Occasionally Asked Questions
Q: CBD is non-psychoactive. Does that mean it is legal?
A: No. Technically, CBD is forbidden in any form (pure or from a plant) in the USA, despite its total lack of addictive potential or any rational danger. Cannabidiol and all other phytocannabinoids are Schedule I drugs in the USA. The code number for cannabidiol in Schedule I is 7372. It is not psychoactive, but it is illegal in the eyes of the federal government. You may find it listed here: under Schedule I where it says tetrahydrocannabinols. The part saying "and others" includes all phytocannabinoids, even CBD. The situation is different in other countries. In many, CBD is not controlled at all.
Q: How can I advance the research effort of Project CBD?
A: Take the survey and report the effects of whichever CBD-rich herb or ingestible you are medicating with. The more individual responses, the more confident we can be in the aggregated answers. Please share any comments, findings, or observations through our CBDiary.
Q: Why are you trying to do more research on CBD when there are so many journal articles reporting its benefits? Don't we already know that CBD will be effective against a variety of illnesses?
A: Although cannabidiol has been studied since the 1960s and there have
been numerous lab studies (using mice as test subjects), only a few clinical studies (using people as test subjects in a controlled setting) have been conducted. While these studies strongly suggest that CBD will benefit people, more real-life investigation is called for. We trust ourselves and the doctors we're working with to do an honest job. We don't pretend we're not biased --we're hoping that CBD-rich Cannabis proves helpful to people in various ways. We trust ourselves, nevertheless, to report the facts as we learn them --period.
Q. Our dispensary is seeking CBD-rich strains. Do you sell clones, seeds, or mother plants?
A: We do not. Project CBD is an educational news service that supports the Society of Cannabis Clinicians' data collection effort. Participating dispensaries can expect to be contacted by growers who decide to share their medicine and/or "genetics." Participating seed companies offering CBD-rich strains will be listed on ProjectCBD.org.
Q: Can you tell me where to find CBD-rich herb and/or ingestibles?
A: Depending on where you live, we can help direct you to dispensaries in your area that carry CBD-rich medicine. Email us here.
Q: I heard about or have a CBD-rich strain. Do you want more information?
A: Yes! Please report strains of interest to our special correspondent, George Van Patten, AKA Jorge Cervantes here.
Q: I am a patient. I am looking for CBD-rich Cannabis but there is none to be found at my dispensary. What can I do?
A: Direct your dispensary staff to ProjectCBD.org, and contact our Outreach Coordinator here.
Q. I have heard that CBD is the dominant cannabinoid in hemp plants. Can I just smoke or ingest hemp or ditchweed to get the healing effects of CBD?
A: It is true that hemp fiber or seed strains will be relatively high in CBD, but their overall cannabinoid content will probably be low. In general, a
plant is bred to be good for one of three purposes: drug (usually
THC), fiber or seed. It is an unusual plant that is useful in more
than one category. Hemp is genetically bred for fiber growth, not
resin production. CBD-rich yields from hemp are likely to be low
without selective breeding for CBD content.
Q. Who runs Project CBD?
A. This site is edited by Fred Gardner and Martin A. Lee. FG was on the editorial board of Scientific American in the 1960s. He has been managing editor of Synapse, the UC San Francisco weekly, and public information officer for the District Attorney of San Francisco. Since 2003 he has edited O'Shaughnessy's, the journal of cannabis in clinical practice. MAL is the cofounder of the media watch group FAIR and is the author of three books,
including Acid Dreams. He is currently writing a social history of Cannabis, which will be published next year by Scribner's.
Outreach Coordinator Sarah Russo has been involved since 2006 in efforts to legalize Cannabis/hemp in her home state of Montana. She completed her degree at the Evergreen State College and has studied medicinal plants in South America. Special correspondent George Van Patten (AKA Jorge Cervantes) is the author of Marijuana Horticulture, the indoor/outdoor Medical Grower's Bible, and Marijuana Grow Basics. His books have been published in seven languages.