Cannabis & Cannabinoids · Cannabinoids · Minor cannabinoid; formed as THC ages; marketed for sleep

CBN (Cannabinol)

Q: What is CBN?

CBN (cannabinol) is a compound found in cannabis, in larger amounts in aged or heated material. A review says it is mainly what THC turns into when air oxidises it. It is not approved as a medicine, and human research is small.

Q: How does CBN form from THC, and why does old cannabis have more of it?

THC reacts with oxygen and slowly becomes CBN, faster with heat, light and acid. In a four-year storage study almost all the THC in warm-stored samples was gone and CBN had risen; freezing kept them stable. That is why CBN rises in old or badly stored cannabis and why a product's CBN may come from ageing.

Q: Does CBN help you sleep?

Not proven. The best sleep-recording trial (20 adults, single nights) missed its main result, though some secondary measures looked better at the higher amount. A 7-night trial funded by a cannabis company also missed its main result but found fewer night wakings. A company-run trial found CBN and melatonin both beat placebo on a self-rated score, with no difference between them, and a 4-week trial with no placebo group found CBN added nothing to CBD.

Q: Why is CBN called the "sleepy cannabinoid"?

It is a marketing nickname from old cannabis lore, where aged flower is said to sedate, and from rat work in which CBN raised sleep. In 1975 five men given CBN alone did not feel drowsy; CBN only added to THC drowsiness. Reviews say the evidence does not yet support the claim.

Q: Does CBN get you high?

Reviews say evidence is mixed and mostly shows CBN alone is not cannabis-like. In mice CBN partly replaced THC in a test, its metabolite is more active at CB1 receptors in rats, and hemp products can hold unlabelled THC. It is not safe to assume you will feel nothing.

Q: What are the side effects?

Short trials found mostly mild, unspecified effects: 247 mild-to-moderate events across three nights in 20 adults, 12% with a side effect in a 4-week study, and no difference from placebo in a company-run trial. Drowsiness is possible, especially with THC. No study looked at months of use.

Q: Can CBN interact with melatonin or medicines?

In the lab CBN strongly blocks the enzyme that breaks down melatonin, and in mice it raised melatonin exposure about four-fold. It also blocks CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2E1, UGT1A9 and UGT2B7. No study in people exists. Ask a pharmacist before combining it with any medicine or sleep aid.

Q: Will CBN show up on a drug test?

It can. In the lab CBN cross-reacted with two common urine screens for THC metabolite, and it added to the signal from THC metabolite. A confirmation test can tell them apart. Hemp products can also carry unlabelled THC.

Q: Do CBN products contain what the label says?

We found no test of CBN-labelled products. Tests of cannabis oils found big gaps: 13 of 17 oils labelled THC-free contained THC, and CBN ranged from 0.04 to 60.10 mg/mL. CBN also forms as THC ages. A batch certificate from an independent lab is the only check.

Q: Is CBN safe in pregnancy, breastfeeding, or for children?

Not shown to be safe. There are no human data. Cell studies show CBN, THC and CBD inhibited womb-lining cell changes needed for pregnancy. The FDA notes concerns about THC-containing cannabis in pregnancy and breastfeeding and says to keep cannabis products from children. In US data, young children who swallowed hemp-derived cannabinoid edibles were admitted to hospital as often or more than with delta-9-THC edibles.

6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentylbenzo[c]chromen-1-ol (C21H26O2; PubChem CID 2543) · also called CBN, cannabinol; marketed as "the sleepy cannabinoid"; its acid form is CBNA

CBN is a compound found in cannabis that forms mainly when THC is oxidised by air, heat and light, so aged cannabis holds more of it. It is marketed for sleep, but human trials are small, mixed or industry-linked, and the best sleep-recording trial missed its main target. No CBN medicine is approved.

General information, not medical advice. Last substantive update October 25, 2026 · Not medically reviewed. A named clinician has not signed off on this page. How this page is made

About CBN (Cannabinol)

CBN (cannabinol) is a cannabis compound that forms mainly as THC ages. It is marketed for sleep. Human research is small: the best sleep-recording trial (20 adults, single nights) missed its main result, a 7-night trial funded by a cannabis company also missed its main result, and a company-run trial found CBN no better than melatonin on a self-rated score. Almost everything else is animal or lab work.

What CBN is, and how it forms from THC

CBN (cannabinol) is a compound found in cannabis. Its formula is C21H26O2. Unlike CBD or THC, a review says no plant pathway that makes CBN has been found. It is mainly what THC turns into: air oxidises THC, and heat, light and warm storage speed it up. A 2026 storage study found THC turned into CBN at room temperature while freezing preserved it.

CBN is weaker than THC at the CB1 receptor, the main target of THC, but it is not simply "THC-free". It was the first cannabinoid isolated in the 19th century, according to a review, and today it is marketed as a sleep aid.

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What the human studies show, including the nulls

The best test is a 20-person trial in Sydney that recorded the sleep of adults with insomnia for single nights. CBN did not change time awake after falling asleep, which was the main target. At 300 mg some secondary results looked better, such as time to fall asleep. A 7-night trial funded by a cannabis company (293 adults, 20 mg) also missed its main result, sleep quality, though fewer night wakings were reported.

A company-run trial, paid for by the maker of the product, found three CBN strengths and melatonin all beat placebo on a self-rated score, with CBN no better than melatonin. A 4-week trial found CBN added nothing to CBD. A 2021 review found the evidence insufficient for the sleep claims, and reviews in 2022 and 2024 say use has outrun the evidence. Studies from the 1970s found CBN alone did not make volunteers feel drugged.

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Animal and laboratory research is not human evidence

In rats CBN increased sleep, and its metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN reached the brain and acted on CB1 receptors. In mice it improved memory in an ageing model, in cats it lowered eye pressure and in the lab it was active against MRSA bacteria and cancer cells.

These findings suggest where to look, not what CBN does in people. Results in animals often fail to carry over, and in the same 1984 experiment CBN also caused eye redness and brain-wave spikes in animals.

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Shop products, ageing and the law

We found no test of whether CBN-labelled products match their labels. In tests of cannabis oils, labels were often wrong: 13 of 17 oils labelled THC-free contained THC, and CBN ranged from 0.04 to 60.10 mg/mL. CBN also forms as THC products age, so CBN in a product may come from ageing.

The US FDA has approved no CBN medicine and does not mention CBN on its cannabis Q&A page. The US federal definition of hemp is changing, with most parts due December 11, 2026; the summary we read does not say how CBN products are treated. In the United Kingdom, cannabinol is listed as a Class B drug in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Rules differ by place; this is not legal advice.

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What the lab numbers show

Our data holds 302 laboratory measurements of CBN in cannabis flower for 247 differently named strains. They come from state testing datasets and two published papers; we did not test anything ourselves. A strain name is only a label: the same name can have very different chemistry, and these are real results from specific samples.

The biggest group is 224 values for 187 names from Maryland (144), Hawaii (15) and Nevada (65) testing data, with test dates from 2017 to 2024. Each is the middle (median) result across the samples of that name, listed as percent by weight (the source does not label the unit column by column, but the size fits percent by weight). Almost all are zero: 112 of 144 Maryland medians, 13 of 15 in Hawaii and all 65 in Nevada. The highest Maryland medians are 0.02, for Blackberry #3, Double Cross, Snoop Dogg OG TC and The Beavs (159 to 681 samples each). In Hawaii the two highest, Granddaddy Purple at 0.69 and Bubba Kush at 0.35, each rest on a single sample with a value.

The same name can differ by place: Granddaddy Purple has a median of 0.0 in Maryland (215 samples) and Nevada (21 samples) but 0.69 in Hawaii (4 samples, 1 with a value). Among our profile strains, Amnesia Haze is 0.01 in Maryland (60 samples), while Blue Dream is 0.0 in all three states (111 samples in Hawaii) and Wedding Cake is 0.0 in Nevada (953 samples).

Two papers use other units and methods, so do not compare them with the state medians. One lists 65 single commercial batches for 56 names (0.000112 to 0.00823), printed under a "% dry wt" column although the size looks like a fraction, so the unit is not verified. The other gives 13 plant lines at 0.02 to 0.06 percent w/w (means of two readings from 1 to 3 plants each; for example Bubba Kush 0.02 and Wappa 0.06).

In plain terms, most fresh licensed flower tested here holds little or no CBN, which fits what reviews say about CBN forming as THC ages. These numbers describe how much CBN the flower held when it was tested. They say nothing about how it will feel, and nothing about CBN oils, gummies or capsules.

At a glance

Traditional uses history, not proof

Cannabis has a long history of use as a whole plant. No traditional use of isolated CBN is described in the sources read; this page covers only the compound. A review says CBN has been used as a marker for narcotic cannabis in archaeological samples because it is so stable (not independently checked).

Studied for research

Insomnia, sleep recorded in a lab (one night): insufficient
Poor sleep at home (7 nights to 4 weeks): very low
Stress and anxiety: insufficient
Whether it is intoxicating: low
Brain protection and memory in mice and cells: insufficient
Appetite, eye pressure, bacteria, cancer cells and ALS model (animal or lab research): insufficient

Main compounds

CBN (cannabinol) itself
THC and THCA, the sources it forms from
CBNA, the acid form
11-hydroxy-CBN, the active liver metabolite

Common forms

CBN isolate in oil, gummies or capsules (used in trials and shops)
Blends of CBN with CBD, melatonin or THC
Aged cannabis flower and extracts, which hold more CBN
Hemp-derived CBN products (not approved medicines)

Research links: FDA: cannabis and CBD questions and answers (does not mention CBN) · PubMed: CBN for insomnia in a placebo-controlled crossover trial (2026) · PubMed: CBN with and without CBD on sleep quality, 7-night trial (2024) · PubMed: Cannabinol and Sleep: Separating Fact from Fiction (review, 2021) · PubChem: cannabinol · Research Library · Genes & Biomarkers Library

What it is and its history

Name: Cannabinol (CBN)
Chemical name: 6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentylbenzo[c]chromen-1-ol
Other names: Cannabinol; CBN; 6,6,9-Trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol; 3-Amyl-1-hydroxy-6,6,9-trimethyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran; Cannabinol [INN:BAN]; CAS 521-35-7; PubChem CID 2543
Common names: CBN (English); Cannabinol (English); "The sleepy cannabinoid" (English (marketing nickname, not a scientific name))
Formula: C21H26O2
Molecular weight: 310.4
CAS number: 521-35-7
PubChem ID: 2543
Chemical class: Phytocannabinoid (a 21-carbon aromatised, tricyclic cannabinoid; an oxidation product of THC)
How the plant makes it: A review says no plant pathway that makes CBN (or its acid, CBNA) has been identified. CBN is mainly a degradation product: THC (or its acid THCA) is oxidised by air to CBN, a change that heat, light and warm storage speed up. THCA-A slowly turns into THC on storage and can degrade further to CBN. A review describes making CBN in the lab by oxidising THC and related compounds; how any shop product is made is not stated in the sources read.
Where it is found: Usually found in small amounts in fresh cannabis flower and in larger amounts in aged or heated material. A review says small amounts of its acid, CBNA, have been found in some hemp samples. Our lab data show CBN at or near zero in most fresh licensed flower tested.
Related or similar compounds: Name: THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol); Note: The cannabinoid CBN forms from. THC causes a high and is controlled in most places; CBN is weaker at the CB1 receptor but not simply "THC-free" in a product.; Name: CBNA (cannabinolic acid); Note: The acid form of CBN, found in small amounts; not the same molecule.; Name: Delta-8-THC and other THC isomers; Note: Different molecules, sometimes sold in the same hemp edibles; they are intoxicating and not CBN.

Traditional use and history history, not clinical proof

Tradition or era	Documented use	Source
Late 19th century	A review says CBN was the first phytocannabinoid isolated, from hashish, and that "cannabinol" was the name given to a red oil from cannabis extract. Its structure was not fully solved until 1940 because of naming confusion and poor plant material.	p36365350
1930s to 1940	The review says Cahn, in the 1930s, separated "raw cannabinol" (the red oil) from the pure compound and worked out most of its structure by breaking it down; the structure was fully solved by 1940.	p36365350
Early cannabis research	The same review says plant material imported to Europe in the early research took months to arrive and was badly stored, so THC fell and CBN rose, which clouded early findings about the effects of cannabis.	p36365350
Archaeology (reported by the review)	The review says that because CBN is very stable it has been used as a marker for narcotic cannabis in archaeological samples, and that seeds from a tomb dated to 750 BC in China still held high levels of it. We have not read the original report.	p36365350
1975	Two controlled studies in volunteers tested oral CBN with and without THC: five men given 50 mg CBN did not feel drugged, and CBN added to THC increased some feelings of drowsiness; another study found no change when CBN was added to THC.	p1221432
1984	An animal study reported that CBN lowered eye pressure in cats but also caused eye and nervous system toxicity.	p6499952
2005 to 2012	Mouse and rat studies reported CBN delayed symptom onset in an ALS model (2005), was active against MRSA bacteria (2008) and increased feeding in rats (2012).	p16183560
2021 to 2026	A 2021 review found no trial of CBN and sleep with questionnaires or sleep recording; trials followed in 2023 to 2026 (a protocol in 2023, a 7-night trial in 2024, a company-run trial in 2024 and a sleep-recording trial published in 2026).	p34468204

History shows how a substance was used or discovered. It does not show that a product works or is safe today.

What is inside, and how it may work

What it contains and how those compounds act in cells and animals. Laboratory and animal mechanisms are not proven effects in people.

