CBD Use Is Far More Common Among Marijuana Users Than Non-Users | Research

The takeaway

National survey data show that 40.7% of current marijuana users also use CBD, compared to just 5.1% of people who have never used marijuana, with females, older adults, and those in poorer health more likely to use CBD.

CBD consumers, public health professionals, researchers studying cannabinoid use patterns

40.7% of current marijuana users also use CBD vs. 5.1% of never-users

What the researchers found

Current CBD use was 10.5% overall in the U.S. population. Among current marijuana users, 40.7% also used CBD in the past 30 days, compared to 32.2% of past-year marijuana users, 19.1% of ever-users, and only 5.1% of never-marijuana-users. Females, adults, White individuals, and those with fair/poor health status were more likely to use CBD.

Why it matters

CBD products are often marketed as distinct from marijuana, but this analysis shows that CBD use is heavily concentrated among people who also use marijuana. This challenges the assumption that CBD users are a separate population and has implications for how public health messaging about CBD is targeted.

The numbers in context

10.5% of the U.S. population reported current CBD use. By marijuana status: current marijuana users 40.7%, past-year users 32.2%, ever-users 19.1%, non-current users 5.09%, non-past-year users 4.38%, never-users 5.09%. Females, adults, Whites, and those with fair/poor health more likely to use CBD.

How the study worked

Analysis of the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), a nationally representative cross-sectional survey. Descriptive analyses assessed CBD use prevalence by marijuana use status, and adjusted logistic regression examined demographic predictors of CBD use.

What this study cannot tell us

Cross-sectional survey data cannot establish why CBD use is higher among marijuana users. Self-reported use without verification of actual CBD product contents. NSDUH captures prevalence but not detailed product information, dosing, or reasons for use.

How to read the evidence

Moderate evidence from a nationally representative survey with a large sample, though limited by cross-sectional design and self-reported data.

When this study was published

2025 study analyzing 2022 NSDUH data on CBD and marijuana use patterns.

The bigger picture

The overlap between CBD and marijuana use populations suggests that many people may be using CBD as part of a broader cannabis regimen rather than as an isolated wellness product. Public health initiatives may need to address CBD and marijuana use together rather than treating them as separate behaviors.

Questions still open

Are marijuana users more likely to try CBD because of familiarity with cannabis, or are they using CBD to modulate marijuana effects? What proportion of CBD users are using verified, quality-tested products? Do CBD-only users differ in health outcomes from those who use both CBD and marijuana?

Common questions

How common is CBD use in the U.S.?

About 10.5% of the U.S. population reported using CBD in the past 30 days as of 2022. The rate was much higher among people who also use marijuana (40.7% of current users) and much lower among those who never have (5.1%).

Who is most likely to use CBD?

Females, adults (compared to adolescents), White individuals, and people who rated their health as fair or poor were more likely to use CBD. Current marijuana users were by far the strongest predictor.

Read the original research

Patterns of cannabidiol use among marijuana users in the United States.

Preventive medicine reports, 50, 102985

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Park, Ji-Yeun. (2025). Patterns of cannabidiol use among marijuana users in the United States.. Preventive medicine reports, 50, 102985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2025.102985