Cannabis not made safer by increasing CBD content, study finds

Study finds CBD had little to no effect in preventing psychotic episodes or memory loss, Mustafa Qadri writes

CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana and is derived directly from the hemp plant, a cousin of cannabis (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Increasing the amount of cannabidiol (CBD) in cannabis does not reduce the negative effects or make it safer, a new study has found.

Kings College London researchers set out to investigate the common belief that ingesting cannabis with higher levels of CBD can protect the user from psychotic experiences and memory loss problems. However, the scientists found no evidence to support that.

Researchers used a set amount of THC - the main psychoactive compound in cannabis - and different dosages of CBD to explore the effect of the oil on cognitive performance or how pleasurable the drug experience was.