NPR

CBD Is Budding In Popularity. But What Is The Cannabis Extract, Exactly?

Dr. Jeff Chen, director of the Cannabis Research Initiative at UCLA, joins us to take a closer look at CBD, which is popping up in products like beverages and cosmetics.
Oils containing cannabidiol (CBD) are seen in a shop in Paris on June 14, 2018. (Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images)

As more states across the U.S. legalize medical or recreational marijuana, another aspect of cannabis is budding in popularity: CBD.

It’s popping up everywhere — in beverages, cosmetics and even pet food. But what exactly is it?

Dr. Jeff Chen (@drjeffchen), director of the Cannabis Research Initiative at UCLA, explains that CBD, or cannabidiol, is simply a part of the cannabis plant.

“CBD is cannabidiol, not to be confused with cannabinoid. So‘s Jeremy Hobson. “So THC, which is responsible for the psychoactivity of cannabis, that’s a cannabinoid. CBD is also a cannabinoid.

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