“Weed” is the colloquial term used to describe marijuana, a psychoactive drug obtained from the cannabis plant. It contains the active ingredient THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is responsible for the “high” feeling that people most commonly associate with the substance. “Weed” is most commonly smoked and can either be rolled into makeshift cigarettes known as “joints” or in pipes or bongs.

Users also take the substance in other ways in order to mitigate the possibly harmful effects of smoking. They can extract the oil from the plant and add it to food or drink to consume it orally. Some users also vape the oil from the plant, although results on the “high” effects from doing this have tended to be mixed.

People smoke weed for a variety of reasons. Its most common use tends to be recreational, however many studies have found that it has benefits in managing some medical concerns, especially chronic pain. The substance is still illegal in many parts of the world, despite research finding these potential benefits. Unfortunately, cannabis has attained a heavy stigma, despite being considered a “soft” recreational drug. It’s considered “soft” due to the risk of overdose being extremely low and it being deemed less addictive than other illicit drugs.

Marijuana has been shown to cause some side effects, in addition to the “high” feeling. Some users report feelings of paranoia, sleepiness, and excessive hunger after use. Weight loss and weight gain, as well as anxiety and depression have also been shown to be associated with prolonged use.

What is CBD oil?

CBD oil, or cannabidiol oil, is a natural oil which is also obtained from the cannabis plant. It should not be confused with the oils that marijuana users extract to obtain a “high” feeling, as the extraction methods for both are quite different. Unlike marijuana, CBD oil does not contain any THC. It’s therefore missing the key ingredient that causes the psychoactive effects, so will not cause a “high” sensation.

CBD oil is also not addictive and has no known side effects. As with marijuana, risk of overdose is also extremely low (with some studies even indicating that overdose is impossible). Also like with marijuana, studies have found that it can be useful for treating some medical conditions. Chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and even skin cancer are all examples. A lot of research has even found it to be more effective in treating some conditions than marijuana.

Even though it contains no THC, CBD oil still carries a degree of stigma because it’s derived from the cannabis plant. It’s viewed by many as controversial, and this has meant less research has been conducted than would be ideal. But studies to date have generally been promising.

What happens if you combine them?

What does CBD oil do in weed? And weed and CBD oil come from the same plant, mixing them should not be a big deal, right? Interestingly, the effects of this have been quite profound. While it should be noted that studies are still limited in number, anecdotal evidence has been finding some pretty consistent results when users add CBD oil to their marijuana.

It turns out that CBD oil seems to block the effects of THC, meaning that if you add it to your weed, you will not get that “high” feeling. Why this happens is not fully known. But regardless, if you are a user of both CBD oil and recreational cannabis, combining the two is not advised.

What should I do if I want to use both?

If you want to use both marijuana and CBD oil, you do have some options available to you. Firstly, what you should not do is combine them for dosage. As noted above, if you want to obtain the “high” feeling, CBD oil will prevent this. So you will need to take both substances separately and spaced apart if you want to feel the desired effects of the THC. As always though, be sure to consult your doctor to ensure that use of both is safe for you.