Main compounds

Compound	Family	Where it is concentrated	Activity studied	Level of evidence
THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) PubChem 16078	Phytocannabinoid	Not read in the sources Not read	The compound CBN mainly forms from, by oxidation. THC causes a high and acts strongly at CB1 receptors; CBN is weaker there. ^{45 31 55}	Review
THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)	Phytocannabinoid acid	Flowers and leaves (a review: glandular trichomes) A review says it can be up to 90% of the total THC in the plant	THCA-A slowly turns into THC on storage and can degrade further to CBN. PubChem CID not verified here. ³³	Review
CBNA (cannabinolic acid) PubChem 3081990	Phytocannabinoid acid	Not read in the sources A review says small amounts are found in some hemp samples	The acid form of CBN. No plant pathway making it has been identified. ^{46 31}	Review
11-Hydroxy-CBN PubChem 3082311	CBN metabolite	Not applicable	A main liver metabolite of CBN. In rats it reached brain levels as high as CBN and was active at CB1 receptors, comparable to THC in the assay; in cells it bound CB1 and CB2 strongly. ^{47 4 38 50}	Animal and lab
8-Hydroxy-CBN	CBN metabolite	Not applicable	The second main product of CBN in human liver preparations, mostly made by CYP3A4. PubChem CID not checked. ⁵⁰	Lab
CBD (cannabidiol) PubChem 644019	Phytocannabinoid	Not read in the sources Not read	A different cannabinoid. A company toxicology paper says CBN can also form as a decomposition product of CBD; the reviews read describe THC as the source. Mixed CBD+CBN products did not improve sleep over CBN alone in a 7-night trial. ^{48 5 6}	Clinical trial

Mechanisms, receptors and pathways

Target or pathway	Gene or receptor	What was found	Level
Cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2	CB1 (CNR1), CB2 (CNR2)	A review says CBN binds CB1 with about 10 times lower affinity than THC and is less effective at CB1 signalling; at CB2 its potency has been reported as similar to THC in older work and 2 to 4 times lower in newer work. In mice CBN showed measurable CB1 and CB2 binding and partly replaced THC in a discrimination test. Its metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN bound CB1 and CB2 strongly in cells (Ki 38.0 and 26.6 nM) and acted like THC at CB1 in a rat study. ^{31 53 38 4}	Review, lab and animal
TRP ion channels (TRPA1, TRPV channels, TRPM8)	TRPA1, TRPV1, TRPV2, TRPM8	A lab study found CBN a potent agonist of rat TRPA1, and a review says it activates TRPV1 to TRPV4 and blocks TRPM8. The two sources disagree on TRPV2: the lab study says CBN did not potently activate rat TRPV2, so only TRPA1 activation is stated by both. ^{12 31}	Lab
Oxytosis/ferroptosis cell death and mitochondria	Mitochondrial proteins MFN2, DRP1, TFAM, TOM20 (mouse)	In nerve cells CBN blocked a form of cell death by acting on mitochondria. In ageing mice it changed mitochondrial and synaptic markers and improved maze learning and memory. ^{30 11}	Lab and animal
Drug-metabolising enzymes (CYP and UGT)	CYP1A2, CYP1B1, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, UGT1A9, UGT2B7	CBN is broken down by CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 and blocks CYP1A2, CYP1B1, CYP2B6, CYP2C9 and CYP2E1 and the UGT1A9 and UGT2B7 enzymes in the lab. In mice, blocking CYP1A2 raised melatonin exposure about four-fold. ^{50 54 34 35 2}	Lab and animal
Cancer-cell signalling pathways	AKT, ERK, oestrogen receptor, androgen receptor, aromatase	In bile-duct cancer cells CBN lowered AKT and ERK phosphorylation. In breast cancer cells it lowered oestrogen receptor, androgen receptor and aromatase levels. Cells only; not a mechanism of any treatment. ^{29 1}	Lab
Antibacterial action	Not identified	CBN is potent against MRSA in the lab; the authors of one study say the mechanism is specific but still elusive, and another found it caused the highest reactive-oxygen levels in biofilm. ^{3 24}	Lab

Absorption, metabolism and elimination

Absorption: Human data on swallowed CBN were not in the abstracts read, and the Sydney trial's blood-level results were not either. In a 1987 study of six men, about 39% (range 6 to 65%) of smoked CBN reached the blood compared with an intravenous dose. A review says absorption of cannabinoids varies with formulation and route.
Distribution: Volume of distribution was large (50 +/- 23 L/kg) in the 1987 study of six men, which fits a fat-soluble compound. In rats the metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN reached brain levels as high as CBN itself.
Metabolism: In human liver preparations CBN was mainly changed to 11-hydroxy-CBN (mostly by CYP2C enzymes, CYP2C9 in the cell system) and 8-hydroxy-CBN (mostly by CYP3A4).
Elimination: In the 1987 study, mean plasma clearance was 19.1 +/- 2.6 mL/min/kg and the apparent terminal half-life was 32 +/- 17 hours after a vein dose and 43 +/- 29 hours after smoking. Urinary and faecal elimination numbers for CBN were not in the abstracts read.
Bioavailability: About 39% for smoked CBN in six men (1987). Not reported for swallowed CBN in the abstracts read.

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Isolated compounds versus whole extracts

"CBN" on a label can mean a purified isolate, a hemp or cannabis extract in which CBN has formed over time, or a blend with THC, CBD or melatonin. The Sydney insomnia trial used CBN oral liquid at two strengths; the company-run trial used one company's hemp-derived CBN product; the 7-night trial used CBN with or without CBD; the 4-week trial and the pilot used mixed capsules or soft gels. Results from one form cannot be assumed for another, and aged cannabis flower is a different product again.

Nutritional composition

CBN is not a nutrient and has no nutritional claim. The FDA Q&A page read for this page does not mention CBN, and no FDA ruling on CBN as a supplement was found. Not legal advice.

12benefits and uses looked at

55studies and sources checked

Low certaintybest evidence rating found

14lab markers tracked in trials

1 low certainty1 very low certainty10 not enough evidence

What was looked at

The 12 benefits and uses checked for CBN (Cannabinol), each with how strong the evidence is. Tap one to open it.

Insomnia disorder: sleep recorded in a lab (one night)Not enough evidence
Poor sleep quality at home: nightly use for a week or longerVery low certainty
Why CBN is called the "sleepy cannabinoid": rats and 1970s volunteersNot enough evidence
Stress, anxiety and well-beingNot enough evidence
How it feels: is CBN intoxicating?Low certainty
Brain-cell protection and age-related memory loss (mouse and cell research)Not enough evidence
Appetite and food intake (animal research)Not enough evidence
Eye pressure and eye irritation (cat research from 1984)Not enough evidence
Antibacterial activity against MRSA bacteria (laboratory research)Not enough evidence
Cancer cell studies (laboratory research)Not enough evidence
Motor neuron disease model (ALS) in miceNot enough evidence
Pain, inflammation and airway inflammation (animal work described by a review)Not enough evidence

Lab markers tracked in the studies

Time awake after falling asleepTime to fall asleepNumber of night awakeningsSelf-rated sleep quality and sleep disturbanceSleep stages and brain-wave arousalsSelf-rated stressFeeling drugged, dizzy or drowsyTotal sleep time in ratsMaze learning and memory in ageing miceFood eaten by ratsEye pressure in catsMRSA growth and biofilm in the labCancer cell growth in cultureTime to symptom onset in ALS mice

What is CBN (Cannabinol) good for?

The uses people ask about and how strong the evidence is for each. None is an approved use. Most rows are animal or lab research and say so; the sleep rows include trials that missed their main result.

Benefits, one by one

Each card is a research question, not a promise. Tap a goal to filter. Open a card to see the studies, doses and limits.

Insomnia disorder: sleep recorded in a lab (one night)

Not enough evidence

One small crossover trial gave 20 adults with insomnia disorder a single night of CBN or placebo and recorded their sleep. The main result, time awake after falling asleep, did not change. Some secondary results were better on the higher amount. It was one night only.

4 studiesCBN oral liquid, single 30 mg or 300 mg (study amounts, not advice). …

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

One randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-arm, single-night crossover trial in Sydney (20 adults with physician-diagnosed insomnia disorder). The design was published beforehand as a protocol. A 2021 review found no earlier published trial that used sleep questionnaires or sleep recording.

Results

Wake after sleep onset (the main result) did not change with either amount. At the higher amount, secondary measures were better: more NREM-2 sleep, better self-rated sleep quality, shorter time to fall asleep and fewer EEG arousals. There were 247 mild-to-moderate adverse events across all arms.

Effect sizes as reported

Wake after sleep onset: 300 mg -6.3 min (95% CI -18.2 to +5.5); 30 mg -4.0 min (95% CI -15.9 to +7.9). Secondary results at 300 mg: p = 0.03 (NREM-2), 0.005 (sleep quality), 0.004 (onset latency), 0.02 (arousals).

Why this rating

One small single-night trial that missed its main target. Better secondary results after a missed main result are hypotheses, not proof. No repeat by another group and no data on repeated nights in this design.

Form and dose studied

CBN oral liquid, single 30 mg or 300 mg (study amounts, not advice). No amounts are advised here.

Who was studied

Adults aged 25 to 65 with insomnia disorder; 17 of 20 women.

Limits

Single night; 20 people; secondary findings not adjusted as far as the abstract says; authors have links to the cannabis industry (consulting fees) and cannabinoid patents they say are unrelated to sleep.

Why researchers looked

CBN is marketed as a sleep aid. Until 2026 nobody had tested it against placebo with sleep recording in people with insomnia.

Traditional use

No traditional use of isolated CBN is described in the sources read. CBN is found in aged cannabis, and a review says early cannabis research was muddled by old, badly stored material in which THC had turned into CBN.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

No firm mechanism is established. In rats the CBN metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN reaches the brain and acts on CB1 receptors, which may contribute. This has not been shown in people.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

CBN has limited safety data in people. See the Safety tab: side effects were mostly mild in short trials, but repeated use, interactions with other medicines and next-day driving have not been settled. Shop products may not match their labels.

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Poor sleep quality at home: nightly use for a week or longer

Very low certainty

Larger home trials had mixed results. A 7-night placebo-controlled trial (293 adults, funded by a cannabis company) found no significant gain in its main sleep-quality result but fewer night wakings. A company-run trial of a CBN product found three CBN strengths and melatonin all beat placebo on a self-rated score, with no difference between CBN and melatonin. A 4-week trial found CBN added nothing to CBD.

6 studiesOral CBN 20 mg for 7 nights; 25, 50 or 100 mg (company product); 15 m…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Two randomized, double-blind trials with a placebo group: Bonn-Miller 2024 (293 adults, 7 nights, 20 mg CBN with or without CBD) and Kolobaric 2024 (about 1,020 adults, CBN at three strengths, melatonin and placebo). One 4-week randomized trial without a placebo group (1,793 adults, CBN added to CBD or melatonin). A 20-person pilot of a THC + CBN + CBD + terpene soft gel.

Results

Bonn-Miller: the main result, sleep quality, did not reach significance (OR 2.26, 95% CI 0.93 to 5.52). Night awakenings and overall sleep disturbance were lower than placebo; time to fall asleep, time awake after sleep onset and daytime tiredness were not different; adding CBD did not help. Kolobaric: all CBN groups and the melatonin group improved more than placebo, with no difference between CBN and melatonin. Saleska: all groups improved; adding CBN to CBD or melatonin did not improve results. Hausenblas: the combination product beat placebo for several sleep scores, but it also held THC and CBD.

Effect sizes as reported

Sleep quality OR 2.26 (95% CI 0.93 to 5.52, not significant); awakenings p = 0.025; sleep disturbance p = 0.023 (Bonn-Miller). The other abstracts give no numbers.

Why this rating

Two placebo-controlled trials, but one missed its main result and was funded by a cannabis company, and the other was run by a company paid by the maker of the CBN product; sleep was self-rated and abstracts give few numbers. The 4-week trial had no placebo group. The combination pilot cannot isolate CBN.

Form and dose studied

Oral CBN 20 mg for 7 nights; 25, 50 or 100 mg (company product); 15 mg added to CBD (4 weeks). These are study amounts, not advice.

Who was studied

Adults with poor sleep or sleep complaints, 18 to 55 in one trial.

Limits

Self-rated sleep; short; industry funding or company-run trials; the 4-week study cannot show CBN works because there was no placebo; no objective sleep recording in these trials.

Why researchers looked

Most people who use CBN take it at home for poor sleep. Home trials test the real use, though with self-rated sleep rather than sleep recording.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

No firm mechanism is established for sleep effects in people.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

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Why CBN is called the "sleepy cannabinoid": rats and 1970s volunteers

Not enough evidence

In rats, CBN increased total sleep time, and its metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN reached the brain at similar levels and was active at the cannabis CB1 receptor. In the 1970s, five men given 50 mg CBN by mouth did not feel drugged or sleepy; CBN only added to THC effects. The "sleepy" label grew out of old cannabis lore and animal findings.

6 studiesCBN by mouth, 40 to 50 mg, with or without THC (1975 studies); doses …

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Animal research: one rat polysomnography study (2025) and a 1975 study in rabbits, rats and mice. Human: two 1975 controlled studies (5 men; and volunteers given THC with or without CBN).

Results

Rats: CBN increased total sleep time after an early dip, raising both NREM and REM sleep; the NREM effect was comparable to zolpidem. Animals: CBN mixed with THC gave combined depressant effects. People (1975): CBN 50 mg alone did not make five men feel drugged or drowsy; with THC they felt more drugged, dizzy and drowsy; in another study CBN 40 mg added nothing detectable to THC 20 mg.

Effect sizes as reported

No numbers in the abstracts.

Why this rating

Rat work is not human evidence; the human studies are from 1975, tiny or lacking details, and did not record sleep. They do not show CBN causes sleep on its own.

Form and dose studied

CBN by mouth, 40 to 50 mg, with or without THC (1975 studies); doses not stated for rats. These are study amounts, not advice.

Who was studied

Male volunteers (1975); rats and other animals.

Limits

Animal findings may not carry over; 1970s human studies had few volunteers; sleep was not measured.

Why researchers looked

Old cannabis holds more CBN and is said to be more sedating. Animal and early human work was done to see whether CBN itself is sedating.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Lab animal

Rat study: CBN raised NREM and REM sleep; 11-hydroxy-CBN reached equal brain levels and was active at CB1 receptors. Animal research.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

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Stress, anxiety and well-being

Not enough evidence

In the company-run CBN sleep trial, the 100 mg group had a bigger fall in stress score than placebo. There was no difference from placebo in anxiety or well-being scores. These were extra (exploratory) measures.

1 studiesHemp-derived CBN, 25, 50 or 100 mg (study amounts, not advice).

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

One randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with about 1,020 adults across five arms (exploratory outcomes). No trial aimed at stress or anxiety was found.

Results

Participants taking 100 mg showed a larger decrease in stress than placebo. There were no significant differences from placebo in anxiety or well-being at any amount.

Effect sizes as reported

No numbers in the abstract.

Why this rating

Exploratory outcomes in a company-run trial, one amount out of three, no numbers given.

Form and dose studied

Hemp-derived CBN, 25, 50 or 100 mg (study amounts, not advice).

Who was studied

Adults in a sleep trial.

Limits

Extra (exploratory) outcomes; self-rated; company-linked; no trial in people with anxiety or stress disorders.

Why researchers looked

People who use CBN for sleep often hope for calm too. The trial collected stress and anxiety scores as extra outcomes.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

No mechanism established in the sources read.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

²²

How it feels: is CBN intoxicating?

Low certainty

Reviews say the evidence is mixed, mostly showing CBN alone does not cause a cannabis-like high. Five men given 50 mg by mouth did not feel drugged. In mice, CBN partly stood in for THC in a test of THC-like effects. CBN does add to THC effects.

6 studiesOral CBN 40 to 50 mg (1975 studies, with and without THC). These are …

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Human: a 2021 review, a 2018 systematic review, and two 1975 controlled studies in volunteers. Mouse: a 2024 drug-discrimination study.

Results

The 2021 review found the majority of studies show no cannabis-like effect from CBN itself, but called the evidence mixed. In the 1975 study CBN alone had no effect on the measures, and with THC the volunteers felt more drugged, drunk, dizzy and drowsy than with THC alone. In mice, CBN and delta-10-THC partly replaced THC in a discrimination test. Hollister 1975 found no detectable change when CBN was added to THC.

Effect sizes as reported

No numbers in the abstracts.

Why this rating

Evidence comes from small old human studies, reviews and mice. It is consistent that CBN alone is weak; it is not settled, and products may also contain THC.

Form and dose studied

Oral CBN 40 to 50 mg (1975 studies, with and without THC). These are study amounts, not advice.

Who was studied

Five or a few male volunteers (1975); mice.

Limits

Old, tiny studies; no modern controlled study of impairment from CBN alone; hemp products can hold unlabelled THC (see Safety).

Why researchers looked

People ask whether CBN is "non-intoxicating". The answer matters for driving, work and drug testing.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

CBN binds CB1 and CB2 receptors more weakly than THC (a review says CB1 affinity is about 10 times lower). Its metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN is much more active at CB1 in rats.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

^{10 7 20 16 53 4}

Brain-cell protection and age-related memory loss (mouse and cell research)

Not enough evidence

Cell and fly studies found CBN protects nerve cells from a type of cell death, and in an ageing mouse model it improved maze learning and memory, more in females. This is animal and laboratory research only.

2 studiesCBN in mice and cells; doses not stated in the abstracts.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No human trial. Mouse research (SAMP8 accelerated-ageing mice, 2025) and cell and fruit fly research (2024).

