Trying to find the best books about cannabidiol, from beginner to expert level? We’ve curated this collection to help you select which ones are most suitable for your CBD needs.

Although we’re still pushing for mainstream acceptance of THC, CBD – cannabidiol – is now on sale online and in health food shops throughout Europe in the form of oil, capsules and tinctures. A plethora of companies are offering their own versions. Unfortunately, not all of them are able to guarantee the transparency that Sensi Seeds does when it comes to the specifics of CBD products. It can be hard for people who are unfamiliar with medicinal uses of cannabis to know which way to turn!

Books about cannabidiol

The same is true of the ever-growing number of books about cannabidiol. Research into CBD is moving so quickly that some hard copy books about what is potentially the most valuable cannabinoid for health are already outdated, despite being more thoroughly researched than e-books that appeared at the end of last year. Some are so recently published that they have hardly any online reviews, making it hard to have an informed choice. Not only that, but an online search for ‘CBD books’ also delivers results about the Christian Book Depository!

To help you navigate through the currently available literature about CBD, here’s our guide to the best books about cannabidiol. Have you read any of them yet? Did we miss one that you would recommend? Let us know in the comments.

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1) Cannabidiol (CBD): Ein cannabishaltiges Compendium

Authors: Dr. med. Franjo Grotenhermen, Markus Berger, Kathrin Gebhardt

Published in 2015, available in hard copy and e-book editions

Hard copy: 160 pages

Pros: Easy to use as a reference guide, well written and comprehensive. All research is referenced. Includes many recipes.

Cons: Currently only available in German.

A collaboration between physician and author Dr Franjo Grotenherman, drug researcher and psychonaut Markus Berger, and professional baker Kathrin Gebhardt, this book covers cannabidiol in some depth. It’s presented in a scientific yet accessible manner. Terpenes and THC are also discussed. Given the increasingly obvious importance of the entourage effect, this should be considered essential in any serious written work about cannabidiol. Conditions which CBD can alleviate, such as epilepsy, fear, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, schizophrenia, and inflammation, are divided into chapters so that it’s easy to find the information you’re looking for.

Where does professional baker Kathrin Gebhardt come in? Well, as a wonderful addition to the science, Cannabidiol (CBD): Ein cannbishaltiges Compendium features a large selection of recipes, all of which are vegan! We’re especially looking forward to trying the Tahin Dream Cannabis Cookies (and to a future where all reference books have themed recipes, frankly). It would be great to see editions of this book in other languages.

2) The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research

Contributors: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee on the Health Effects of Marijuana: An Evidence Review and Research Agenda

Published in 2017, available in hard copy and e-book editions

Hard copy: 487 pages

Pros: Available as a free pdf download, and is also free to read online. Extremely thorough. Impeccably sourced.

Cons: Covers cannabis in general, not just CBD, and is written in densely scientific language. No recipes.

Tasked with producing a “comprehensive, in-depth review of existing evidence regarding the health effects of using marijuana and/or its constituents”, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (US) have appraised over ten thousand scientific abstracts related to cannabis, cannabinoids, and health in order to produce this report. The last review of this kind was made in 1999 (Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base) so there has been a large amount of research done since.

For a layperson trying to discover the best evidence for both the pros and cons of cannabis use, conflicting results of studies and the sheer amount of information out there can be overwhelming. Not only that, but some findings are extracted from research papers to back up claims for the healing powers of cannabis that range from at best, overly optimistic, and at worst, dangerously misleading. This book is an excellent way to fact-check information about cannabidiol (and other cannabinoids). It remains neutral throughout, being entirely based on science (there are no anecdotal references) so where evidence is inconclusive and more research is needed, this is also clearly stated. A great advantage of the online and pdf versions is that you can easily find the specific terms you are interested in by using the search function.

3) Cannabis and CBD Science for Dogs: Natural Supplements to Support Healthy Living and Graceful Aging

Author: D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D

Published in 2016, available in hard copy and e-book editions

Hard copy: 104 pages

Pros: Excellent introduction to CBD and other cannabinoids. Very readable style, without being overly simplistic. All research is referenced.

Cons: As you would expect, focuses on dogs rather than humans (but still relevant to human health).

A browse through Amazon turns up a lot of books with titles that imply they will explain CBD for beginners. However, the reviews reveal sloppy writing, a lack of references to research supporting the claims that they make, and in some cases, accusations that the supposed book is more of a pamphlet advertising a particular CBD product or supplier’s website. If you are looking for a good, reliable beginner’s guide to cannabis, cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system, these books will probably leave you disappointed. Even more so if you are already familiar with some aspects yourself, but are looking for a book about cannabidiol to give to a friend or relative who is sceptical about the potential of medicinal cannabis. That’s where Cannabis and CBD Science for Dogs comes in.

The author holds a Ph.D. in Psychology, has written 34 books about dogs, and has no time for pseudo-science. Initially sceptical about medicinal cannabis and CBD, she discovered that “the more I delved into the subject, the more I found that this was no esoteric fringe science, but a robust area of research”. There is no greater preacher than a convert, and her non-nonsense attitude to the topic is both refreshing and convincing. Despite the canine focus, we recommend this as one of the best books about cannabidiol for absolute beginners. As an added bonus, all proceeds from it go to animal shelters.

4) CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis – Healing without the High

Authors: Leonard Leinlow and Juliana Birnbaum

Published in 2017, available in hardcopy and e-book editions

Hard copy: 352 pages

Pros: Recommended for both patients and caregivers. Good balance of scientific and anecdotal evidence. Also covers CBD for pets.

Cons: According to one reviewer, important data in the form of charts is missing from the digital edition.

If you enjoyed Cannabis and CBD Science For Dogs but don’t feel ready to tackle The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research, then this book is for you. In 2009 author Leonard Leinlow founded Synergy Wellness, a “hand crafted artisanal CBD cannabis collective” (don’t let the hipster language put you off – the book is not written in this style) dedicated to finding and propagating CBD rich cannabis strains and then preparing tinctures from them. In 2015, co-author Juliana Birnbaum began working at Synergy Wellness and, like D. Caroline Coile, had serious doubts about the claims made for the benefits of cannabinoids. A mere two years later, her experiences with the collective convinced her to turn her writing skills to this book.

Alongside plentiful research and references, CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis – Healing without the High includes information on the use of different forms of CBD (tinctures, extracts, capsules and so forth). There is guidance for dosage according to condition, and interviews with doctors who currently prescribe CBD for their patients. This information makes this book very useful for healthcare professionals, despite being described as a patient’s guide. A comprehensive glossary of terms and abbreviations is also extremely handy, making the science of cannabis medicine far more accessible to people without a background in these areas.