin sound alike but mean different things in cannabis. This guide explains the plant resin, retail resin and rosin concentrates, and a pine rosin adulterant.
Distillate and isolate are both refined cannabinoid products. This guide compares what each contains, why the words overlap with full-spectrum and broad-spectrum, and wh…
Plain-language glossary of more than 70 cannabis and cannabinoid terms, from THC and THCA to COA and LOQ, each with a technical note and a link to the guide that owns th…
A strain name is a market label. Two jars with the same name can have very different THC, CBD and terpene levels, and different growers use the same names for different plants. The numbers below are real lab results from specific samples.
Strains with a full profile
The FDA has not approved the cannabis plant for any medical use, but it has approved drugs containing individual cannabinoids for specific conditions. [2]
THC is the cannabinoid mainly responsible for intoxicating effects. CBD is not intoxicating like THC but can cause side effects such as drowsiness and diarrhea. [1]
It depends on the country and, in the US, on the state and how the product is made and sold. The FDA says adding CBD to a food or selling it as a dietary supplement is currently illegal federally (page current as of 2020, read 2026-10-22). [4] Laws change; this is not legal advice.
It depends on the condition, product and person. For example, NCCIH describes a 2018 review of cannabis-based medicines for neuropathic pain that found low- to moderate-quality evidence of better pain relief than placebo, but the data could not be considered reliable. [2] See the research collection for each topic.
Not always. FDA tested some and many did not contain the CBD levels claimed. [4]
No. The library is information only, with no sales, listings or purchase links.
Content last updated . This section has not been medically reviewed.