Results

In mice, CBN improved spatial learning and memory, with stronger effects in females, and changed markers of mitochondrial health and synaptic proteins. In cells and flies, lab-made CBN analogues kept CBN's protective activity, and one did better than CBN in a fly head-injury model.

Effect sizes as reported

No numbers in the abstracts.

Why this rating

Animal and cell research only. Many compounds work in mice and fail in people.

Form and dose studied

CBN in mice and cells; doses not stated in the abstracts.

Who was studied

Mice, cultured nerve cells and fruit flies.

Limits

Single mouse model; effects differ by sex; no human data.

Why researchers looked

CBN was found in cell screens to protect neurons by acting on mitochondria, so researchers tested it in an ageing mouse model.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Lab animal

Cell studies describe CBN preserving mitochondrial function and blocking oxytosis/ferroptosis cell death; the ageing mouse study found changes in mitochondrial and synaptic proteins.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

^{11 30}

Appetite and food intake (animal research)

Not enough evidence

In rats that had already eaten, CBN made them start eating sooner and eat more, and a CB1 blocker prevented it. No human trial has tested CBN for appetite.

2 studiesCBN by mouth in rats; doses not in the abstract.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No human study found. One rat study (2012).

Results

CBN by mouth shortened the delay before rats fed, increased the size and length of the first meal and increased total food eaten. CBD reduced total food eaten, and CBG had no effect.

Effect sizes as reported

No numbers in the abstract.

Why this rating

Rat study with no numbers in the abstract and no human study.

Form and dose studied

CBN by mouth in rats; doses not in the abstract.

Who was studied

Adult male rats.

Limits

Animal research only.

Why researchers looked

THC raises appetite through the CB1 receptor. Researchers asked whether CBN, which is weaker, does the same.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Lab animal

In rats the appetite effect was blocked by a CB1 receptor antagonist, so it appears to work through CB1. Animal research.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

No human safety data come from these animal or laboratory studies. See the Safety tab for what is known in people.

^{13 31}

Eye pressure and eye irritation (cat research from 1984)

Not enough evidence

In cats, CBN eye drops lowered eye pressure, most with a 9-day pump, but CBN also caused redness and congestion of the eye surface. In rats, high CBN doses produced brain-wave spikes. The authors called these toxic effects, as seen with THC.

2 studiesCBN eye drops or pump in cats; injection in rats.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No human study found. One animal study from 1984 in cats and rats.

Results

Eye pressure: modest effect after a single drop and a larger fall with chronic delivery by pump. CBN, unlike CBG, caused conjunctival erythema and hyperemia. In rats, systemic CBN (20 to 80 mg per kg) produced 8 to 13 Hz polyspike discharges in the brain-wave recording while awake and in REM sleep.

Effect sizes as reported

No numbers in the abstract.

Why this rating

Old animal study, no human work; CBN caused toxicity in the same tests.

Form and dose studied

CBN eye drops or pump in cats; injection in rats.

Who was studied

Cats and rats.

Limits

Old; animal only; side effects seen in the same experiment.

Why researchers looked

Marijuana lowers eye pressure, so researchers tested whether CBN or CBG could do so without the side effects.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

Not established in the sources read.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

No human safety data come from these animal or laboratory studies. See the Safety tab for what is known in people.

^{8 31}

Antibacterial activity against MRSA bacteria (laboratory research)

Not enough evidence

In the lab, CBN killed or slowed MRSA bacteria at low concentrations and was the most potent of five cannabinoids against MRSA biofilm. This is test-tube work and does not show CBN treats an infection in people.

3 studiesPure CBN in lab cultures.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No human study found. Laboratory research (2008 and 2025) on MRSA cultures.

Results

All five major cannabinoids, including CBN, were potent against several MRSA strains. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were 1 to 2 micrograms per mL. CBN had the strongest effect on biofilm mass and bacterial viability.

Effect sizes as reported

MIC 1 to 2 micrograms per mL for all five cannabinoids (CBN most potent against biofilm).

Why this rating

Test-tube work only.

Form and dose studied

Pure CBN in lab cultures.

Who was studied

MRSA cultures.

Limits

Not tested in animals or people in the studies read.

Why researchers looked

MRSA resists many antibiotics, so researchers screened cannabinoids for activity.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

The way it works is not known. In biofilm tests CBN caused the highest levels of reactive oxygen species.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

No human safety data come from these animal or laboratory studies. See the Safety tab for what is known in people.

^{3 24 31}

Cancer cell studies (laboratory research)

Not enough evidence

In dishes, CBN slowed the growth of bile-duct and breast cancer cells and caused cell death. In mice, the bile-duct study reports slower tumour growth for THC; the abstract does not report this for CBN. These findings do not show CBN treats cancer.

2 studiesCBN applied to cells.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No human study found. Cell and mouse research (2022, 2025).

Results

CBN reduced growth and movement of cholangiocarcinoma cells and induced cell death; in breast cancer cells it had the strongest effects of four minor cannabinoids on cell cycle, cell death and spheroid growth. In the mouse tumour study, a significant effect is reported for THC.

Effect sizes as reported

No numbers in the abstracts.

Why this rating

Cell work only; no human or reliable animal evidence for CBN.

Form and dose studied

CBN applied to cells.

Who was studied

Human cancer cell lines and nude mice.

Limits

Cells and mice; relevance to people unknown.

Why researchers looked

Cannabinoids are screened for effects on cancer cells in the lab; CBN has been tested alongside THC and other minor cannabinoids.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

Bile-duct cancer cells: lower AKT, GSK-3 and ERK signalling. Breast cancer cells: lower oestrogen receptor, androgen receptor and aromatase levels.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

No human safety data come from these animal or laboratory studies. See the Safety tab for what is known in people.

^{29 1}

Motor neuron disease model (ALS) in mice

Not enough evidence

In a mouse model of ALS, CBN delivered by pump delayed the start of symptoms by over two weeks but did not extend survival. This is a 2005 mouse study.

1 studiesCBN by mini-pump, 5 mg per kg per day (study amount, not advice).

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No human study found. One mouse study (2005).

Results

Symptom onset was delayed by more than two weeks; survival was not changed.

Effect sizes as reported

Onset delayed by more than 2 weeks; no survival benefit.

Why this rating

One old mouse study; no survival benefit; no human data.

Form and dose studied

CBN by mini-pump, 5 mg per kg per day (study amount, not advice).

Who was studied

SOD1 (G93A) transgenic mice.

Limits

Animal research only; a delay in onset is not a treatment.

Why researchers looked

THC has effects in ALS mouse models but is intoxicating, so researchers tested the non-intoxicating CBN.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

Not established in the sources read.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

No human safety data come from these animal or laboratory studies. See the Safety tab for what is known in people.

⁵²

Pain, inflammation and airway inflammation (animal work described by a review)

Not enough evidence

A 2022 review says CBN reduced muscle pain sensitivity in rats and reduced airway inflammation in allergic mice. We read only the review, not the original studies, so we cannot check these details.

2 studiesNot stated in the review text read.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No human study found. Animal work as described by a review (2022); the original studies were not read.

Results

The review reports that CBN reduced mechanical sensitivity caused by nerve-growth-factor injections in rat jaw muscle (more with CBD in a 1:1 mix), and reduced interleukin production and mucus in allergic mice. We did not read these original reports.

Effect sizes as reported

Not given in the review text read.

Why this rating

Animal findings summarised secondhand by a review; no human trial.

Who was studied

Rats and mice.

Limits

Secondhand summary; animal only.

Why researchers looked

CBN acts on receptors and ion channels involved in pain and inflammation in the lab.

Traditional use

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

CBN activates the TRPA1 channel and binds CB2 receptors in the lab (review and a lab study).

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

No human safety data come from these animal or laboratory studies. See the Safety tab for what is known in people.

^{31 12}

Connections to the rest of health

How CBN (Cannabinol) connects to the rest of our health knowledge graph. Every link says what kind of connection it is. A safety link (for example to the liver) is a warning, not a benefit. A study that merely mentions a topic never creates a benefit link.

Explore every connection: goals, body systems, organs, symptoms, genes

Kind of connection Connected to Search

A. Wellness goals

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Better Sleep		Not enough evidence	Insomnia disorder: sleep recorded in a lab (one night): One small crossover trial gave 20 adults with insomnia disorder a single night of CBN or placebo and recorded their sleep. The main result, time awake after falling asleep, did not change. Some secondary results were better on the higher amount. It was one night only. Poor sleep quality at home: nightly use for a week or longer: Larger home trials had mixed results. A 7-night placebo-controlled trial (293 adults, funded by a cannabis company) found no significant gain in its main sleep-quality result but fewer night wakings. A company-run trial of a CBN product found three CBN strengths and melatonin all beat placebo on a self-rated score, with no difference between CBN and melatonin. A 4-week trial found CBN added nothing to CBD.	^{28 26 10 25 6 22 39 15 27}
Sleep Quality		Not enough evidence	Insomnia disorder: sleep recorded in a lab (one night): One small crossover trial gave 20 adults with insomnia disorder a single night of CBN or placebo and recorded their sleep. The main result, time awake after falling asleep, did not change. Some secondary results were better on the higher amount. It was one night only. Poor sleep quality at home: nightly use for a week or longer: Larger home trials had mixed results. A 7-night placebo-controlled trial (293 adults, funded by a cannabis company) found no significant gain in its main sleep-quality result but fewer night wakings. A company-run trial of a CBN product found three CBN strengths and melatonin all beat placebo on a self-rated score, with no difference between CBN and melatonin. A 4-week trial found CBN added nothing to CBD.	^{28 26 10 25 6 22 39 15 27}
Better Sleep		Not enough evidence	Why CBN is called the "sleepy cannabinoid": rats and 1970s volunteers: In rats, CBN increased total sleep time, and its metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN reached the brain at similar levels and was active at the cannabis CB1 receptor. In the 1970s, five men given 50 mg CBN by mouth did not feel drugged or sleepy; CBN only added to THC effects. The "sleepy" label grew out of old cannabis lore and animal findings.	^{4 41 20 16 10 31}
Stress Relief		Not enough evidence	Stress, anxiety and well-being: In the company-run CBN sleep trial, the 100 mg group had a bigger fall in stress score than placebo. There was no difference from placebo in anxiety or well-being scores. These were extra (exploratory) measures.	²²
Anxiety		Not enough evidence	Stress, anxiety and well-being: In the company-run CBN sleep trial, the 100 mg group had a bigger fall in stress score than placebo. There was no difference from placebo in anxiety or well-being scores. These were extra (exploratory) measures.	²²
Mental Wellbeing		Low certainty	How it feels: is CBN intoxicating?: Reviews say the evidence is mixed, mostly showing CBN alone does not cause a cannabis-like high. Five men given 50 mg by mouth did not feel drugged. In mice, CBN partly stood in for THC in a test of THC-like effects. CBN does add to THC effects.	^{10 7 20 16 53 4}
Focus And Memory	Preliminary mechanism	Not enough evidence	Brain-cell protection and age-related memory loss (mouse and cell research): Cell and fly studies found CBN protects nerve cells from a type of cell death, and in an ageing mouse model it improved maze learning and memory, more in females. This is animal and laboratory research only.	^{11 30}
Brain Health	Preliminary mechanism	Not enough evidence	Brain-cell protection and age-related memory loss (mouse and cell research): Cell and fly studies found CBN protects nerve cells from a type of cell death, and in an ageing mouse model it improved maze learning and memory, more in females. This is animal and laboratory research only.	^{11 30}
Healthy Appetite		Not enough evidence	Appetite and food intake (animal research): In rats that had already eaten, CBN made them start eating sooner and eat more, and a CB1 blocker prevented it. No human trial has tested CBN for appetite.	^{13 31}
Eye Health		Not enough evidence	Eye pressure and eye irritation (cat research from 1984): In cats, CBN eye drops lowered eye pressure, most with a 9-day pump, but CBN also caused redness and congestion of the eye surface. In rats, high CBN doses produced brain-wave spikes. The authors called these toxic effects, as seen with THC.	^{8 31}
Immune Wellness		Not enough evidence	Antibacterial activity against MRSA bacteria (laboratory research): In the lab, CBN killed or slowed MRSA bacteria at low concentrations and was the most potent of five cannabinoids against MRSA biofilm. This is test-tube work and does not show CBN treats an infection in people. Cancer cell studies (laboratory research): In dishes, CBN slowed the growth of bile-duct and breast cancer cells and caused cell death. In mice, the bile-duct study reports slower tumour growth for THC; the abstract does not report this for CBN. These findings do not show CBN treats cancer.	^{3 24 31 29 1}
Brain Health		Not enough evidence	Motor neuron disease model (ALS) in mice: In a mouse model of ALS, CBN delivered by pump delayed the start of symptoms by over two weeks but did not extend survival. This is a 2005 mouse study.	⁵²
Pain Relief		Not enough evidence	Pain, inflammation and airway inflammation (animal work described by a review): A 2022 review says CBN reduced muscle pain sensitivity in rats and reduced airway inflammation in allergic mice. We read only the review, not the original studies, so we cannot check these details.	^{31 12}

B. Body systems

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Nervous System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Insomnia disorder: sleep recorded in a lab (one night) Studied for: Poor sleep quality at home: nightly use for a week or longer	^{28 26 10 25 6 22 39 15 27 4 41 20 16 31 7 53 11 30 13 8 52 12}
Sleep Recovery	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Insomnia disorder: sleep recorded in a lab (one night) Studied for: Poor sleep quality at home: nightly use for a week or longer	^{28 26 10 25 6 22 39 15 27 4 41 20 16 31}
Stress Mood	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Stress, anxiety and well-being	²²
Digestive System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Appetite and food intake (animal research)	^{13 31}
Immune System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Antibacterial activity against MRSA bacteria (laboratory research) Studied for: Cancer cell studies (laboratory research)	^{3 24 31 29 1 12}

C. Body parts and organs

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Nervous system		Very low certainty	Sleep-recording trial missed its main result; home trials mixed; drowsiness added to THC in 1975. Preparation or compound: CBN oral, 20 mg to 300 mg in trials	^{28 6 20}
Liver		Very low certainty	No loss of liver-cell viability in a dish and no adverse effects in a 90-day rat study; no human liver data. Preparation or compound: CBN in human liver cells and rats	^{40 5}

E. Health conditions

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome		Very low certainty	Serum CBN, CBD, CBG and THC levels did not differ between patients with the syndrome and those with acute intoxication. Preparation or compound: Serum CBN in emergency patients	⁴²

I. Biomarkers

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Urine THC immunoassay screen		Low certainty	CBN cross-reacted with two commercial screens in the lab. Preparation or compound: CBN spiked into urine	²³
Time awake after falling asleep	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: no change. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{28 6}
Time to fall asleep	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: mixed. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{28 6}
Number of night awakenings	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	⁶
Self-rated sleep quality and sleep disturbance	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: mixed. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{28 6 22 39}
Sleep stages and brain-wave arousals	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²⁸
Self-rated stress	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²²
Feeling drugged, dizzy or drowsy	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: mixed. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{20 16}
Total sleep time in rats	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	⁴
Maze learning and memory in ageing mice	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹¹
Food eaten by rats	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹³
Eye pressure in cats	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	⁸
MRSA growth and biofilm in the lab	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{3 24}
Cancer cell growth in culture	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{29 1}
Time to symptom onset in ALS mice	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	⁵²

