Is CBD Psychoactive? Yes, it is!

What is Psychoactive?

There are various definitions of what psychoactive substances are, but most commonly they are defined as chemicals that alter a person’s perception, mood, consciousness, or behaviour. Such substances can be found in natural or synthetic forms, and include substances such as alcohol, caffeine, and cannabis. These substances are often used recreationally, but they can also have therapeutic uses.

So, that cup of coffee you might be sipping on while reading this article… Contains a psychoactive substance – oh, the horror! 😱

If you were to go by this definition alone, even a glass of water can potentially be psychoactive. As if you were to be dehydrated and have a nice refreshing glass of water; the substance (water) would most definitely changing both your mood and perception.

There are other definitions for the psychoactive quality in substances, such as the ability cross the blood-brain barrier – but this would include the coconut-based MCT oil we use in our CBD Drops that turns into ketones to be psychoactive after being broken down by your body, as ketones are a great source of energy for your brain.

Psychoactive vs. Psychotropic?

What confuses things even further is the term psychotropic. Both terms psychoactive and psychotropic are currently being used almost interchangeably, and depending on the source of information – they may or may not mean the same thing, or almost exactly the same thing.

For example, if you were to look for the definition in the Collins dictionary, they are both defined as “Psychotropic/Psychoactive drugs are drugs that affect your mind.” However, in the Merriam-Webster psychotropic is “acting on the mind”, whereas psychoactive is “affecting the mind or behavior”.

Their definitions often lead them to be used interchangeably, which has completely eroded any differentiation between these two terms that there may have been in the beginning.

At Green Stem CBD, we have chosen to refer to our CBD products as non-psychotropic, as we feel this best describes the compound.

The question you should be asking

As most sources can’t even seem to agree on the actual definition of psychoactive and psychotropic, the question you should be asking instead is: Is CBD intoxicating?

CBD is generally considered to be safe, this is because it does not produce a high like THC does. This high can impair memory, cognitive skills and even coordination. As CBD lacks the ability to do this, it’s safe to say that CBD is NOT intoxicating.

Now that we’ve cleared that misconception, why not have a look at our psychoactive (but non-intoxicating) product selection, this includes CBD Oil Drops, CBD Gummies, and a luxurious range of CBD skincare products!