High CBD, Low THC Strains

High CBD, Low THC Strains: The Complete List, Ranked by Ratio

High CBD, low THC strains give you the calm, body-easing side of cannabis without the high — or with only a whisper of one. This guide lists the best-known high CBD strains with their typical CBD:THC ratios, splits them into “no high” and “mild buzz” tiers, and covers the practical stuff: how much to use, side effects, drug tests and legality. If you already know you want it, Diesel Hemp's farm-direct CBD flower and CBD gummies and softgels are made from our own Colorado cultivars.

Our Top Picks: CBD Soft Gels & Gummies

The easiest way to get high-CBD strains without smoking — a measured dose every time. Made from the full-spectrum extract of our own Cherry Abacus, Lemon Abacus and Pinot G cultivars, not decarboxylated or winterized, so the CBDA and terpenes stay intact.

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CBD Flower – Abacus Diesel

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CBD Flower – Cherry Abacus

1/8th — $27.00

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CBD Flower – SpecDiesel

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CBD Flower – Lemon Abacus

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What Makes a Strain “High CBD, Low THC”?

Every cannabis plant makes some mix of CBDA and THCA, which become CBD and THC when heated. Genetics decide which one wins. Most modern dispensary strains are bred almost entirely for THC — 20%+ THC and well under 1% CBD. High-CBD strains flip that.

The number that matters most is the ratio, not the CBD percentage alone. A strain with 10% CBD and 10% THC will get you high. A strain with 14% CBD and 0.7% THC (20:1) won't, for most people. As a rough guide:

• 20:1 and higher — no perceptible high for most people. Calm, clear, functional.
• 8:1 to 15:1 — still non-intoxicating for most; sensitive users may notice a light shift.
• 2:1 to 5:1 — a mild, manageable buzz with CBD taking the edge off.
• 1:1 — a real high, but gentler and less anxious than a THC-dominant strain.

Hemp CBD flower sits at the top of that scale by law: it has to test at or under 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight, so a 15% CBD hemp bud runs at roughly 50:1. Leafly's lab-data breakdown is a useful reference for how widely the named strains vary.

High CBD, Low THC Strains With (Almost) No High

These are the strains people mean when they search “high CBD no THC strains.” Numbers are typical published averages; individual cuts and batches vary a lot, so always check the COA.

1. Harle-Tsu

Harlequin × Sour Tsunami, bred by the Southern Humboldt Seed Collective. Harle-Tsu won best CBD flower at the 2014 Emerald Cup with a lab result of 21.05% CBD and 0.86% THC — about 24:1. Earthy, sweet and piney. Probably the most celebrated “no high” CBD strain ever grown.

2. ACDC

A sativa-dominant Leafly user favorite that averages around 14% CBD at roughly 20:1. Clear-headed and daytime-friendly, with an earthy, woody, lightly sour nose. Full profile in our ACDC strain guide.

3. Ringo's Gift

ACDC × Harle-Tsu, named for the late CBD breeder Lawrence Ringo. It usually lands around 13:1, and select phenotypes reach 24:1. Relaxed, clear and often reported as helpful for winding down at night.

4. Charlotte's Web

The strain that put CBD on the map. Bred in Colorado for a young epilepsy patient named Charlotte Figi, it typically tests 13–20% CBD with THC under the 0.3% hemp limit — often quoted around 30:1. It's a hemp cultivar, not marijuana. See our Charlotte's Web strain guide.

5. Lifter

A newer hemp cultivar (Suver Haze × Early Resin Berry) that averages 16–18% CBD with under 1% THC. Its “funky cheese with a hint of fuel” nose made it one of the most popular hemp flowers of the smokable-CBD boom. Full profile in our Lifter strain guide.

6. Sour Space Candy

Sour Tsunami × Early Resin Berry. Around 15–17% CBD and about 1% THC, with a sour-candy, citrus-and-diesel aroma. Full profile in our Sour Space Candy guide.