J. Genes, receptors and enzymes

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
CYP1A2		Very low certainty	CBN potently blocked CYP1A2 and raised melatonin exposure about four-fold in mice. Preparation or compound: CBN in the lab and in mice	^{2 54}
CYP2C9		Very low certainty	CYP2C9 helps break down CBN, and CBN blocks CYP2C9 in the lab; interactions in people unknown. Preparation or compound: CBN in the lab	^{50 34}
CYP1A2	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	Breaks down melatonin and caffeine; CBN blocks it strongly in the lab and raised melatonin exposure in mice.	^{54 2}
CYP2C9, CYP3A4	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	Main enzymes that break down CBN; CBN also blocks CYP2C9 in the lab. Effects in people unknown.	^{50 34}
CYP2B6, CYP2E1, UGT1A9, UGT2B7	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	Other enzymes CBN blocks in the lab.	^{34 35}
CB1 (CNR1) and CB2 (CNR2)	Preliminary mechanism	Review	Cannabinoid receptors; CBN binds both more weakly than THC, and its metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN is more active.	^{31 38 4}
TRPA1	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	Ion channel activated by CBN in the lab.	^{12 31}

L. Active compounds

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol)	Biological association	Review	The compound CBN mainly forms from, by oxidation. THC causes a high and acts strongly at CB1 receptors; CBN is weaker there. Preparation or compound: Not read in the sources	^{45 31 55}
THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)	Biological association	Review	THCA-A slowly turns into THC on storage and can degrade further to CBN. PubChem CID not verified here. Preparation or compound: Flowers and leaves (a review: glandular trichomes)	³³
CBNA (cannabinolic acid)	Biological association	Review	The acid form of CBN. No plant pathway making it has been identified. Preparation or compound: Not read in the sources	^{46 31}
11-Hydroxy-CBN	Biological association	Animal and lab	A main liver metabolite of CBN. In rats it reached brain levels as high as CBN and was active at CB1 receptors, comparable to THC in the assay; in cells it bound CB1 and CB2 strongly.	^{47 4 38 50}
8-Hydroxy-CBN	Biological association	Lab	The second main product of CBN in human liver preparations, mostly made by CYP3A4. PubChem CID not checked.	⁵⁰
CBD (cannabidiol)	Biological association	Trial	A different cannabinoid. A company toxicology paper says CBN can also form as a decomposition product of CBD; the reviews read describe THC as the source. Mixed CBD+CBN products did not improve sleep over CBN alone in a 7-night trial. Preparation or compound: Not read in the sources	^{48 5 6}

Each connection is stored with the ingredient, the connected record, the kind of connection, the evidence status, the supporting studies, the preparation or compound involved, and a review date (last reviewed October 25, 2026).

Evidence at a glance: what changed in 13 lab markers

Tap a number to show only those markers. Counts are markers, not people.

Other553

The evidence

The research centre for CBN (Cannabinol). Every record here was checked against PubMed or the publisher's page; we never list a study we have not verified.

Evidence by outcome

Insomnia disorder: sleep recorded in a lab (one night) 4 studies · 20 people in trials Not enough evidence Poor sleep quality at home: nightly use for a week or longer 6 studies · 3,126 people in trials Very low certainty Why CBN is called the "sleepy cannabinoid": rats and 1970s volunteers 6 studies Not enough evidence Stress, anxiety and well-being 1 study · 1,020 people in trials Not enough evidence How it feels: is CBN intoxicating? 6 studies Low certainty Brain-cell protection and age-related memory loss (mouse and cell research) 2 studies Not enough evidence Appetite and food intake (animal research) 2 studies Not enough evidence Eye pressure and eye irritation (cat research from 1984) 2 studies Not enough evidence Antibacterial activity against MRSA bacteria (laboratory research) 3 studies Not enough evidence Cancer cell studies (laboratory research) 2 studies Not enough evidence Motor neuron disease model (ALS) in mice 1 study Not enough evidence Pain, inflammation and airway inflammation (animal work described by a review) 2 studies Not enough evidence

Bars show how many studies we found for each outcome, not how well it works. People are added up across trials only (reviews are not added, to avoid double counting).

How we rate evidence

High certainty

Several well-run trials or reviews agree; further research is unlikely to change the picture much.

Moderate certainty

Good trials point the same way, but some doubt remains.

Low certainty

Small, short or inconsistent trials. The finding could change with better research.

Very low certainty

Very little or very weak human data. Treat as a possibility only.

Mixed findings

Trials or reviews disagree with each other.

Not enough evidence

Not enough human research to say either way.

Evidence against

Good research found no benefit, or found harm.

We take the reviewers' own risk-of-bias and GRADE statements where they exist, and otherwise judge from study size, design, consistency, directness and whether a product matches what is sold. Many publications do not make evidence high. Method note: We searched PubMed and read the abstracts of the studies cited, read the FDA cannabis questions-and-answers page, a Congressional Research Service summary of the new US hemp definition and the UK Misuse of Drugs Act schedule, and read parts of an open-access review in full. Compound identity was checked in PubChem. Lab numbers come from a table of published and state testing data and are not our own testing.

