Is CBD legal? Hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC are legal federally but still illegal under some state laws. Marijuana-derived CBD products, on the other hand, are illegal federally but legal under some state laws. Check local legislation, especially when traveling. Also, keep in mind that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved nonprescription CBD products, which may be inaccurately labeled.

CBD is a popular natural remedy that people may use for a host of different health conditions. There is growing evidence that CBD may be useful for:

Pain relief

People may use CBD to help manage different types of chronic pain. A 2017 studyTrusted Source on rat models found that CBD injections reduced pain response to a surgical incision.

A 2020 studyTrusted Source suggests that topical CBD may provide pain relief for those with peripheral neuropathy. Researchers found that CBD can significantly reduce intense pain, sharp pain, itchy sensations, and cold.

Anxiety relief

A 2015 studyTrusted Source suggests that CBD is a potential treatment for multiple anxiety disorders, such as:

• post-traumatic stress disorder
• panic disorder
• generalized anxiety disorder
• social anxiety disorder
• obsessive-compulsive disorder

A 2020 studyTrusted Source also suggests that CBD may possess anxiolytic benefits, which means that it may be useful for mental health conditions, such as anxiety.

Cancer-related side effects

CBD may help reduce cancer-related side effects, such as nausea and vomiting. A 2016Trusted SourceTrusted SourcestudyTrusted Source indicates that taking Sativex, a drug that contains CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), may provide relief from nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy.

Epilepsy

In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Trusted Source approved EpidiolexTrusted Source, a purified form of CBD. A doctor may use Epidiolex to treat two rare forms of epilepsy in children:

• Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
• Dravet syndrome

ResearchersTrusted Source are beginning to understand how CBD may help manage seizures.

Neurodegenerative diseases

A 2019 studyTrusted Source suggests that CBD’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may also help manage neurodegenerative diseases, including:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Huntington’s disease
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis