CBD (Cannabidiol)
Definition
A non-psychoactive cannabinoid and regioisomer of THC with the same molecular formula but a different double bond position. Dominant in hemp varieties. Pharmaceutical CBD (Epidiolex, GW Pharmaceuticals) is FDA-approved for refractory epilepsy.
- Type
- Non-psychoactive cannabinoid
- Relation to THC
- Regioisomer, same molecular formula, different double bond position
- Source
- Dominant in hemp varieties
- Pharmaceutical form
- Epidiolex, FDA-approved for refractory epilepsy
Common questions
Why does CBD's structural similarity to THC complicate forensic testing?+
Because CBD and THC share the same molecular formula and only differ in ring structure, presumptive colour tests can struggle to distinguish them cleanly, so confirmatory chromatographic methods are needed to separate the two isomers and quantify each accurately.
Why does hemp-derived CBD create legal complications in seized-drug casework?+
Legal hemp and illegal cannabis differ mainly by THC concentration threshold rather than the presence of CBD itself, so a lab must quantify THC content precisely to determine whether a CBD-rich sample falls on the legal or illegal side of that threshold.
Related terms
- Δ9-THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
- The primary psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis, formed by decarboxylation of THCA. Molecular formula C21H30O2, MW 314.46 g/mol. The 0.3% dry-weight threshold under...
- AMB-FUBINACA (ADB-FUBINACA)
- A third-wave synthetic cannabinoid of the fluorobenzyl indazole carboxamide scaffold identified in the 2016 New York mass-poisoning event; associated with intense, prolonged...
- CBGA (Cannabigerolic Acid)
- The universal biosynthetic precursor to the major cannabinoids. Formed in cannabis trichomes by condensation of geranyl pyrophosphate and olivetolic acid; converted to...
- CBN (Cannabinol)
- An oxidation product of THC that accumulates as cannabis ages. High CBN:THC ratio is a qualitative marker of old or degraded cannabis...
- Charas
- Under the NDPS Act 1985, the separated resin from cannabis including concentrated preparations and hashish; distinct from ganja (flowering tops) and from...
- Duquenois-Levine Test
- A three-reagent presumptive test for cannabinoids: vanillin + acetaldehyde in ethanol (Reagent 1), concentrated hydrochloric acid (Reagent 2), and chloroform partition (Reagent...
- HHC (Hexahydrocannabinol)
- A hydrogenated form of THC produced by catalytic reduction of the 9-10 double bond, existing as (9R)-HHC (active) and (9S)-HHC (less active)...
- JWH-018
- 1-Pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole; the prototypical first-wave synthetic cannabinoid developed by John W. Huffman at Clemson University and identified in K2/Spice products from 2008. Scheduled...
- Total THC Calculation
- The formula (THCA x 0.877) + Δ9-THC that converts the THCA fraction to its decarboxylated THC equivalent, required by USDA ASTM methods...