Study library: every study we checked 55

Design Research type Year from Search

Study	Design	People	Product, dose, length	Result
Almeida 2025 Impact of minor cannabinoids on key pharmacological targets of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids · PMID 40615070 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells	Oestrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7aro) in flat and 3D culture	CBG, CBDV, CBN and CBC · vs Untreated cells	The four cannabinoids disturbed the cell cycle, caused cell death and slowed growth of spheroids. CBN lowered oestrogen receptor, androgen receptor and aromatase levels, and had the strongest effects. CBN had the strongest effects among four minor cannabinoids in breast cancer cells Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Cell cycle, cell death, spheroid growth, oestrogen receptor, androgen receptor and aromatase levels Limitations: Cell work only. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Anderson 2025 Preclinical Evidence for a Drug-Drug Interaction Between Cannabinol and Melatonin. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol · PMID 39722474 · DOI	Animal research mouse and human enzymes in the lab	Human liver enzyme assays and mice	CBN with melatonin · vs Melatonin without CBN	CBN strongly blocked the CYP1A2 enzyme that breaks down melatonin and, in mice, raised the apparent oral availability of melatonin, with about four times the plasma melatonin exposure. The abstract says CBN had earlier been shown to block CYP1A2 breakdown of caffeine. Four-fold higher melatonin exposure in mice given CBN Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Melatonin breakdown by CYP1A2; melatonin level in blood Limitations: Mouse and test-tube work; a person's response is unknown. Some products pair CBN with melatonin. Funding and conflicts: Funded by the Lambert Initiative (philanthropic); no conflicts declared in the record. Read: abstract
Appendino 2008 Antibacterial cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa: a structure-activity study. J Nat Prod · PMID 18681481 · DOI	Laboratory research bacteria in culture	Lab cultures of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains	Five major cannabinoids including CBN, and chemical variants · vs Other cannabinoids	All five major cannabinoids, including CBN, were potent against several clinically relevant MRSA strains. The authors worked out which parts of the molecule matter and say the way it works is still unknown. Active against MRSA in the lab Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Antibacterial activity against MRSA strains Limitations: Test-tube work; nothing here shows CBN treats an infection in people. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Arnold 2025 A sleepy cannabis constituent: cannabinol and its active metabolite influence sleep architecture in rats. Neuropsychopharmacology · PMID 39528623 · DOI	Animal research rat	Rats (number not stated in the abstract); polysomnography sleep recording	CBN and its metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN Doses not stated in the abstract · vs Vehicle; zolpidem for comparison	CBN increased total sleep time, after an early period of reduced sleep. It increased both NREM and REM sleep. The NREM effect was about as large as zolpidem, which did not change REM sleep. The metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN reached brain levels as high as CBN itself, was active at CB1 receptors with potency and efficacy comparable to THC (CBN itself was much weaker), and also changed sleep patterns. Longer total sleep time in rats; active metabolite Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Total sleep time, NREM and REM sleep, brain levels of CBN and 11-hydroxy-CBN, CB1 receptor activity Limitations: Rats are not people. The abstract gives no doses or numbers. Funding and conflicts: Funded by the University of Sydney Lambert Initiative (philanthropic). Authors disclose patents on cannabinoid therapeutics and consulting fees. Read: abstract
Bauter 2026 Investigation into the oral toxicity profile of TruCBN™. Toxicol Rep · PMID 42383225 · DOI	Animal research rat	Sprague-Dawley rats, males and females (numbers not in the abstract)	A proprietary high-purity CBN isolate (TruCBN), by mouth 0, 100, 200 and 400 mg per kg per day (study amounts, not advice) 14 days and 90 days · vs Vehicle control	No adverse effects were attributed to the isolate at any amount. The 90-day study gave a no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 400 mg per kg per day. NOAEL 400 mg/kg/day in rats (90 days) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Clinical signs, body weight, food intake, nervous system tests, blood tests, organ examination Limitations: Rat study of one company's isolate; the abstract does not say who funded it. Not a safety guarantee for people. Funding and conflicts: The abstract does not state funding. The product tested is a named proprietary product of a CBN producer (the same maker as the TruCBN sleep trial); the authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Bonn-Miller 2024 A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the safety and effects of CBN with and without CBD on sleep quality. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol · PMID 37796540 · DOI	Controlled trial	293 Adults aged 18-55 who rated their own sleep quality as "very poor" or "poor" (modified intent-to-treat 293)	Cannabinol (CBN) alone or with CBD, oral 20 mg CBN alone; 20 mg CBN + 10, 20 or 100 mg CBD (study amounts, not advice) Seven consecutive nights · vs Placebo	Compared with placebo, 20 mg CBN improved sleep quality by an amount that was not statistically significant. It reduced the number of awakenings and overall sleep disturbance. There was no difference in time to fall asleep, wake after sleep onset or daytime fatigue. Adding CBD did not add benefit. Sleep quality: odds ratio 2.26 (95% CI 0.93 to 5.52), p = 0.082 (not significant). Number of awakenings p = 0.025; overall sleep disturbance p = 0.023 (Sleep quality OR 2.26 (95% CI 0.93 to 5.52)) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Sleep quality (primary); sleep onset latency, number of awakenings, wake after sleep onset, sleep disturbance and daytime fatigue (secondary) Limitations: Seven nights only; the main (primary) result was not statistically significant; sleep was self-rated; the abstract reports no adverse event numbers. Funding and conflicts: Grant listed in the PubMed record: Canopy Growth Corporation, a cannabis company. The record carries no separate conflict-of-interest statement. Read: abstract
Casajuana Köguel 2018 Psychoactive constituents of cannabis and their clinical implications: a systematic review. Adicciones · PMID 28492950 · DOI	Systematic review human (review)	40 original papers on the psychoactive constituents of cannabis (papers before March 2016)	THC, 8-THC, CBN and 11-hydroxy-THC	Of the natural cannabinoids, THC, delta-8-THC and CBN had clinical relevance for psychoactivity. THC contributes most; because other cannabinoids are less potent and present in smaller amounts, they have a weak influence on the final effect. CBN has weaker psychoactivity than THC Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Which natural cannabinoids add to cannabis psychoactivity Limitations: Search ended in March 2016; the abstract does not give CBN numbers. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts listed. Read: abstract
Colasanti 1984 Intraocular pressure, ocular toxicity and neurotoxicity after administration of cannabinol or cannabigerol. Exp Eye Res · PMID 6499952 · DOI	Animal research cat and rat	Cats (eye studies) and rats (brain-wave studies)	CBN and CBG Cats: 250, 500 or 1000 micrograms as one eye drop, or about 20 micrograms an hour by pump for 9 days; rats: 20, 40 or 80 mg per kg by injection (study amounts, not advice) Single doses and 9 days · vs Untreated eye / vehicle	CBN had a modest effect on eye pressure after one drop and a bigger fall with the 9-day pump. CBN, but not CBG, caused redness and congestion of the eye surface. In rats, CBN at 20 to 80 mg per kg produced 8 to 13 Hz spike discharges in the brain-wave recording while awake and in REM sleep; CBG did not. The authors say CBN, like THC, caused eye and nervous system toxicity in these tests. Eye pressure fell in cats; CBN also caused eye redness and brain-wave spikes Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Pressure inside the eye, eye redness, brain-wave (electrocorticogram) recordings Limitations: 1984 animal study; unsuitable as a guide for people. Funding and conflicts: US government research support; no conflicts. Read: abstract
Congressional Research Service 2026 Changes to the Statutory Definition of Hemp and Implications for Agricultural Policy (CRS In Focus IF13136), updated September 28, 2026 CRS In Focus · Source	Authoritative guidance n/a	n/a	n/a	Describes the 2018 farm bill definition (0.3% delta-9 THC) and the change made by P.L. 119-37 (total THC including THCA, 0.3% on a dry weight basis; exclusions for cannabinoids not capable of being naturally produced by the plant or synthesized outside it; a limit of 0.4 mg total THC and similar cannabinoids per container for final products). The effective date was delayed for most portions to December 11, 2026; some portions take effect November 12, 2026. It says FDA lists of cannabinoids had not been published as of September 28, 2026. It does not name CBN. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: How the US federal definition of hemp is changing Limitations: A three-page summary; it does not say how CBN products are treated. Read: full-text
Corroon 2021 Cannabinol and Sleep: Separating Fact from Fiction. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res · PMID 34468204 · DOI	Narrative review human (review)	Narrative review of human studies of CBN and sleep (99 abstracts screened, 8 full texts reviewed)	Cannabinol (CBN)	Found no published trial that used validated sleep questionnaires or sleep recording (polysomnography). Human studies were mostly from the 1970s and 1980s and small. Evidence that CBN itself has cannabis-like effects in people is mixed, mostly showing none. Concluded there is insufficient published evidence for sleep claims and that products usually hold 5 mg or less. Insufficient evidence for sleep claims (written before the 2023-2026 trials) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Whether there is clinical evidence for the claim that CBN promotes sleep Limitations: Written in 2021, before the newer trials. A narrative review, not a graded systematic review. Funding and conflicts: The author is medical director of a for-profit cannabis education and consulting company. Read: abstract
Dar 2025 Cannabinol (CBN) alleviates age-related cognitive decline by improving synaptic and mitochondrial health. Redox Biol · PMID 40412024 · DOI	Animal research mouse	SAMP8 mice, a model of accelerated ageing	CBN · vs Untreated mice	CBN improved spatial learning and memory, more in female mice, and changed markers of mitochondrial health and synaptic proteins. The authors call this in vivo support for a protective role. Better maze learning in an ageing mouse model Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Spatial learning and memory, energy use, markers of mitochondrial and synaptic function Limitations: One mouse model, doses not in the abstract, results differed by sex. Not shown in people. Funding and conflicts: US National Institute on Aging and related grants; no conflicts. Read: abstract
De Petrocellis 2011 Effects of cannabinoids and cannabinoid-enriched Cannabis extracts on TRP channels and endocannabinoid metabolic enzymes. Br J Pharmacol · PMID 21175579 · DOI	Laboratory research cells in the lab	Cells and tissue preparations testing TRP channels and endocannabinoid enzymes	11 pure cannabinoids (including CBN) and cannabis extracts · vs Compared among cannabinoids	CBC, CBD and CBN were potent agonists of rat TRPA1. All non-acid cannabinoids except CBC and CBN potently activated rat TRPV2. CBN activates TRPA1 but not TRPV2 in this study Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Activation of TRPV1, TRPV2, TRPM8, TRPA1 and endocannabinoid enzymes Limitations: Lab work with rat channels in cells. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Farrimond 2012 Cannabinol and cannabidiol exert opposing effects on rat feeding patterns. Psychopharmacology (Berl) · PMID 22543671 · DOI	Animal research rat	Adult male rats made full (satiated) before testing	CBN, CBD and CBG, by mouth Doses not stated in the abstract Single tests · vs Vehicle; CBN with a CB1 blocker (SR141716A)	CBN reduced the time before rats started to eat, increased size and length of the first meal and increased total food eaten, and the CB1 blocker prevented this. CBD reduced total food eaten; CBG had no effect. More eating after CBN in rats Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Time to start eating, meal size and duration, total food eaten Limitations: Rats; the abstract gives no numbers. The authors' suggestion that CBN might become a medicine is theory. Funding and conflicts: No funding or conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Fernández 2023 An assessment of qualitative and quantitative cannabinoids analysis in selected commercially available cannabis oils in Argentina. Forensic Sci Int · PMID 37392612 · DOI	Product analysis n/a	500 500 commercially available cannabis oils sold in Argentina	Cannabis oils analysed by GC-MS · vs Label claims	Wide variation in content, purity and labelling. Of 17 oils labelled THC-free, 13 contained THC. CBN ranged from 0.04 to 60.10 mg/mL. The (THC + CBN)/CBD ratio was above one in most samples. THC in 13 of 17 "THC-free" oils; CBN 0.04 to 60.10 mg/mL Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: THC, CBD and CBN content against label claims Limitations: Argentine oils, mostly THC and CBD products; not isolated-CBN products sold as sleep aids in other countries. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Hausenblas 2025 Effectiveness of a Cannabinoids Supplement on Sleep and Mood in Adults With Subthreshold Insomnia: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Pilot Trial. Health Sci Rep · PMID 39980821 · DOI	Controlled trial	20 20 adults (mean age 47) with subthreshold insomnia symptoms	Soft gel containing 3 mg THC, 6 mg CBN, 10 mg CBD and 90 mg of a terpene blend One soft gel product (study amount, not advice) 10 days per condition, two-week washout · vs Placebo (crossover)	The combination product scored better than placebo for sleep quality and efficiency, insomnia symptoms and quality of life. No adverse events were reported. Combination product better than placebo for several sleep and quality-of-life scores (p < 0.05; abstract gives no sizes) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Insomnia Severity Index, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and other sleep, mood and quality-of-life questionnaires Limitations: The product held THC, CBN, CBD and terpenes together, so nothing can be credited to CBN. Twenty people, ten days, a pilot. Funding and conflicts: Funding and conflicts are not stated in the abstract; the authors declare no conflicts. Registration: ISRCTN 15022302 Read: abstract
Hollister 1975 Interactions in man of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. II. Cannabinol and cannabidiol. Clin Pharmacol Ther · PMID 1097148 · DOI	Non randomised trial	Volunteers (number not stated in the abstract)	CBN and CBD combined with THC, by mouth THC 20 mg with placebo, or with 40 mg CBN or 40 mg CBD (study amounts, not advice) Single doses · vs THC plus placebo	Adding CBN to THC produced no detectable change in the quality, intensity or duration of THC effects. CBD tended to delay the onset and prolong THC effects. THC + CBN: no detectable change versus THC alone Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Quality, intensity and duration of THC effects Limitations: 1975 study; number of volunteers not given in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: US government research support; no conflicts listed. Read: abstract
Huestis 2005 Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of the plant cannabinoids, delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol and cannabinol. Handb Exp Pharmacol · PMID 16596792 · DOI	Narrative review human (review)	Review of the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of THC, CBD and CBN	THC, CBD and CBN	The chapter reviews absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of the three plant cannabinoids and notes the difficulty of measuring them. The abstract gives no numbers for CBN. No CBN numbers in the abstract Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination Limitations: Only the abstract was read. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Jaidee 2022 Kinetics of CBD, Δ9-THC Degradation and Cannabinol Formation in Cannabis Resin at Various Temperature and pH Conditions. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res · PMID 34096805 · DOI	Laboratory research cannabis samples	Dried cannabis resin and cannabis solutions	CBD, THC and CBN measured by HPLC Heated at 40 to 80 degrees C, pH 2 to 12 · vs Conditions compared	CBN formed in dried resin with first-order kinetics, and the three cannabinoids reacted faster at high temperature and in acid. Heat and acid speed CBN formation Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Rates of THC breakdown and CBN formation Limitations: Resin and solutions in a lab, not products on a shelf. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Johansson 1987 Single-dose kinetics of deuterium-labelled cannabinol in man after intravenous administration and smoking. Biomed Environ Mass Spectrom · PMID 2960395 · DOI	Non randomised trial	6 Six male cannabis users with different degrees of use	Deuterium-labelled CBN (2H2-CBN), by vein and by smoking About 19 mg smoked on average and 20 mg by vein (study amounts, not advice) Single doses, plasma followed up to 72 hours · vs Intravenous versus smoked	Smoked CBN reached 39 +/- 26% (range 6 to 65%) of the amount that reaches the blood from a vein dose. Mean plasma clearance was 19.1 +/- 2.6 mL/min/kg, volume of distribution 50 +/- 23 L/kg, and apparent terminal half-life 32 +/- 17 hours after the vein dose and 43 +/- 29 hours after smoking. Terminal half-life about 32 to 43 hours (apparent) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Plasma CBN, availability, clearance, volume of distribution, half-life Limitations: 1987 study of six men; not an oral dose, so it says little about swallowed products. Funding and conflicts: US public research funding; no conflicts. Read: abstract
Karniol 1975 Effects of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol in man. Pharmacology · PMID 1221432 · DOI	Non randomised trial	5 5 male volunteers (all adults; cannabis experience not stated in the abstract)	CBN and Delta-9-THC, by mouth Placebo; 50 mg CBN; 25 mg THC; 12.5 mg THC + 25 mg CBN; 25 mg THC + 50 mg CBN (study amounts, not advice) Single doses, one week apart · vs Placebo	THC raised heart rate; CBN did not. Volunteers reported feeling drugged, drunk, dizzy and drowsy after THC but not after CBN alone. Adding CBN to THC made them feel more drugged, drunk, dizzy and drowsy than THC alone, but the effects were small. CBN alone: no change on the measures; CBN with THC: more drugged, drunk, dizzy and drowsy than THC alone Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, pain threshold, time estimation, a 66-item feelings scale Limitations: Five men, single doses, 1975, no sleep recording. The authors say the effects were small. Funding and conflicts: No funding or conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Kolar 2024 Genotoxicity of selected cannabinoids in human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells. Arch Toxicol · PMID 39172143 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells	Human TK6 lymphoblastoid cells	CBG, CBD, CBC, CBDV and CBN · vs Untreated cells; with and without liver-enzyme activation	All except CBDV raised micronuclei, and the rise was smaller with metabolic activation. All showed mitotic disturbances. The effects occurred at about 1000 times higher concentrations than reported blood levels. DNA-damage marker rose at very high concentrations Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Micronuclei (DNA damage marker), cell cycle and mitosis Limitations: Cells in a dish; the authors say it shows a need for further research, not that CBN damages DNA in people. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Kolobaric 2024 A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial to Assess the Effectiveness and Safety of Melatonin and Three Formulations of Floraworks Proprietary TruCBN™ for Improving Sleep. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) · PMID 39204082 · DOI	Controlled trial	1020 Adults taking part in a sleep trial (206, 205, 203 per CBN group; 204 placebo; 202 melatonin); inclusion details not in the abstract	Hemp-derived CBN (a proprietary product called TruCBN) and melatonin, oral 25 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg CBN; melatonin 4 mg (study amounts, not advice) · vs Placebo; 4 mg melatonin	All three CBN groups and the melatonin group improved sleep scores more than placebo. No CBN group differed from the melatonin group. Only the 100 mg group had a bigger fall in stress than placebo. There was no difference from placebo in anxiety, pain, well-being or the frequency of side effects. CBN groups and melatonin: improved sleep score versus placebo; no significant difference between any CBN group and melatonin (abstract gives no numbers) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Sleep disturbance (PROMIS Sleep Disturbance 8A); exploratory stress, anxiety, pain and well-being scores; side effects Limitations: Self-rated scores; the abstract gives no numbers or trial length; the authors' conclusion that CBN is "safe and effective" goes further than a self-rated score can show. The study was run by a company that was paid by the maker of the CBN product. Funding and conflicts: Funded by Floraworks, which makes the CBN product tested. Three authors are employed by Radicle Science, the company that ran the study. The authors state the funders had no role in design, analysis or writing. Read: abstract
Kroner 2020 Cannabinol (CBN) Cross-Reacts with Two Urine Immunoassays Designed to Detect Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Metabolite. J Appl Lab Med · PMID 32445358 · DOI	Laboratory research human urine samples	Pooled human urine without THC metabolite, fortified with cannabinoids	CBN, CBD, CBC and CBG A range of CBN concentrations · vs Unfortified urine	CBN cross-reacted with both screens. About 5 times more CBN than THC metabolite was needed to reach the cutoff on one test, and 20 times more on the other. CBN also added to the signal from THC metabolite. CBN can cause a positive urine screen in the lab Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Positive result on two commercial urine immunoassay screens for THC metabolite Limitations: Spiked urine, not people who took CBN. Confirmation testing by mass spectrometry would separate them. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Kwong 2025 The anti-biofilm activity of cannabinoids against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Appl Microbiol · PMID 40844832 · DOI	Laboratory research bacteria in culture	Lab MRSA biofilms	CBD, THC, CBN, CBG and CBC · vs Other cannabinoids	Minimum inhibitory concentrations of all five were 1 to 2 micrograms per mL. CBN was the most potent at reducing biofilm mass and bacterial viability and caused the highest reactive-oxygen levels. CBD damaged bacterial membranes most. CBN most potent against MRSA biofilm in the lab Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Biofilm mass, bacterial viability, reactive oxygen species, membrane damage Limitations: Test-tube work only. Funding and conflicts: University scholarship funding; no conflicts. Read: abstract
Lavender 2022 Cannabinoids, Insomnia, and Other Sleep Disorders. Chest · PMID 35537535 · DOI	Narrative review human (review)	Critical review of cannabinoids for insomnia and other sleep disorders	THC, CBD and CBN	Says most studies have small samples, weak designs and high risk of bias, and that medicinal cannabis use for sleep may have outrun the evidence. It reviews the sleep effects of THC, CBD and CBN and notes practical points: formulations, breathing, side effects, drug interactions, driving, tolerance and withdrawal. Interest has outrun evidence Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Evidence for cannabinoids in sleep disorders, practical points for clinicians Limitations: The abstract does not give CBN findings; only the abstract was read. Funding and conflicts: Authors are from the group that ran the Sydney CBN trial. Read: abstract
