Is CBD Taboo? Survey Shows 50% Of People Won’t Disclose Using CBD To Their Family

The 2018 U.S. Agricultural Improvement Act (Farm Bill Act) legalized the manufacturing and sale of hemp-derived products containing up to 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Since then, most states have legalized the sale of CBD products like oils and gummies, resulting in their widespread popularity, sale and use. Despite this legality,  a significant number of U.S. adults still consider discussing CBD taboo.

Though CBD contains little to no THC, many individuals, including some health care providers, don’t understand the differentiation between cannabis and CBD, says Gerry McNally, Ph.D, a Forbes Health Advisory Board member and vice president of research and development at Next Evo Naturals, a high-quality CBD and supplement company. “Some individuals, as with many things, draw a line when it comes to CBD,” he adds, which may inhibit individuals from researching or educating themselves about the differences between cannabis and CBD, including CBD users themselves.

What’s more, though legal on a state-by-state basis, CBD lacks federal oversight and regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), adds Dr. McNally. A lack of quality standards can lead to documented concerns about whether the content of a CBD product matches its label. For example, some CBD products that are labeled as THC-free have been shown to contain THC, which can affect individuals who undergo drug testing for any reason, he says.

Of 1,000 adult survey respondents, 31% believe CBD is at least somewhat taboo to discuss. Younger generations, including Gen Z (39%) and millennials (36%) consider talking about CBD to be at least somewhat taboo. And, while younger generations may shy away from discussing CBD use, only 19% of participants at least 59 years of age consider CBD use to be a taboo subject. 43% of all respondents don’t believe CBD is taboo to discuss at all.

While these results may seem surprising, older generations may experience a higher incidence of general aches and pains, sleeplessness or chronic pain conditions like arthritis, which may lead them to search for non-prescription methods of symptom management, such as CBD, says Dr. McNally. “When you look at non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like naproxen or ibuprofen, if someone is taking them long term, they can experience gastrointestinal side effects or renal (kidney) side effects,” he adds.

Meanwhile, 81% of participants report they believe CBD consumption is at least somewhat acceptable, suggesting individuals may feel more comfortable using CBD than openly discussing their usage of it with others.

Disclosing CBD Use to Friends, Family and Romantic Partners

Survey results indicate 50% of all participants would disclose using CBD to their family members, 58% would discuss using CBD to friends, and 55% would discuss using CBD with their romantic partners. In fact, CBD was the supplement participants felt most open discussing, when compared to other substances like alcohol and tobacco. Only 42% of participants noted they would disclose alcohol use to family, 48% noted they would disclose use to friends and 46% would disclose use to their romantic partner.

Meanwhile, only 38% of participants would discuss their use of tobacco products with family, 41% with friends and only 40% would discuss use with their romantic partner.

Based on survey results, individuals are more likely to discuss CBD with their family, friends and romantic partners than their use of sleeping pills, mental health services like therapy, diet pills and supplements, illicit drugs and prescription drugs.

Individual motives for avoiding disclosure of CBD consumption to one’s nuclear family, friends and partners vary, thought some reasons include:

• 21% participants don’t think it’s their family’s, friend’s or partner’s business and 21% believe their family, friends or partners would judge them for using CBD, per survey results.
• 17% of participants  think their family, friends or partners would disapprove of their CBD use.
• 15% of participants would hide using CBD because their friends, family members or romantic partners may believe it’s illegal.

Keeping CBD Use From Doctors

According to survey results, 60% of participants would disclose CBD use to their health care providers. Still, this number is higher than the percentage of participants who would disclose their use of other substances. Compared to other supplements, substances, services and drugs, 56% of survey respondents would disclose cannabis use to their health care providers, 51% would disclose tobacco and alcohol use and 44% would disclose utilizing mental health support like therapy. Only 19% of respondents would disclose using illicit drugs.

“There are a lot of topics that are still considered taboo that people are afraid to discuss with their physicians because of fear of judgment, as not [all health care providers] are open-minded,” says Jill Stocker, D.O., a Forbes Health Advisory Board member specializing in age management medicine, hormone optimization, trauma-informed care and psychedelic medicine.

While some individuals may have reservations about discussing their CBD use with their providers, it can be vital information when it comes to receiving the best, comprehensive care.

“It’s my responsibility to understand all medications an individual is taking, as well as over-the-counter vitamins or supplements like CBD, as a complete medical history is essential before curating a personal action plan for all patients,” says Jessica Cho, M.D., a Forbes Health Advisory Board member and founder of Wellness at Century City in Los Angeles. She adds that it’s important to note what kind of CBD an individual is taking along with the product’s ingredients, including whether it’s a CBD isolate (contains only CBD), broad-spectrum (nearly free of THC but may contain trace amounts) or full-spectrum product (containing up to 0.3% THC).

Disclosing CBD use to one’s health care provider can also help ensure a person is using the most effective CBD for their needs, notes Dr. Stocker. “My question would be, ‘What are you getting from CBD use,’ or ‘What are you going to use CBD for?’ Not so I can judge, but so that I can better understand and help,” she says. Understanding why someone wants to use CBD, be it for pain management, anxiety or insomnia, can help get to the root of an individual’s health concerns, she adds.

When it comes to reasons why individuals might hide CBD use from their doctors, 22% of respondents are concerned their providers may look at them differently with this knowledge while 20% are worried their doctors may disapprove of their use and ask them to stop using CBD. 21% of respondents say they believe they haven’t been taking CBD long enough to warrant disclosing the information.

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In spite of its popularity, accurate information regarding CBD can be nebulous, and limited research on the subject can make reliable information difficult to find, fueling misinformation.

When asked if CBD provides immediate results, 72% of respondents answered that it did. However, the effects of CBD can take up to 30 minutes or longer to activate in a user, depending on the delivery method and type of CBD product a person chooses. Meanwhile, individuals react to CBD differently, so there’s no definitive way to predict how long it will take for CBD products to take effect.

Meanwhile, half of respondents believe CBD doesn’t interact with other medications or supplements, when, in fact, it can. When it comes to absorption, 87% of respondents believe CBD is absorbed effectively by the body, however some research suggests as little as a 13% of orally administered CBD is eventually absorbed by the body^[2]Hossain KR, Alghalayini A, Valenzuela SM. Current Challenges and Opportunities for Improved Cannabidiol Solubility. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(19):14514. . Additional clinical trials are necessary to understand CBD’s absorption rate in humans.

Though taking full-spectrum CBD can cause a positive result on a drug test for THC, 33% of respondents believe CBD use won’t result in a positive drug test, and half of participants reported they believe CBD can result in an intoxicatingly psychoactive “high” effect.

Some of these misconceptions may contribute to the stigma or taboo attached to discussing individual CBD use with friends, family and partners. To help encourage education around CBD, Dr. McNally notes further FDA regulation may be necessary. “This would allow [CBD] companies to put the work in and invest in learning more so consumers can understand the benefits CBD can offer,” he adds.

This online survey of 1,000 people who use or have used CBD within the last three years was commissioned by Forbes Health and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected from Oct. 31 to Nov. 5, 2023. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 points with 95% confidence. This survey was overseen by the OnePoll research team, which is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and has corporate membership with the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR).