There’s a popular notion that cannabidiol (CBD) can take the edge off the less pleasant effects of marijuana. But a new study suggests that, when it comes to edibles, the opposite is true.
Researchers found that when they gave study volunteers a batch of pot brownies, the effects were as one would expect.
The surprise came when they tested brownies laced with both THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) and CBD, a non-intoxicating extract of the marijuana plant: The combo brownies were substantially more impairing than those containing THC alone.
Overall, they revved up people’s heart rates to a greater degree, and caused bigger impairments in tests of memory and attention. And it was not in service of a “better” high: People also reported feeling lousier after eating the THC/CBD brownie – contrary to the belief that CBD counters the unwanted side effects of marijuana, like anxiety and sedation.
“It was a pretty remarkable effect,” said study leader Austin Zamarripa, a postdoctoral researcher at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore.
Based on the researchers’ analysis, it appears that CBD slows down the metabolism of THC – at least when it’s taken in the form of an edible. And…
