THC is intoxicating, CBD is not. Both are among the cannabinoids, of which cannabis contains at least 60 different ones.
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the most potent active compound in the plant and is responsible for the intoxicating effect. In the brain, it acts on the same docking sites as the body’s own messengers. The more THC, the stronger the effect and the more often unpleasant effects such as anxiety or panic occur. How much THC cannabis contains varies widely, depending on the plant and how it is grown.
CBD (cannabidiol) is the second most common active compound. It is not considered intoxicating.
It is often said that CBD makes THC less harmful. In a controlled study with common mixing ratios, however, CBD did not protect against the acute effects of THC. So a high CBD content is no free pass.
Remember: What matters most for the intoxication and its risks is the THC content. How both substances act in the body is explained in the module What cannabis does in the body.
More on this: Myth check
Sources
- drugcom.de (BIÖG): Drogenlexikon, entry Cannabis
- BIÖG: Informationen zu Cannabis, zur Weitergabe an Mitglieder von Cannabis-Anbauvereinigungen (as of February 2025)
- Englund et al. (2023): Does cannabidiol make cannabis safer? A randomised, double-blind, cross-over trial of cannabis with four different CBD:THC ratios, Neuropsychopharmacology