Lavender 2023 Cannabinol (CBN; 30 and 300 mg) effects on sleep and next-day function in insomnia disorder ('CUPID' study): protocol for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over, three-arm, proof-of-concept trial. BMJ Open · PMID 37612115 · DOI	Trial protocol	20 Planned: 20 adults with clinician-diagnosed insomnia disorder (Insomnia Severity Index 15 or more)	Cannabinol (CBN), oral liquid Planned: single 30 mg or 300 mg (study amounts, not advice) Planned: three treatment nights two weeks apart · vs Matched placebo	Protocol only: describes how the trial in Sydney was designed. It reports no results. It shows that next-day driving and alertness were planned safety measures. No results. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Planned primary outcome wake after sleep onset; planned safety outcomes include next-day simulated driving, mood, alertness, reaction time, postural sway and blood, urine and saliva cannabinoid levels Limitations: A protocol, not a finding. The next-day driving and blood-level results were not in the sources read. Funding and conflicts: Same research group as the main trial; authors disclose consulting for the Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia. Registration: NCT05344170 Read: abstract
Lavender 2024 Using Cannabis and CBD to Sleep: An Updated Review. Curr Psychiatry Rep · PMID 39612156 · DOI	Narrative review human (review)	Review of 21 recent studies of cannabinoids in sleep disorders	Cannabis and cannabinoids (including minor cannabinoids)	Found 21 recent studies (insomnia, sleep complaints, sleep apnoea, REM sleep behaviour disorder, restless legs). Notes more use of minor cannabinoids and more objective measures. Says the evidence does not match how widely cannabinoids are used for sleep and calls for larger, longer, well-funded trials. Evidence base does not match use Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Recent original research on cannabinoids for sleep disorders Limitations: A review; the abstract does not give the findings for CBN separately. Funding and conflicts: Authors are from the group that ran the Sydney CBN trial. Read: abstract
Lavender 2026 Cannabinol for Acute Treatment of Insomnia Disorder in a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial. J Sleep Res · PMID 41698831 · DOI	Controlled trial	20 20 adults aged 25-65 with physician-diagnosed insomnia disorder (Insomnia Severity Index 15 or more), Sydney, Australia (17 women, 3 men)	Cannabinol (CBN), oral liquid, 2 mL Single night each: 30 mg or 300 mg (study amounts, not advice) One night per arm, two-week washout between nights (three-arm crossover) · vs Matched placebo	The main result was negative: neither amount changed wake after sleep onset. Several secondary results favoured 300 mg (more NREM-2 sleep, better subjective sleep quality, shorter time to fall asleep, fewer EEG arousals). There were 247 mild-to-moderate adverse events across arms (abstract gives no breakdown). All 20 completed. Wake after sleep onset, 300 mg: -6.3 min (p = 0.29); 30 mg: -4.0 min (p = 0.50). 300 mg: NREM-2 sleep p = 0.03; subjective sleep quality p = 0.005; sleep onset latency p = 0.004; EEG arousal index p = 0.02 (Wake after sleep onset: 300 mg -6.3 min (95% CI -18.2 to +5.5); 30 mg -4.0 min (95% CI -15.9 to +7.9)) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Wake after sleep onset (primary, overnight polysomnography); sleep stages, sleep onset latency, EEG arousals and subjective sleep quality (secondary) Limitations: One night, 20 people, mostly women. Secondary results come after a missed primary result and the abstract does not say whether they were adjusted for many comparisons. Says nothing about repeated nightly use. Funding and conflicts: Funded by the University of Sydney Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics (philanthropic) and Australian public research grants. Authors disclose consulting fees from the Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia and patents on cannabinoid therapeutics they say are unrelated to sleep. Registration: NCT05344170 Read: abstract
Leelawat 2022 Antitumor Effects of Delta (9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabinol on Cholangiocarcinoma Cells and Xenograft Mouse Models. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med · PMID 36452140 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells and mouse	Human bile-duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) cells; nude mice carrying tumours from these cells	THC and CBN isolated from cannabis 21 days in mice · vs Untreated controls	Both THC and CBN reduced growth and movement of the cancer cells and caused cell death, linked to lower AKT and ERK signalling. In the mice, the abstract reports slower tumour growth for THC; it does not report a significant result for CBN. Cell effect for CBN; mouse effect reported for THC only Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Cell growth, movement and cell death; tumour size Limitations: Cell and mouse work. This is not evidence that CBN treats cancer. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Liang 2024 Fragment-based drug discovery and biological evaluation of novel cannabinol-based inhibitors of oxytosis/ferroptosis for neurological disorders. Redox Biol · PMID 38581858 · DOI	Laboratory research cells and fruit fly	Nerve-cell models of oxytosis/ferroptosis; Drosophila (fruit fly) model of mild traumatic brain injury	CBN and four lab-made CBN analogues (CP1-CP4) · vs CBN versus analogues	Earlier work found CBN a potent blocker of this cell-death pathway. Four new analogues kept CBN's sub-micromolar protective activity with better drug-like properties, and one (CP1) did better than CBN in the fly injury model. Cell and fly results; the analogues, not CBN, did best Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Neuron survival, mitochondrial function, fly behaviour after injury Limitations: Cells and flies. The lab-made analogues are not CBN. Funding and conflicts: US National Institutes of Health grants; no conflicts. Read: abstract
Maioli 2022 Cannabinol: History, Syntheses, and Biological Profile of the Greatest "Minor" Cannabinoid. Plants (Basel) · PMID 36365350 · DOI	Narrative review review of mixed evidence	Narrative review of CBN: history, chemistry, pharmacology	CBN	Covers how CBN was found, how it forms from THC by air oxidation, receptor and ion-channel targets and animal findings (pain, airway inflammation, eye pressure, antibacterial, appetite). On sleep, it says the claim is unsubstantiated clinically. It says no clinical results or human pharmacokinetic data had been reported (this is contradicted by older human studies cited elsewhere on this page). Reviews describe promising lab and animal work and no proven human use Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: History, synthesis and biological profile of CBN Limitations: Open-access full text read in parts (history, pharmacology, sleep). Original studies cited by the review were not all read; statements taken from it are labelled as review statements. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Read: full-text
Majumdar 2026 Stability of Cannabinoids in Cannabis: Plant Material, Extracts, Oil Formulations, and Isolates (CBD and Δ9-THC) Under Different Storage Conditions. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res · PMID 42576671 · DOI	Laboratory research cannabis samples	Cannabis plant material, extracts, oils and isolates stored at room temperature, refrigerated and frozen	THC, CBD and CBN measured by GC-FID Extended storage · vs Storage conditions compared	For most cannabis-derived products, room temperature sped the breakdown of THC into CBN, while storage at minus 20 degrees C preserved cannabinoids. CBD-only products were stable even at room temperature. Warm storage turns THC into CBN Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Cannabinoid levels over time Limitations: Specific storage periods were not in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Moreno-Sanz 2016 Can You Pass the Acid Test? Critical Review and Novel Therapeutic Perspectives of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid A. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res · PMID 28861488 · DOI	Narrative review review	Review of THCA-A, the acid form of THC	THCA-A	Says THCA-A can be up to 90% of the total THC in the plant, slowly changes into THC during storage and fermentation, and can degrade further to cannabinol (CBN). THCA-A becomes THC, which can become CBN Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemistry and pharmacology of THCA-A Limitations: A review focused on THCA-A; CBN is mentioned briefly. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Nasrin 2021 Cannabinoid Metabolites as Inhibitors of Major Hepatic CYP450 Enzymes, with Implications for Cannabis-Drug Interactions. Drug Metab Dispos · PMID 34493602 · DOI	Laboratory research human enzymes in the lab	Human liver enzymes made in cells (microsomes)	THC, CBD, CBN and THC metabolites · vs Compared among cannabinoids	CBN competitively inhibited CYP2B6, CYP2C9 and CYP2E1. THC and CBD inhibited others. The authors say modelling suggests possible interactions with drugs cleared mainly by CYP2B6, CYP2C9 and CYP2D6. CBN inhibits CYP2B6, CYP2C9 and CYP2E1 in the lab Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Inhibition of major CYP450 enzymes Limitations: Test-tube work; no human interaction study. Funding and conflicts: US public research funding; no conflicts. Read: abstract
Nasrin 2021 Inhibition of UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase Enzymes by Major Cannabinoids and Their Metabolites. Drug Metab Dispos · PMID 34493601 · DOI	Laboratory research human enzymes in the lab	Human liver and kidney microsomes and cells making single UGT enzymes	THC, CBD and CBN and their metabolites · vs Compared among cannabinoids	CBN strongly inhibited UGT1A9 and UGT2B7 (IC50 about 0.51 micromolar for UGT1A9). CBD was the strongest inhibitor overall. CBN strongly inhibits UGT1A9 and UGT2B7 in the lab Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Inhibition of UGT (glucuronidation) enzymes Limitations: Test-tube work; no human interaction study. Funding and conflicts: US public research funding; no conflicts. Read: abstract
Neradugomma 2019 Marijuana-derived cannabinoids inhibit uterine endometrial stromal cell decidualization and compromise trophoblast-endometrium cross-talk. Reprod Toxicol · PMID 31154070 · DOI	Laboratory research human cell lines	Human uterine (endometrial) stromal cell lines and trophoblast cells	THC, CBD and CBN · vs Untreated cells	The three cannabinoids inhibited decidualization of the cells and harmed cross-talk between trophoblast and womb-lining cells in culture. Cell-culture signal of possible harm in early pregnancy Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Decidualization (the change that prepares the womb lining for pregnancy) and trophoblast-endometrium signalling Limitations: Cell lines only; no data in pregnant women for CBN. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Pires 2024 Characterisation of Cannabis-Based Products Marketed for Medical and Non-Medical Use Purchased in Portugal. Molecules · PMID 38930803 · DOI	Product analysis n/a	Cannabis-based products from pharmacies and street shops in Portugal (beverages, herbal samples, oils, cosmetics)	HPLC analysis of THC, CBD, CBG, CBN and others · vs Label claims	The authors report big gaps between label and measured content. No beverage held detectable cannabinoids despite suggestive packaging. Oils often differed from the label, some with much more CBD than stated. Labels often differed from measured content Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Cannabinoid content against label claims Limitations: CBN was one analyte measured; the abstract gives no CBN-specific figures. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Rhee 1997 Cannabinol derivatives: binding to cannabinoid receptors and inhibition of adenylylcyclase. J Med Chem · PMID 9379442 · DOI	Laboratory research cells in the lab	Cells carrying human CB1 or CB2 receptors	CBN derivatives, including 11-hydroxycannabinol · vs Compared among derivatives	11-hydroxycannabinol bound both CB1 (Ki 38.0 nM) and CB2 (Ki 26.6 nM) and inhibited CB1-mediated adenylylcyclase (EC50 58.1 nM), but only weakly acted at CB2. Derivatives with a longer side chain were far more potent. 11-hydroxy-CBN binds CB1 and CB2 strongly in cells Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Receptor binding and inhibition of adenylylcyclase Limitations: Cell work on a metabolite and lab-made derivatives, not CBN in a person. Funding and conflicts: US public research funding; no conflicts. Read: abstract
Saleska 2024 The Safety and Comparative Effectiveness of Non-Psychoactive Cannabinoid Formulations for the Improvement of Sleep: A Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial. J Am Nutr Assoc · PMID 37162192 · DOI	Controlled trial	1793 1,793 adults with symptoms of sleep disturbance	CBD or melatonin capsules, alone or combined with minor cannabinoids including CBN Capsules with 15 mg CBD, or 5 mg melatonin, alone or with 15 mg CBN (and some also 5 mg CBC) (study amounts, not advice) 4 weeks (5 weeks of surveys) · vs CBD isolate as the comparison; no placebo group	Every product, including those with CBN, improved sleep scores and 56% to 75% of people had a clinically important improvement. Adding 15 mg CBN to CBD, or to CBD plus melatonin, did not improve results over CBD isolate or melatonin. 12% reported a side effect and none were severe. No significant difference in effect between CBD isolate and CBD plus CBN formulations (abstract gives no numbers) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: PROMIS Sleep Disturbance score over time; side effects Limitations: There was no placebo group, so improvement cannot be credited to any ingredient; sleep was self-rated online. It tested CBN only as an add-on. Funding and conflicts: Funding and conflict-of-interest statements are not in the abstract (the PubMed record lists none). Read: abstract
Striz 2024 Examining the hepatotoxic potential of cannabidiol, cannabidiol-containing hemp extract, and cannabinol at consumer-relevant exposure concentrations in primary human hepatocytes. J Appl Toxicol · PMID 38924151 · DOI	Laboratory research human liver cells	Primary human liver cells (hepatocytes)	CBD, a hemp extract and CBN at 10 nanomolar to 25 micromolar 10 nM to 25 microM 24 and 48 hours · vs Vehicle	CBN did not significantly change cell viability at any concentration tested. The hemp extract slightly lowered albumin, urea and mitochondrial potential at the highest concentration; CBD slightly lowered albumin. No liver-cell toxicity from CBN in this test Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Cell death (LDH release), apoptosis, albumin and urea production, mitochondrial membrane potential Limitations: Liver cells in a dish; the authors say more work is needed to link to real consumer exposure. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Takahashi 1975 Pharmacologic interaction between cannabinol and delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Psychopharmacologia · PMID 168604 · DOI	Animal research rabbit, rat and mouse	Rabbits, rats and mice	CBN and Delta-9-THC alone and mixed · vs THC alone	CBN was usually less active than THC but copied several THC effects. Mixing THC with CBN gave a combined (synergistic) effect on most of the depressant effects, such as catatonia and sleeping time in mice, while it did not add to the excitatory effects. Combined sedative-type effects of THC + CBN in animals Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Corneal reflex, climbing, open-field behaviour, irritability, aggressiveness, catatonia, pain response and sleeping time Limitations: 1975 animal study; says nothing about people. Funding and conflicts: No funding or conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Toomey 2026 Serum cannabinoid profiles of emergency department patients presenting with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome and acute cannabis intoxication. Clin Toxicol (Phila) · PMID 42504769 · DOI	Cohort study	50 50 emergency department patients: 35 with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome and 15 with acute cannabis intoxication	Blood levels of THC, its metabolites, CBD, CBG and CBN measured by mass spectrometry Single emergency visit · vs The two patient groups	No significant differences between the two groups in THC, THC metabolites or the non-psychotropic cannabinoids (CBD, CBG, CBN). The authors say this argues against the idea that a build-up of these compounds causes cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. No difference in cannabinoid blood levels between the groups Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Serum concentrations of cannabinoids Limitations: One hospital; no information on how CBN alone would behave. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk) 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Schedule 2 (Controlled drugs), Part II Class B drugs legislation.gov.uk · Source	Authoritative guidance n/a	n/a	n/a	Part II (Class B drugs) lists "Cannabinol" and "Cannabinol derivatives" alongside "Cannabis and cannabis resin". The definition of cannabinol derivatives excludes them where contained in cannabis or cannabis resin and covers tetrahydro derivatives of cannabinol and 3-alkyl homologues. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Which substances are controlled in the United Kingdom Limitations: Read as served by legislation.gov.uk on 2026-10-25 (the page default is the latest available version). Other UK rules (such as the Misuse of Drugs Regulations and medicines law) were not read. Not legal advice. Read: full-text
US Food and Drug Administration 2024 FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD): Questions and Answers FDA website · Source	Authoritative guidance n/a	n/a	n/a	Says the FDA has not approved a marketing application for cannabis for any disease or condition, lists the approved cannabis-derived and cannabis-related medicines (Epidiolex, Marinol, Syndros, Cesamet), says it is aware of potential adverse effects of THC-containing cannabis products in pregnant or lactating women, and advises keeping cannabis products away from children. The text contains no mention of cannabinol or CBN. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: US regulator statements on approved products, supplements, pregnancy and children Limitations: A general page on cannabis and CBD; the page said content current as of 07/16/2024, and later changes were not checked. Read: full-text
US National Library of Medicine 2026 PubChem compound record: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (CID 16078) PubChem · Source	Reference database n/a	n/a	n/a	Retrieved through the PubChem REST API on 2026-10-25: formula C21H30O2, CID 16078. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemical identity Limitations: A database record, not a study. Read: full-text
US National Library of Medicine 2026 PubChem compound record: Cannabinolic acid (CID 3081990) PubChem · Source	Reference database n/a	n/a	n/a	Retrieved through the PubChem REST API on 2026-10-25: formula C22H26O4, CID 3081990. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemical identity Limitations: A database record, not a study. Read: full-text
US National Library of Medicine 2026 PubChem compound record: 11-Hydroxycannabinol (CID 3082311) PubChem · Source	Reference database n/a	n/a	n/a	Retrieved through the PubChem REST API on 2026-10-25: formula C21H26O3, CID 3082311. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemical identity Limitations: A database record, not a study. Read: full-text
US National Library of Medicine 2026 PubChem compound record: Cannabidiol (CID 644019) PubChem · Source	Reference database n/a	n/a	n/a	Retrieved through the PubChem REST API on 2026-10-25: formula C21H30O2, CID 644019. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemical identity Limitations: A database record, not a study. Read: full-text
US National Library of Medicine 2026 PubChem compound record: Cannabinol (CID 2543) PubChem · Source	Reference database n/a	n/a	n/a	Retrieved through the PubChem REST API on 2026-10-25: formula C21H26O2, CID 2543. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemical identity Limitations: A database record, not a study. Read: full-text
Watanabe 2007 Cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in the metabolism of tetrahydrocannabinols and cannabinol by human hepatic microsomes. Life Sci · PMID 17303175 · DOI	Laboratory research human liver preparations	Human liver microsomes and individual human enzymes made in cells	THCs and CBN · vs Enzyme inhibitors as controls	CBN was mostly changed to 11-hydroxy-CBN and 8-hydroxy-CBN. Making 11-hydroxy-CBN depended mainly on CYP2C enzymes (CYP2C9 in the cell system) and 8-hydroxy-CBN on CYP3A enzymes (CYP3A4). CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 are the main breakdown enzymes in the lab Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Which liver enzymes break down CBN and where they attach oxygen Limitations: Lab preparations; real-world levels and effects in people not tested. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Weigel 2026 Pediatric Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid and Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposures: A National Poison Data Study. J Pediatr · PMID 42025788 · DOI	Cohort study human (children)	11836 Children aged 5 or under with unintentional single-substance exposures to cannabis edibles, 2023-2024 (9,667 reported Delta-9-THC; 2,169 hemp-derived cannabinoids)	Hemp-derived cannabinoid products (for example delta-8-THC, delta-10-THC, THC-O-acetate) and delta-9-THC edibles Two years of reports · vs Delta-9-THC edible exposures	Hemp-derived cannabinoid ingestions had similar or higher severity than delta-9-THC ingestions: more respiratory depression (5.9% vs 4.6%) and low blood pressure (3.87% vs 2.97%), and more intensive-care admissions (11.3% vs 8.58%). No deaths were reported. Higher critical care admission for hemp-derived products (11.3% vs 8.58%) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Clinical effects, treatments and hospital admission Limitations: CBN is not named in the abstract, so this describes hemp cannabinoid products in general, not CBN specifically. Reports to poison centres do not record the dose. Funding and conflicts: No funding; the authors declare no conflicts. Read: abstract
Weydt 2005 Cannabinol delays symptom onset in SOD1 (G93A) transgenic mice without affecting survival. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord · PMID 16183560 · DOI	Animal research mouse	SOD1 (G93A) transgenic mice, a model of motor neuron disease (ALS)	CBN by implanted mini-pump 5 mg per kg per day (study amount, not advice) Up to 12 weeks · vs Untreated mice	CBN delayed the start of symptoms by more than two weeks. Survival was not changed. Onset delayed by more than 2 weeks; no survival benefit Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Time to symptom onset; survival Limitations: 2005 mouse study; the abstract gives no numbers beyond the delay. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Wiley 2024 Evaluation of cannabimimetic effects of selected minor cannabinoids and Terpenoids in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry · PMID 38417478 · DOI	Animal research mouse	Mice trained to recognise THC; cell binding assays	Minor cannabinoids including CBN · vs THC	CBN showed measurable binding to CB1 and CB2 receptors. In the THC discrimination test only delta-8-THC fully substituted for THC; CBN and delta-10-THC partly substituted. The authors say compounds that substitute may carry THC-like subjective effects. CBN partly stood in for THC in mice Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: CB1 and CB2 receptor binding; whether the compound can stand in for THC in a drug-discrimination test Limitations: Mouse test; whether it carries over to people is unknown. Funding and conflicts: US public research funding; no conflicts. Read: abstract
Yamaori 2010 Characterization of major phytocannabinoids, cannabidiol and cannabinol, as isoform-selective and potent inhibitors of human CYP1 enzymes. Biochem Pharmacol · PMID 20117100 · DOI	Laboratory research human enzymes in the lab	Recombinant human CYP1 enzymes and human liver microsomes	THC, CBD and CBN · vs CBD and THC compared	CBN blocked CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 more strongly than CYP1A1 (inhibition constants 0.0790 and 0.148 micromolar versus 0.541). THC was much weaker. CBD acted as a mechanism-based inhibitor, especially of CYP1A1. CBN is a potent CYP1A2 inhibitor in the lab (Ki 0.0790 micromolar) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Inhibition of CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 activity Limitations: Test-tube work; the concentrations that matter in people are not shown. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract
Zamengo 2019 The role of time and storage conditions on the composition of hashish and marijuana samples: A four-year study. Forensic Sci Int · PMID 30901710 · DOI	Laboratory research cannabis samples	Six high-potency hashish and marijuana samples stored four years	THC, CBN and CBD measured by GC-FID Four years under four storage conditions · vs Storage conditions compared	Under light at room temperature or in darkness at room temperature, THC fell and CBN rose; almost all THC was gone after four years. Temperature changed the speed; light changed both the speed and the amounts. Refrigeration and freezing kept the cannabinoids much more stable. THC converted to CBN when stored warm; cold storage prevented it Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: THC loss and CBN formation over time Limitations: Hashish and marijuana, not consumer products. Funding and conflicts: No conflicts in the record. Read: abstract