7. Elektra

ACDC × Early Resin Berry, averaging 16–20% CBD with under 1% THC. Citrus, pine and a little gas. Known for relaxing without wiping you out.

8. Cherry Wine

Around 17% CBD with under 1% THC, with a wine-and-cheese nose that people either love or don't. Heavier and more body-forward than ACDC. Full profile in our Cherry Wine strain guide.

9. Hawaiian Haze

A CBD-rich sativa hemp flower in the 14–18% CBD range with a tropical pineapple-citrus aroma — a good daytime pick. See our Hawaiian Haze guide.

10. Remedy

Cannatonic × Afghan Skunk, averaging 13–15% CBD with little to no THC. Lemon-pine aroma and mellow, easy relaxation.

11. Suzy Q

Lower CBD than the others — around 10–11% — but with very little THC. Piney, calm and gentle; a good entry point.

12. Sour Tsunami

One of the first strains ever bred specifically for CBD. Phenotypes vary widely — some cuts run well above 10:1, others closer to balanced — so check the COA before you assume. Details in our Sour Tsunami guide.

Diesel Hemp's Own High CBD Strains

Most CBD flower on the market is grown from seed-bank genetics. Ours isn't. These are proprietary cultivars bred in-house through Colorado CBD Seed, Diesel Hemp's genetics company, and they're sold only here. All test under 0.3% delta-9 THC.

• Abacus Diesel — OG Kush × Purple Urkle, bred down to hemp. Real diesel gas; total cannabinoids 20–21%+ by batch. Shop it.
• Cherry Abacus — Original Abacus × Original Cherry. Myrcene-led, sweet cherry and berry, relaxing; CBD typically 15–20%+. Shop it.
• Lemon Abacus — Lemon Haze × Original Abacus. Terpinolene-dominant, bright lemon-lime, the daytime pick. Shop it.
• Spec7 — Blue Cheese × hemp, around 20% CBD, a cheese nose that opens into florals. Shop it.
• SpecDiesel — Spec7 × Abacus Diesel. Our highest-CBD flower: 23–27% CBD, up to 30% total cannabinoids. Heavy and evening-only. Shop it.
• Inzane Abacus — Inzane in the Membrane × Abacus Diesel. The loudest gas in the lineup. Shop it.

More of the family: Lemon Diesel, Strawberry Diesel and Chocolate Diesel CBD flower.

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CBD Flower – SpecDiesel

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Balanced Strains: High CBD With a Mild Buzz

These strains carry plenty of CBD but also real THC. They're mostly sold in state dispensaries rather than as hemp, and they will produce a light high — just a softer, less anxious one than a THC-dominant strain.

• Harlequin — sativa-dominant, famously stable at about 5:2 CBD:THC. Clear, alert, lightly euphoric.
• Cannatonic — MK Ultra × G13 Haze. Phenotypes range from about 1:1 to CBD-dominant; a short, mellow high.
• Pennywise — Harlequin × Jack the Ripper, roughly 1:1. The most psychoactive strain on this page.
• Stephen Hawking Kush — Harle-Tsu × Sin City Kush, indica-leaning and berry-sweet; ratios vary from balanced to strongly CBD-dominant.
• CBD Critical Mass — about 3:2 CBD:THC; heavy, body-forward, subtle buzz.

How to Choose the Right High CBD Strain

• Want zero head change? Stay at 15:1 or higher — ACDC, Harle-Tsu, Charlotte's Web, or any compliant hemp CBD flower.
• Daytime or evening? Terpenes steer the feel. Terpinolene- and limonene-forward strains (Lemon Abacus, Hawaiian Haze, ACDC) read brighter; myrcene-heavy strains (Cherry Abacus, SpecDiesel, Remedy) read heavier and sleepier. Caryophyllene adds a peppery, grounding edge.
• Flavor matters. CBD flower that smells like hay is a sign of poor genetics or a bad cure. Good CBD flower should smell like real cannabis.
• Read the COA, not the label. Named strains vary wildly by grower. A current third-party COA should show CBD/CBDA, delta-9 THC and total THC. Ours are on the lab results page.
• Buy from the grower. Resellers relabel bulk flower under famous names. Diesel Hemp's CBD flower is grown in Colorado by us and our partner farms.

