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Cannabis & Cannabinoids

Education only. This library explains the cannabis plant, each cannabinoid and terpene, named cultivars (commonly called strains), laboratory reports, product forms, research by health topic, safety and how laws differ. It separates approved medicines, research findings, marketing claims and personal reports.

It gives no dosing, buying, growing, extraction or manufacturing advice and sells nothing. Names and labels do not guarantee composition or effects, and laws differ by country and change.

Start here: What Is Cannabis? Plant Biology and Common Terms

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Safety first

  • These topics can involve legal restrictions, medicine interactions and serious health risks. Laws differ by country and change.
  • Do not stop a prescribed medicine or delay care for a serious condition to try any of these.
  • If someone may be poisoned or in a crisis, call emergency services first. See urgent help.

Natural Remedy Safety

Overview

What this library is

Cannabis and cannabinoids is one of the most searched and most confused topics in health. NIDA says the cannabis plant contains at least 125 different cannabinoids, including THC, which is intoxicating, and CBD, which is not intoxicating like THC. [1] The FDA has not approved the plant for any medical use, but it has approved a few drugs made from single cannabinoids. [2]

This library is information only. It does not tell anyone what to use, how much, where to buy it or how to grow, extract or prepare it. It does not sell anything: there are no shops, product listings, brand names, prices or purchase links. It does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist.

The 14 collections

  1. Basics. What is cannabis, plant anatomy, cannabinoids explained, medicines vs consumer products and the endocannabinoid system.
  2. Cannabinoid encyclopedia. One page per compound, starting with CBD and THC.
  3. Cultivar library. A directory of named cultivars, often called strains.
  4. Indica, sativa and hybrid. What the words mean in botany and in retail.
  5. Terpenes. Aroma compounds in cannabis and the evidence about them.
  6. Potency and lab reports. How to read a certificate of analysis.
  7. Oils. What CBD oil is and how labels work.
  8. Concentrates. Terms and composition.
  9. Foods and drinks. Gummies and edibles and their delayed effects.
  10. Topicals. Creams, balms and patches.
  11. Research by health topic. A clinical research overview and condition-by-condition reviews.
  12. Safety. Adverse effects and cannabis use disorder, driving, pregnancy and interactions.
  13. Legal context. How laws differ by country.
  14. Comparisons and glossary. CBD vs THC and a glossary.

How we label the evidence

Each health claim is tied to a source we read. Plain labels: approved medicine (a regulator has approved a specific drug for a stated use), established, promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence, preclinical (cells/animals only), no good evidence of benefit, evidence of harm and marketing claim. Where we looked and found nothing usable, the page says "Proper evidence not found." Findings from cells or animals are not applied to people, and prescription-medicine results are not applied to flower, oils or gummies.

Names and labels do not guarantee anything

A cultivar name, an indica or sativa label, a terpene list or a percentage on a package is not proof of genetics, effects or consistent potency. A study of commercial cannabis in six US states found that commercial labels do not consistently align with measured chemical diversity. [3] Because composition varies, this library does not state "typical" THC, CBD or terpene percentages. Verified batch data is needed for any specific product. FDA found many CBD products did not contain the amount of CBD claimed. [4]

Safety and legal pointers

  • Children and pets. Children eating cannabis edibles can be hospitalized. [1] FDA says to take a child to a physician or emergency department if you reasonably suspect they swallowed a cannabis product. [5] In the US, Poison Help is 1-800-222-1222 (see Poison Help by country).
  • Medicines. Cannabis may interact with other medicines. [1] See how interactions work.
  • Lab-made products. Synthetic cannabinoids sold as K2 or Spice are linked to severe, potentially life-threatening effects. [6]
  • Laws. Laws differ by country, and in the US by state, and they change. Under US federal law, FDA reports that marijuana is in Schedule I and hemp is defined by a 0.3 percent dry-weight THC limit (read 2026-10-22). [5] Nothing here is legal advice.

Explore Cannabis & Cannabinoids

Cannabis Basics(12)The plant, its parts, terminology, chemistry basics and the endocannabinoid system.
Cannabinoid Encyclopedia(17)One canonical page per verified compound, with what is known and what is not.
Flower & Cultivar Library(30)Named cultivars (commonly called strains), documented with sources and uncertainty.
Indica, Sativa & Hybrid(9)What the labels mean, where they come from and why they do not predict effects.
Terpenes & Plant Chemistry(14)Terpenes and related constituents, and what the evidence does and does not show.
Potency, Percentages & Lab Reports(14)Reading laboratory reports, percentages and milligrams, and testing for contaminants.
Oils & Liquid Extracts(11)CBD and cannabis oils, spectrum labels, carriers and label interpretation.
Concentrates & Other Preparations(6)What concentrate terms mean and their risks. Educational only.
Foods, Drinks & Oral Products(8)Gummies, drinks, capsules and edibles: composition, delayed effects and safety.
Topical & Other Product Forms(6)Creams, balms, patches and cosmetic products, and what skin products can and cannot claim.
Research by Health Topic(10)Evidence reviews by condition, with approved medicines kept separate from experimental claims.
Safety & Interactions(18)Impairment, dependence, mental health, interactions, special groups and urgent help.
Comparisons & Glossary(12)Side-by-side comparisons and a glossary of verified terms.
  • CBD vs THC

    A plain comparison of CBD and THC covering effects, approved medicines, risks, interactions, legal differences and why neither is a universal winner.