What we do not know yet

What the evidence supports: nothing at high certainty. The best human evidence is a few small or industry-linked sleep trials, rated insufficient or very low.
No independent repeat of the sleep-recording trial, and no trial of repeated nightly use with sleep recording.
Interactions with melatonin, caffeine and common medicines, and next-day driving and alertness, have not been tested in people.
No study has tested whether CBN-labelled products match their labels or carry THC.
No safety data for pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or people over 65, and no long-term data.

How new research is added

New studies are found by a saved PubMed search and are placed in a review queue. A person reads each one before it changes any evidence rating or safety wording.

Lab markers

What changed in blood or saliva tests during trials. A changed number is not the same as feeling or being healthier, and we give no "normal ranges".

Other 14

●

Time awake after falling asleep

No change in trials

Minutes awake during the night after first falling asleep, measured by sleep recording or rated by the person.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It was the main target of the Sydney insomnia trial and a secondary measure in the 7-night trial.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Two trials agree that time awake after falling asleep did not change.

Safety implication

No adverse effect data on this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁸	No significant change at either amount: 300 mg -6.3 min (95% CI -18.2 to +5.5), 30 mg -4.0 min (95% CI -15.9 to +7.9).	20 adults with insomnia disorder	Single night of CBN versus placebo, crossover
⁶	No difference from placebo.	293 adults with poor sleep	20 mg CBN for 7 nights versus placebo

^{28 6}

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Time to fall asleep

Mixed results in trials

How long it takes to fall asleep, from sleep recording or self-report.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It is one of the main complaints people try CBN for.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A secondary result in a one-night trial; not seen in the 7-night trial.

Safety implication

No adverse effect data on this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁸	Shorter at 300 mg (p = 0.004).	20 adults with insomnia disorder	Single night, 300 mg CBN versus placebo
⁶	No difference from placebo.	293 adults with poor sleep	20 mg CBN for 7 nights

^{28 6}

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Number of night awakenings

Lowered in trials

How many times a person wakes during the night, as reported.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Waking at night is a common sleep complaint.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A secondary result, reported by participants, after a missed main result.

Safety implication

No adverse effect data on this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁶	20 mg CBN lowered the number of awakenings versus placebo (p = 0.025).	293 adults with poor sleep	20 mg CBN for 7 nights versus placebo

⁶

↕

Self-rated sleep quality and sleep disturbance

Mixed results in trials

Scores from questionnaires such as PROMIS Sleep Disturbance, or a rating of how good the sleep was.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It is how most home trials judged whether the product helped.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Self-rated scores moved in both directions across trials; the trials had no shared method and several were company-run.

Safety implication

No adverse effect data on this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁸	Subjective sleep quality improved at 300 mg (p = 0.005).	20 adults with insomnia disorder	Single night, 300 mg CBN versus placebo
⁶	Sleep quality improved by an amount that was not significant (OR 2.26, 95% CI 0.93 to 5.52, p = 0.082); sleep disturbance score lower than placebo (p = 0.023).	293 adults with poor sleep	20 mg CBN for 7 nights versus placebo
²²	All CBN groups improved more than placebo; no difference from melatonin (abstract gives no numbers).	About 1,020 adults	25, 50 or 100 mg CBN versus placebo and melatonin
³⁹	Adding CBN to CBD or melatonin did not improve results (no placebo group).	1,793 adults	CBD, melatonin and combinations with CBN

^{28 6 22 39}

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Sleep stages and brain-wave arousals

Raised in trials

Time in light sleep (NREM-2) and the number of brief brain-wave awakenings during the night, from a sleep recording.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Recording shows what the brain does in sleep that people cannot rate themselves.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Secondary results of one small one-night trial.

Safety implication

No adverse effect data on this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁸	More NREM-2 sleep (p = 0.03) and fewer EEG arousals (p = 0.02) at 300 mg.	20 adults with insomnia disorder	Single night, 300 mg CBN versus placebo

²⁸

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Self-rated stress

Lowered in trials

A questionnaire score of how stressed a person feels.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It was collected in the company-run trial as an extra outcome.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Exploratory outcome, one amount of three, company-run trial.

Safety implication

No adverse effect data on this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
²²	Participants taking 100 mg showed a larger decrease in stress than placebo; no difference in anxiety (abstract gives no numbers).	About 1,020 adults	25, 50 or 100 mg CBN versus placebo

²²

↕

Feeling drugged, dizzy or drowsy

Mixed results in trials

A person's rating on a list of feelings after a dose.

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It shows whether CBN itself or in combination with THC changes how a person feels.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Tiny 1975 studies that differ in what they found about combining CBN with THC.

Safety implication

Added drowsiness with THC matters for driving and alcohol use; see the Safety tab.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁰	CBN alone (50 mg): no change; with THC: more drugged, drunk, dizzy and drowsy than THC alone.	5 male volunteers	CBN, THC and combinations by mouth
¹⁶	Adding 40 mg CBN to 20 mg THC produced no detectable change in THC effects.	Volunteers	THC with or without CBN

^{20 16}

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Total sleep time in rats

Raised in trials

Hours of recorded sleep in rats given CBN.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It is the animal basis for the sleep claim.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Animal research only.

Safety implication

No human safety data from this study.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁴	CBN increased total sleep time, with an early period of less sleep; both NREM and REM rose.	Rats	CBN versus vehicle and zolpidem

⁴

▲

Maze learning and memory in ageing mice

Raised in trials

How well ageing mice learn and remember a location in a maze.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It tests whether CBN protects memory in an ageing model.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Animal research only.

Safety implication

No human safety data from this study.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹¹	Spatial learning and memory improved, more in female mice.	SAMP8 ageing mice	CBN versus untreated mice

¹¹

▲

Food eaten by rats

Raised in trials

Amount of chow rats ate in a test after they had already been fed.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It shows whether CBN stimulates eating.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Animal result only.

Safety implication

No safety data from this study.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹³	CBN increased intake in hour 1 and total chow eaten, via CB1.	Satiated adult male rats	CBN by mouth versus vehicle

¹³

▼

Eye pressure in cats

Lowered in trials

Fluid pressure inside the eye.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

High eye pressure is the main risk factor in glaucoma.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Old animal study, with eye toxicity.

Safety implication

Eye redness and brain-wave spikes at high doses in animals.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁸	Modest fall after one drop; larger fall with the 9-day pump; CBN also caused eye redness.	Cats	CBN eye drops or pump

⁸

▼

MRSA growth and biofilm in the lab

Lowered in trials

The lowest concentration that stops visible bacterial growth, and the amount of biofilm left.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It shows whether CBN has direct antibacterial activity.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Test-tube result only.

Safety implication

No safety data from these studies.

Study	Result	People	Product
³	All five cannabinoids, including CBN, were potent against several MRSA strains.	MRSA cultures	CBN in the lab
²⁴	Minimum inhibitory concentrations 1 to 2 micrograms per mL; CBN reduced biofilm mass and viability most.	MRSA biofilms	CBN in the lab

^{3 24}

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Cancer cell growth in culture

Lowered in trials

How fast cancer cells grow and how many die in a dish.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It is the standard first test of anti-cancer potential.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Cell results only.

Safety implication

No safety data from these studies.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁹	CBN significantly inhibited growth and migration and induced apoptosis in bile-duct cancer cells.	HuCCT1 cells	CBN in cell culture
¹	CBN had the strongest effects of four minor cannabinoids on breast cancer cell growth and hormone receptors.	MCF-7aro cells	CBN in cell culture

^{29 1}

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Time to symptom onset in ALS mice

Raised in trials

How long it takes for disease signs to appear in the mouse model.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It shows whether CBN slows the disease in the model.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

One animal study.

Safety implication

No safety data from this study.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁵²	Onset delayed by more than two weeks; survival not affected.	SOD1 (G93A) mice	CBN by mini-pump versus untreated

⁵²

Safety

What studies and official sources say about side effects, medicines and who should check first. Each point shows what kind of evidence it comes from.

Main points to know 10

No CBN medicine is approved, and the FDA page does not mention CBN. The FDA says it has not approved a marketing application for cannabis for any disease or condition. The approved cannabis-related medicines it lists (Epidiolex, Marinol, Syndros, Cesamet) do not include CBN, and the page never mentions cannabinol. CBN products sold in shops are not approved medicines. Authoritative guidance ⁴⁴
Short trials found mostly mild side effects, but they were small or company-linked. In the Sydney trial of 20 adults there were 247 mild-to-moderate adverse events across the three nights (the abstract does not say which). In the large company-run sleep trial there was no significant difference in side-effect frequency from placebo, and in a 1,793-person 4-week study 12% reported a side effect and none were severe. In the 20-person pilot of a combination product none were reported. Seven-night and longer safety were not described in the abstracts read. Controlled trial ^{28 22 39 15 6}
Can add to THC drowsiness. In a 1975 study of five men, 50 mg CBN alone did not make them feel drugged or drowsy, but CBN added to THC made them feel more drugged, drunk, dizzy and drowsy than THC alone. In animals the mixture gave combined depressant effects. A second 1975 study found no detectable change when CBN was added to THC. Products made from cannabis can also hold THC. Non randomised trial ^{20 16 41}
Not clearly non-intoxicating. A 2021 review found most studies show no cannabis-like effect from CBN itself, but called the evidence mixed. In mice CBN partly replaced THC in a test of THC-like effects, and its metabolite 11-hydroxy-CBN is much more active at the CB1 receptor in rats. No modern controlled study has measured CBN intoxication in people. Narrative review ^{10 53 4 7}
Lab warnings about medicine interactions: melatonin and CYP enzymes. In the lab CBN strongly blocks CYP1A2, the enzyme that breaks down melatonin and caffeine, and in mice it raised melatonin exposure about four-fold. It also blocks CYP2B6, CYP2C9 and CYP2E1 and the UGT1A9 and UGT2B7 enzymes. No study has tested these interactions in people. Some products combine CBN and melatonin. Laboratory research ^{2 54 34 35}
Can cause a positive urine drug screen. In spiked urine, CBN cross-reacted with two common urine immunoassays for THC metabolite and added to the signal of THC metabolite. A confirmation test by mass spectrometry would tell them apart. Hemp products can also hold unlabelled THC. Laboratory research ²³
Labels are unreliable, and CBN rises as THC products age. Tests of cannabis oils and cannabis-based products found big gaps between labels and contents. CBN is also what THC turns into when cannabis or its extracts are stored warm or in light, so CBN in a product can come from ageing rather than being added. We found no test of products sold as CBN sleep aids. Product analysis ^{14 37 55 32}
Long-term and liver safety are unknown in people. No human study has looked at repeated CBN use for months, or at liver effects. In human liver cells in a dish, CBN did not reduce cell viability from 10 nanomolar to 25 micromolar. A 90-day rat study of one company's isolate found no adverse effects up to 400 mg per kg per day, but it cannot be read as proof of safety in people. Laboratory research ^{40 5}
No data in pregnancy, breastfeeding, older adults or children. Cell studies show THC, CBD and CBN all inhibited changes in womb-lining cells that prepare for pregnancy. The FDA notes potential harm from THC-containing cannabis in pregnancy and breastfeeding and advises keeping cannabis products from children. In children, ingestions of hemp-derived cannabinoid edibles (CBN is not named in the abstract) led to hospital admission as often or more than delta-9-THC edibles. Authoritative guidance ^{36 44 51}
The legal picture is changing. In the US, the federal definition of hemp is changing, with most parts due December 11, 2026, and the sources read do not say how CBN products are treated. In the United Kingdom, cannabinol is listed as a Class B drug in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 schedule. This is not legal advice. Authoritative guidance ^{9 43}

Side effects 7

Effect	How often	Severity and recovery	Evidence
Mild-to-moderate adverse events, type not given Single nights; says nothing about repeated use.	247 events across the three arms (two CBN amounts and placebo) in 20 adults over three nights; no breakdown by arm in the abstract	mild to moderate Not stated in the abstract	Controlled trial ²⁸
Side effects reported in a 4-week study of capsules containing CBD, melatonin and CBN No placebo group; products were mixtures, so the share linked to CBN is unknown.	12% of participants reported a side effect, none severe (all six products pooled)	mild Not stated in the abstract	Controlled trial ³⁹
No difference in side effects from placebo Company-run; the abstract gives no numbers.	No significant difference in frequency between any CBN strength (25, 50 or 100 mg) and placebo	not applicable Not applicable	Controlled trial ²²
No adverse events reported with a THC + CBN + CBD + terpene soft gel Tiny pilot; the product also held THC.	0 reported in 20 adults over 10 days	not applicable Not applicable	Controlled trial ¹⁵
Feeling drugged, drunk, dizzy and drowsy when CBN is added to THC 1975 study; small; oral doses of 25 to 50 mg CBN.	Reported by volunteers given THC plus CBN; not reported with CBN alone (5 men)	mild Not stated	Non randomised trial ²⁰
Eye redness and brain-wave spike discharges at high doses (animals) The authors call these toxic effects like those of THC. Animal findings may not carry over.	Seen in cats given CBN eye drops and in rats given 20 to 80 mg per kg	not applicable (animal research) Not stated	Animal research ⁸
Next-day impairment (driving, alertness) The Sydney trial planned next-day simulated driving and alertness tests; those results were not in the sources read.	Not reported in the abstracts read	unknown Unknown	Controlled trial ^{26 28}

Liver

There are no human data on liver effects of repeated CBN use. In human liver cells in a dish, CBN did not reduce cell viability at concentrations from 10 nanomolar to 25 micromolar, though the authors say more work is needed to relate this to real use. CBN is broken down in the liver by CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 and blocks several liver enzymes, so interactions with other medicines are possible. A 90-day rat study of a company's CBN isolate found no liver changes attributed to the isolate up to 400 mg per kg per day. CBD, a related compound, can injure the liver at medicine-level amounts; that does not show the same for CBN. ^{40 50 5}

How often. No rates of liver injury are known for CBN in people. No liver test results were reported in the abstracts of the CBN trials read.

Monitoring. No regulator guidance on liver tests for CBN exists. Anyone with liver disease, or who takes medicines that can affect the liver, should ask a doctor or pharmacist before using it.