How to Use High CBD Flower — and How Much

The main ways to use it:

• Smoking (joint, pipe, bong): effects within minutes, lasting roughly 1–3 hours. Fastest and most common. CBD pre-rolls are the easy version.
• Dry-herb vaporizer: easier on the lungs and better for tasting terpenes. CBD vaporizes around 320–356°F; most people run 340–390°F.
• Homemade edibles or oil: decarb the flower first — raw CBD flower is mostly CBDA, which heat converts to CBD. Edibles take 30–120 minutes to start and last much longer.
• Skip the flower: gummies and softgels give you a measured dose with no smoke at all — see CBD soft gels and gummies.

How much? Flower has no fixed dose because a “hit” varies, but the math helps: CBD % × 1,000 = mg of CBD per gram. A gram of 15% flower holds about 150 mg; a 0.5 g joint about 75 mg — and you absorb only a fraction of that when you smoke it. Practical rule:

• New to CBD: a few hits, then wait 10–15 minutes before taking more.
• Measured dosing: most people start around 10–25 mg of CBD from a gummy or softgel and adjust after a few days.
• Everyone: CBD effects are subtle and build. Go slow before you decide something isn't working.

Prefer Flower? Our Pick

Diesel Hemp's flagship CBD cultivar — bred in-house, sold only here.

CBD Flower – Abacus Diesel

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OG Kush × Purple Urkle, bred down to hemp · total cannabinoids 20–21%+ by batch · third-party lab tested — view COAs · free shipping over $75

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What People Use High CBD Strains For

People commonly reach for high-CBD, low-THC strains for:

• Everyday stress and feeling on edge — without THC's risk of paranoia
• Winding down in the evening and settling before sleep
• Post-workout soreness and general aches
• A cannabis ritual that doesn't impair — during the day, at work, or while tapering off THC

The one FDA-approved CBD drug, Epidiolex, is prescribed for specific seizure disorders; beyond that, research on CBD is still developing. The NIH's overview of cannabis and cannabinoids summarizes what's known. The uses above are user-reported experiences, not medical claims.

Side Effects and Cautions

CBD is well tolerated by most people, but it isn't nothing. The FDA's CBD guidance lists the main concerns:

• Drowsiness — especially with myrcene-heavy strains or at higher doses.
• Dry mouth, dry eyes and occasional digestive upset or appetite changes.
• Drug interactions — CBD affects how the liver processes some medications, including blood thinners and certain seizure and anti-anxiety drugs. Talk to your doctor if you take prescriptions.
• Balanced strains still carry THC — Harlequin, Cannatonic and Pennywise can impair. Don't drive after using them.
• Smoke is smoke — if lung health matters to you, use a vaporizer, gummies or softgels.

Avoid CBD if you're pregnant or nursing, and keep all products away from kids and pets.

Will High CBD Strains Show Up on a Drug Test?

They can. Drug tests look for THC metabolites, not CBD — but hemp CBD flower and full-spectrum gummies and softgels all contain trace THC. Occasional use is low risk; heavy daily use can accumulate enough to trigger a positive result. If you're tested for work, check your employer's policy or choose a CBD isolate product.

Is High CBD, Low THC Flower Legal?

Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp — including CBD flower — is federally legal when it contains no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis (see the USDA hemp program). A new federal definition of hemp passed in late 2025 is scheduled to take effect in late 2026 and will change what qualifies. State laws also vary — follow our federal hemp law coverage and check your state before ordering. The balanced strains on this page (Harlequin, Pennywise and similar) are marijuana and are only sold legally in state dispensaries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What strain has the highest CBD and lowest THC?