  • CBD vs CBG

    CBD and CBG are both non-intoxicating cannabis compounds. This guide compares their chemistry, the evidence behind each, safety questions, and what labels can and cannot…

  • CBD vs CBN

    CBD and CBN are often paired in sleep marketing. This guide compares their origins, what research shows, how they bind in the body, and why the sleep claims need care.

  • Hemp vs Marijuana

    What separates hemp from marijuana in US law and in practice, how hemp seed foods differ from hemp-derived CBD and THC products, and why hemp-derived does not mean safe.

  • THC vs THCA

    THC and THCA are two forms of one cannabis compound. This guide compares what each is, how heat links them, and why labels and laws treat them differently.

  • CBD vs CBDA

    CBD and CBDA are the same cannabis chemistry before and after heat. This guide compares what each is, what research exists, and why one label may list both.

  • Delta-8 vs Delta-9 THC

    Delta-8 and delta-9 THC are close chemical relatives. This guide compares where each comes from, how they act, what regulators warn about, and why labels need care.

  • Flower vs Oil

    Cannabis flower and cannabis oil are different product forms. This guide compares what they are, how the body takes them in, how labels differ, and the main risks of eac…

  • Oils vs Gummies

    CBD oils and gummies are both swallowed products but differ in absorption, labeling and risks. This guide compares them using published reviews and laboratory checks.

  • Rosin vs Resin

    Rosin and resin sound alike but mean different things in cannabis. This guide explains the plant resin, retail resin and rosin concentrates, and a pine rosin adulterant.

  • Distillate vs Isolate

    Distillate and isolate are both refined cannabinoid products. This guide compares what each contains, why the words overlap with full-spectrum and broad-spectrum, and wh…

  • Cannabis and Cannabinoid Glossary

    Plain-language glossary of more than 70 cannabis and cannabinoid terms, from THC and THCA to COA and LOQ, each with a technical note and a link to the guide that owns th…

Evidence and limitations. Traditional ideas are described in their own terms, then kept separate from what research has measured. Where research exists we say what it covered; "Proper evidence not found" means we looked and found nothing usable. Every approach is held to the same evidence standard.

Related comparisons

Related Wellness Goals

Research connections

Our pages cite the studies and official sources behind each statement. For the underlying records, see the evidence page for this goal and the Research Library.

Specialty Topics Research and Evidence: How Much Research Exists and How to Read It Research Library Wellness Goals

Frequently asked questions

Is cannabis a medicine?

The FDA has not approved the cannabis plant for any medical use, but it has approved drugs containing individual cannabinoids for specific conditions. [2]

What is the difference between CBD and THC?

THC is the cannabinoid mainly responsible for intoxicating effects. CBD is not intoxicating like THC but can cause side effects such as drowsiness and diarrhea. [1]

Is CBD legal?

It depends on the country and, in the US, on the state and how the product is made and sold. The FDA says adding CBD to a food or selling it as a dietary supplement is currently illegal federally (page current as of 2020, read 2026-10-22). [4] Laws change; this is not legal advice.

Do cannabis products work for pain, anxiety or sleep?

It depends on the condition, product and person. For example, NCCIH describes a 2018 review of cannabis-based medicines for neuropathic pain that found low- to moderate-quality evidence of better pain relief than placebo, but the data could not be considered reliable. [2] See the research collection for each topic.

Are CBD products what the label says?

Not always. FDA tested some and many did not contain the CBD levels claimed. [4]

Does this site sell cannabis products?

No. The library is information only, with no sales, listings or purchase links.

References

  1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Cannabis (Marijuana) DrugFacts. Read 2026-10-22.
  2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoids: What You Need To Know. Read 2026-10-22.
  3. Smith CJ et al.. The phytochemical diversity of commercial Cannabis in the United States. PLoS One. 2022. PubMed abstract read 2026-10-22.
  4. US Food and Drug Administration. What You Need to Know (And What We're Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD. FDA page states content current as of 03/05/2020. Read 2026-10-22.
  5. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD): Questions and Answers. FDA page states content current as of 07/16/2024. Read 2026-10-22.
  6. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Synthetic Cannabinoids. Page dated October 11, 2023. Read 2026-10-22.

Content last updated . This section has not been medically reviewed.

Education, not medical advice. This section is for general information. Supplements are not automatically necessary and do not replace a varied diet or medical care. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Naming a condition here does not mean a natural remedy treats it. Natural does not automatically mean safe.