This is a safety connection. It is not evidence that CBN (Cannabinol) supports liver health.

Medicines and supplements 7

With	Why it matters	Importance	Evidence	What to do
Melatonin supplement	In the lab CBN strongly blocked CYP1A2, the main liver enzyme that breaks down melatonin, and in mice it raised the apparent oral availability of melatonin about four-fold.	Unknown. Only lab and mouse data. Some shop products combine CBN with melatonin, so the combination is common.	Laboratory research Very low certainty ²	Ask a pharmacist before taking CBN with melatonin or other sleep aids.
Caffeine and other medicines broken down by CYP1A2 prescription	CBN blocked CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 more strongly than THC in lab preparations (inhibition constants 0.0790 and 0.148 micromolar). The 2025 melatonin paper also reports that CBN potently blocked CYP1A2 breakdown of caffeine.	Unknown. No study in people.	Laboratory research Very low certainty ^{54 2}	Ask a pharmacist before combining CBN with any prescription medicine.
Medicines cleared mainly by CYP2B6, CYP2C9 or CYP2E1, and by UGT1A9 or UGT2B7 prescription	In liver-enzyme tests CBN competitively inhibited CYP2B6, CYP2C9 and CYP2E1, and strongly inhibited UGT1A9 and UGT2B7. CBN is itself broken down by CYP2C9 and CYP3A4.	Unknown. The authors of the CYP study say modelling suggests possible interactions for drugs cleared by CYP2B6, CYP2C9 and CYP2D6.	Laboratory research Very low certainty ^{34 35 50}	Tell your pharmacist or prescriber which CBN product you use if you take regular medicines.
Warfarin and other blood thinners anticoagulant	Warfarin is cleared partly by CYP2C9, which CBN blocks in the lab. That link between warfarin and CYP2C9 is general pharmacology that was not checked in the sources read here.	Theoretical only. No study of CBN with warfarin was found.	Pharmacological theory Very low certainty ³⁴	Tell your prescriber before using any CBN product if you take warfarin.
Alcohol, sedating medicines and other sleep aids sedative	No study of CBN with alcohol or sedatives was found. CBN added to THC increased feeling drugged, dizzy and drowsy in five men, and gave combined depressant effects in animals.	Unknown for CBN alone. Extra drowsiness is possible, especially with THC in a product.	Pharmacological theory Very low certainty ^{20 41}	Do not mix with alcohol or sedating medicines unless a doctor or pharmacist agrees.
THC and CBD (cannabis products or blends) supplement	Adding CBN to THC increased some drowsy feelings in one 1975 study and changed nothing detectable in another. Adding CBD to CBN did not improve sleep in two trials.	Small at most in the old studies; unknown today. Interactions with CBD drugs such as clobazam or valproate, and CBD with CYP2C19, have not been studied for CBN.	Non randomised trial Low certainty ^{20 16 6 39}	If you use a cannabis or hemp product, ask a pharmacist about the whole product, not only CBN.
Urine drug tests (THC screens) lab test	CBN cross-reacted with two urine immunoassays for THC metabolite; about 5 times (one test) or 20 times (the other) more CBN than THC metabolite was needed to reach the cutoff.	A positive screen is possible; a confirmation test can separate the compounds. Real users were not tested.	Laboratory research Low certainty ²³	If you may be drug tested, ask the testing lab or employer and keep the product label and batch certificate.

Who should check first 9

Situation	Advice	Evidence
Pregnancy	No human safety data. Cell studies show CBN, THC and CBD inhibited womb-lining cell changes needed for pregnancy. The FDA notes potential harm from THC-containing cannabis; CBN products may carry traces of THC. Avoid unless a doctor advises otherwise.	Laboratory research ^{36 44}
Breastfeeding	No data on CBN in human milk. The FDA states that ACOG notes insufficient data and discourages cannabis use while breastfeeding. Talk to a doctor.	Authoritative guidance ⁴⁴
Children	Keep all cannabis and hemp products out of reach. FDA says to take a child to a doctor or emergency department if accidental ingestion is suspected. US poison centre reports show hemp-derived cannabinoid edibles sent young children to hospital as often or more than delta-9-THC edibles (CBN not named in the abstract).	Authoritative guidance ^{44 51}
Teens and young adults	No CBN study in under-18s was found. The trials read enrolled adults aged 18 to 65. Ask a doctor about sleep problems in young people.	Not studied ^{6 28}
Older adults	The trials read enrolled adults up to age 65 (Sydney trial, 25 to 65) or 55 (7-night trial). No trial in people over 65 was found. Extra care with sedation and falls is reasonable but not studied.	Not studied ^{28 6}
Mental health conditions (psychosis, anxiety, depression, cannabis use disorder)	No study of CBN in these groups was found. Because CBN partly resembled THC in a mouse test and products can carry THC, people with psychosis risk or cannabis use disorder should ask a doctor. THC risks are covered on the THC page.	Pharmacological theory ^{53 10}
Driving, machinery and work that needs alertness	Next-day driving and alertness results from the Sydney trial were not in the sources read. A review lists driving as a practical concern. Do not drive if you feel any drowsiness or effect.	Authoritative guidance ^{26 25}
Liver disease or taking medicines that act on the liver	No human liver data for CBN; lab work shows it blocks several liver enzymes. Ask a doctor or pharmacist first.	Laboratory research ^{40 34 50}
People who are drug tested	CBN can cross-react with some urine THC screens in the lab, and hemp products can hold unlabelled THC. Ask the testing body before use.	Laboratory research ²³

Overdose, product quality and regulators

Summary. No toxic dose is established for people. Short human studies reported mostly mild effects. Animal and cell work shows signals at high doses (eye redness and brain-wave spikes in animals, a DNA-damage marker at very high concentrations in cells) and also reassuring findings (no adverse effects in a 90-day rat study).

Animal. In a 90-day rat study of a company's CBN isolate, 100, 200 and 400 mg per kg per day produced no adverse effects attributed to the isolate; the no-observed-adverse-effect level was 400 mg per kg per day. In the 1984 study, cats given CBN eye drops had conjunctival redness, and rats given 20 to 80 mg per kg by injection had 8 to 13 Hz spike discharges on the brain-wave recording. In ALS-model mice, 5 mg per kg per day by pump for up to 12 weeks was used without toxicity being reported in the abstract.

Human doses studied. Studied amounts in people ranged from 20 mg nightly for 7 nights, to single 30 mg and 300 mg amounts, to 25 to 100 mg in a company-run trial, and 50 mg in 1975. These are study amounts only and not advice. A review says shop products typically hold 5 mg or less.

High dose or long term signals. No long-term human data. In human TK6 cells, CBN raised a DNA-damage marker (micronuclei) at about 1000 times higher concentrations than blood levels reported from consumption, and disturbed mitosis; the rise was smaller with metabolic activation.

Overdose response. Not studied. The highest single amount tested in people was 300 mg, in 20 adults; the abstract gives no breakdown of adverse events by amount.

Genotoxicity. Cell study only: micronuclei increase and mitotic disturbance in human TK6 cells at very high concentrations. Relevance to people is unknown.

CBN products are sold as supplements, edibles and oils without the checks that apply to medicines. We found no test of products sold as CBN sleep aids. The closest evidence comes from tests of cannabis oils and cannabis-based products, and from studies of how THC turns into CBN.

Cannabis oils against label (Argentina). Of 500 oils tested, only 29.8% made specific CBD label claims, and of 17 oils labelled THC-free, 13 contained THC. CBN ranged from 0.04 to 60.10 mg/mL and the (THC + CBN)/CBD ratio was above one in most samples. The authors conclude contents, purity and labelling vary widely. ¹⁴

Cannabis-based products against label (Portugal). Products from pharmacies and street shops often differed from their labels; none of the beverages tested held detectable cannabinoids despite suggestive packaging, and some oils held much more CBD than stated. CBN was one of the compounds measured; the abstract gives no CBN-specific result. ³⁷

CBN forms as THC products age. In hashish and marijuana stored four years, THC fell and CBN rose under room-temperature storage in light or darkness, with almost all THC lost; refrigeration or freezing kept them stable. A 2026 study found room temperature accelerated THC turning into CBN, while storing at minus 20 degrees C preserved cannabinoids. Heat and acid also speed CBN formation in resin. So CBN found in a product may come from aged THC rather than being added. ^{55 32 18}

THC in hemp-derived edibles. US poison-centre data show hemp-derived cannabinoid edibles (such as delta-8-THC) led to critical-care admission in 11.3% of young children, against 8.58% for delta-9-THC edibles. The authors say the lack of dose regulation may contribute. CBN is not named in the abstract. ⁵¹

Accuracy of CBN-labelled products. No study testing whether CBN-labelled gummies, oils or capsules match their labels was found in the sources read.

Body	Action	Date
US Food and Drug Administration (United States)	Its cannabis Q&A page says the FDA has not approved a marketing application for cannabis for the treatment of any disease or condition. It lists the approved cannabis-derived and cannabis-related drug products (Epidiolex, Marinol, Syndros, Cesamet); CBN is not among them. The page does not mention CBN or cannabinol. source	2026-10-25
Congressional Research Service (US Congress) (United States)	Says the 2018 farm bill defined hemp as cannabis with no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. A newer law (P.L. 119-37) changes this to total THC including THCA, and excludes hemp-derived cannabinoid products containing cannabinoids that are not capable of being naturally produced by the plant or that were synthesized or manufactured outside the plant, and limits final products to 0.4 mg per container of total THC and other cannabinoids with similar effects. Some portions take effect November 12, 2026 and the rest December 11, 2026. The FDA lists of cannabinoids had not been published as of September 28, 2026. The summary does not mention CBN, so whether CBN products fall inside the exclusions is not stated. source	2026-10-25
UK Parliament, Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (United Kingdom)	Schedule 2, Part II (Class B drugs) lists "Cannabinol" and "Cannabinol derivatives" alongside cannabis and cannabis resin. The Act defines cannabinol derivatives as tetrahydro derivatives of cannabinol and 3-alkyl homologues, except where contained in cannabis or cannabis resin. source	2026-10-25

When to get medical help

A child has swallowed any CBN, hemp or cannabis product, or an adult took far more than intended: call a poison center or emergency number (in the US, 1-800-222-1222).
Very hard to wake, slow or shallow breathing, or confusion, especially after mixing with alcohol or sedating medicines: call emergency services.
Rash, swelling of the face, lips or throat, or trouble breathing: possible allergic reaction. Get emergency care.
Fast heartbeat, fainting, severe panic or seeing or hearing things that are not there after a product that may contain THC: get medical help.
Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pain in the upper right belly or severe tiredness: possible liver problem. Stop and call a doctor now.
Easy bruising, nosebleeds or other bleeding if you take warfarin or another blood thinner: call your prescriber today.
Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or new severe mood or behaviour changes: get urgent help.

Stop using the product and contact a clinician or emergency service. In the US, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.

General information only, not medical advice. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before use, especially with medicines, in pregnancy or with a health condition. See the Natural Remedy Safety guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is CBN?

CBN (cannabinol) is a compound found in cannabis, in larger amounts in aged or heated material. A review says it is mainly what THC turns into when air oxidises it. It is not approved as a medicine, and human research is small.

^{31 33 44}

How does CBN form from THC, and why does old cannabis have more of it?

THC reacts with oxygen and slowly becomes CBN, faster with heat, light and acid. In a four-year storage study almost all the THC in warm-stored samples was gone and CBN had risen; freezing kept them stable. That is why CBN rises in old or badly stored cannabis and why a product's CBN may come from ageing.

^{55 32 18}

Does CBN help you sleep?

Not proven. The best sleep-recording trial (20 adults, single nights) missed its main result, though some secondary measures looked better at the higher amount. A 7-night trial funded by a cannabis company also missed its main result but found fewer night wakings. A company-run trial found CBN and melatonin both beat placebo on a self-rated score, with no difference between them, and a 4-week trial with no placebo group found CBN added nothing to CBD.

^{28 6 22 39}

Why is CBN called the "sleepy cannabinoid"?

It is a marketing nickname from old cannabis lore, where aged flower is said to sedate, and from rat work in which CBN raised sleep. In 1975 five men given CBN alone did not feel drowsy; CBN only added to THC drowsiness. Reviews say the evidence does not yet support the claim.

^{31 4 20 10}

Does CBN get you high?

Reviews say evidence is mixed and mostly shows CBN alone is not cannabis-like. In mice CBN partly replaced THC in a test, its metabolite is more active at CB1 receptors in rats, and hemp products can hold unlabelled THC. It is not safe to assume you will feel nothing.

^{10 53 4 7}

What are the side effects?

Short trials found mostly mild, unspecified effects: 247 mild-to-moderate events across three nights in 20 adults, 12% with a side effect in a 4-week study, and no difference from placebo in a company-run trial. Drowsiness is possible, especially with THC. No study looked at months of use.

^{28 39 22 20}

Can CBN interact with melatonin or medicines?

In the lab CBN strongly blocks the enzyme that breaks down melatonin, and in mice it raised melatonin exposure about four-fold. It also blocks CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2E1, UGT1A9 and UGT2B7. No study in people exists. Ask a pharmacist before combining it with any medicine or sleep aid.

^{2 54 34 35}

Will CBN show up on a drug test?

It can. In the lab CBN cross-reacted with two common urine screens for THC metabolite, and it added to the signal from THC metabolite. A confirmation test can tell them apart. Hemp products can also carry unlabelled THC.

^{23 14}

Do CBN products contain what the label says?

We found no test of CBN-labelled products. Tests of cannabis oils found big gaps: 13 of 17 oils labelled THC-free contained THC, and CBN ranged from 0.04 to 60.10 mg/mL. CBN also forms as THC ages. A batch certificate from an independent lab is the only check.

^{14 37 55}

Is CBN safe in pregnancy, breastfeeding, or for children?

Not shown to be safe. There are no human data. Cell studies show CBN, THC and CBD inhibited womb-lining cell changes needed for pregnancy. The FDA notes concerns about THC-containing cannabis in pregnancy and breastfeeding and says to keep cannabis products from children. In US data, young children who swallowed hemp-derived cannabinoid edibles were admitted to hospital as often or more than with delta-9-THC edibles.

^{36 44 51}

Can I drive after taking CBN?

Be cautious. The Sydney trial planned next-day driving and alertness tests, but we did not read their results. CBN adds to THC drowsiness and can interact with other sedating things. Do not drive if you feel any effect.

^{26 20 25}

Is CBN legal or approved?

No CBN medicine is approved by the US FDA, and its Q&A page does not mention CBN. In the United Kingdom cannabinol is listed as Class B under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The US federal definition of hemp is changing, with most parts due December 11, 2026, and the summary we read does not say how CBN products are treated. This is not legal advice.

^{44 43 9}

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Editorial transparency

Written by: AlternativeMed editorial team. Research compiled with AI assistance, then checked against PubMed records.
Medical review: None. This page has not been reviewed by a physician or pharmacist.
First published: 2026-10-25
Last substantive update: 2026-10-25
How we research: We searched PubMed and read the abstracts of the studies cited, read the FDA cannabis questions-and-answers page, a Congressional Research Service summary of the new US hemp definition and the UK Misuse of Drugs Act schedule, and read parts of an open-access review in full. Compound identity was checked in PubChem. Lab numbers come from a table of published and state testing data and are not our own testing.
How we rate evidence: See "How we rate evidence" in the Evidence tab.
Independence: No product is promoted on this page. No affiliate links are shown, and none will be added for CBN. This page is information, not a recommendation to use any product.

Sources 55

Each source was opened and checked. Where we read only the abstract, it says so. The small numbers in the text point here.

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