Among the classic named strains, Harle-Tsu, ACDC, Ringo's Gift and Charlotte's Web sit at the top — ratios around 20:1 CBD to THC or higher, with Harle-Tsu posting a published lab result of 21.05% CBD and 0.86% THC. In hemp flower, the best modern cultivars test 15–27% CBD while staying under 0.3% delta-9 THC; Diesel Hemp's SpecDiesel has tested 23–27% CBD.

Is there a cannabis strain with no THC at all?

No. Every cannabis flower makes at least a trace of THC — even compliant hemp flower carries up to 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight. If you need zero THC, look for a CBD isolate product rather than flower or full-spectrum extracts, which keep trace THC on purpose for the entourage effect.

Do high CBD low THC strains get you high?

Strains at 15:1 or higher — ACDC, Harle-Tsu, Charlotte's Web, and hemp CBD flower — don't produce a real high for most people. They feel calm, clear and relaxed. Balanced strains like Harlequin, Cannatonic and Pennywise carry enough THC (roughly 1:1 to 5:2) to produce a mild, manageable buzz.

What is the best high CBD strain for anxiety?

Most people who want calm without any head change pick a 20:1-plus strain — ACDC, Harle-Tsu, Ringo's Gift or a hemp CBD flower — because THC is the cannabinoid that can trigger anxiety and paranoia. Start with a small amount and see how you respond.

What is the best high CBD strain for sleep?

Look for a high-CBD strain with a myrcene-heavy terpene profile, which reads as heavier and more sedating. Remedy, Cherry Wine and Diesel Hemp's SpecDiesel and Cherry Abacus lean that way. Many people also switch to a slow-release CBD softgel at night so they don't have to smoke before bed.

How much CBD is in a gram of CBD flower?

Multiply the CBD percentage by 1,000 mg. A gram of 15% CBD flower holds about 150 mg of CBD; a gram of 20% flower holds about 200 mg. You absorb only part of that when you smoke it — much is lost to combustion and sidestream smoke — so the dose you actually get is lower.

Will high CBD strains show up on a drug test?

They can. Standard drug tests look for THC metabolites, not CBD, but CBD flower and full-spectrum CBD products carry trace THC. Heavy daily use can build up enough to trigger a positive. If you're tested for work, talk to your employer or choose an isolate product.

Is high CBD flower legal?

Federally, hemp flower is legal when it tests at or under 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis under the 2018 Farm Bill. A new federal hemp definition passed in late 2025 is scheduled to take effect in late 2026 and will change what qualifies, and state rules vary — check your state before ordering.

Is Charlotte's Web hemp or marijuana?

Charlotte's Web is a hemp cultivar. It was bred by Colorado's Stanley brothers to be extremely high in CBD and it typically tests under the federal 0.3% delta-9 THC limit, which is why it's sold as hemp.

What's the difference between CBD flower and THCA flower?

Both are federally compliant hemp, but they do opposite things. CBD flower is bred for high CBD and stays non-intoxicating. THCA flower is bred for high THCA, which converts to THC when heated — so it gets you high like dispensary cannabis.

Related Strains and Guides

• ACDC — the classic ~20:1 daytime CBD strain.
• Charlotte's Web — the hemp strain that started the CBD movement.
• Harlequin — the stable 5:2 balanced favorite.
• Cannatonic — parent of Remedy, ratios from 1:1 to CBD-dominant.
• Sour Tsunami — one of the first strains bred for CBD.
• Sour Space Candy — sour-candy hemp flower.
• Lifter — funky cheese-and-fuel daytime hemp flower.
• Cherry Wine — sweet cherry and pepper, relaxing hemp flower.
• Hawaiian Haze — tropical daytime CBD sativa.
• Pennywise — the 1:1 end of the spectrum.
• Abacus Diesel and Cherry Abacus — Diesel Hemp's own CBD cultivars.
• CBDA and CBG — the other non-intoxicating cannabinoids in CBD flower.
• Indica vs Sativa — why terpenes matter more than the label.
• Browse the Full Diesel Hemp Encyclopedia