The 2023 CBD survey

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the hottest and fastest-growing alternative health trends in the United States. It’s in everything these days. Go to any health food or vitamin store and you might find CBD oil, gummies, baked goods, soaps, teas—the list goes on. Even though it’s quickly becoming ubiquitous, controversy and confusion still shroud CBD. From local pharmacies to the senate floor, people are debating the merits and drawbacks of these intriguing new products.

With all this information (and misinformation) it’s hard to get a general consensus on CBD therapy. Ask 20 people on the street what they think of CBD, and you’ll likely get responses that range from “it changed my life” to “you couldn’t pay me to try it” or “what’s CBD?” But ask 2,000 people and you’ll paint a pretty vivid picture of CBD use in America, which is exactly what SingleCare did in its CBD survey.

What is CBD?

There are plenty of misconceptions about what, exactly, CBD is. CBD is short for cannabidiol, a naturally-occurring compound found in the cannabis plant. Contrary to what some might think (including 26% of survey respondents), CBD is not the same as marijuana. 

Hemp and marijuana are from the same family but aren’t the same plant. Both contain the cannabis compounds CBD and THC, however, hemp has higher CBD and lower THC than marijuana. CBD is non-psychoactive while THC produces psychoactive effects. In other words, CBD won’t get you high like marijuana will because it does not contain THC. Additionally, CBD shows no potential for abuse or dependence, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Is CBD legal?

Yes, but only in certain cases. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 legalized CBD products derived from hemp from a licensed grower that has 0.3% or less THC. CBD products derived from marijuana are not legal under federal law—even though several states have legalized and decriminalized marijuana. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only one CBD medication for medical use, Epidiolex, which is a “drug substance CBD for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome in patients 2 years of age and older.”

Many Americans have misconceptions about CBD

CBD’s affiliation with marijuana has led to numerous misconceptions about cbd france products. For example:

26% of Americans think that CBD is the same as marijuana. CBD products are derived from hemp. While it’s in the same family as marijuana, it’s not the same thing and it won’t get the user high. 

57% of Americans believe that CBD will show up on a drug test. This, too, is untrue… mostly. Products that are pure CBD and are labeled 0% THC should not show up on a standard drug test. However, due to lack of regulation of these products, it’s possible the product could contain trace amounts of THC, despite the 0% label. Products that contain 0.3% are unlikely, but possible, to show up on a drug test.

47% of Americans think the government regulates CBD. Currently, CBD isn’t federally regulated, as it’s a supplement and not a medication. But that could change soon as laws around hemp and marijuana are rapidly evolving. 

Who uses CBD products? More Americans than you might think. A 2019 Gallup poll found that 14% of Americans use CBD, while one-third of our respondents said they currently use or have used CBD products. 

Younger crowds appear more open to CBD use—it’s most common in the 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 age groups. Surprisingly, among the people who have used CBD products, 35- to 44-year-olds are the group most likely to continue using them, while younger people often use them for a short period of time, then stop. These numbers taper off in older populations. 70% of respondents aged 55 to 64, and 80% of respondents aged 65 and older said that they have never used a CBD product.

Why don’t people try CBD? 

Even so, with their growing popularity and accessibility, Americans of all ages are beginning to test out CBD products for a variety of medical conditions.

CBD Users

A quick Google search for cbd achat will hit you with a wave of websites touting various uses, health benefits, and cures. Compared to long-standing medications and pharmaceutical mainstays, there are very few studies on CBD’s potential uses and effects. While it has shown some initial promise treating a variety of ailments, it’s still new and clinically unproven. 

But that hasn’t stopped people from using it for a whole gamut of medical conditions, most often pain and inflammation. More than 60% of people who use CBD (across all age groups) do so for pain management. People also commonly use it for anxiety and as a sleep aid. Although this also depends on the age group. For example, people 65 and older use CBD primarily for chronic pain and arthritis, rarely for anxiety, depression, or recreation. Eighteen to 24-year-olds use CBD instead for anxiety relief or recreational purposes. 

CBD results vary from person to person

There are a