Can CBD Help With Opioid Addiction? What the Research Actually Shows

In 2022, the FDA authorized human trials of an investigational CBD drug for opioid use disorder, and researchers are actively studying whether cannabidiol may help ease the cravings and anxiety that make opioid withdrawal so difficult. The early findings are encouraging enough that the National Institute on Drug Abuse is funding multiple studies. Below we cover what opioid use disorder is, how CBD might work in the brain, where the clinical trials stand today, and what researchers hope to learn next.

Quick answers:

•      CBD is being studied as a potential add-on therapy for opioid use disorder, not as a replacement for existing treatment.

•      The FDA cleared human trials of Nantheia ATL5, an investigational CBD drug, in January 2022.

•      Epidiolex remains the only FDA-approved prescription drug containing CBD.

•      A 2019 study found CBD may reduce cue-induced craving and anxiety in people with heroin use disorder.

•      CBD is non-opioid and non-intoxicating, which is part of why researchers find it promising.

How Big Is the Opioid Crisis Right Now?

The opioid crisis remains one of the most serious public health challenges in the United States, though the trend has been improving for three straight years.

According to provisional CDC data, an estimated 69,973 people died of drug overdoses in the United States during 2025, a decline of almost 14% from the 81,313 deaths estimated in 2024. That marks the third consecutive annual decrease. Overdose deaths involving opioids specifically fell from an estimated 55,296 in 2024 to 44,564 in 2025.

The progress is real, and researchers credit a mix of factors including wider naloxone availability, expanded access to treatment, and sustained public health investment. Opioids still account for the largest share of overdose deaths, which is why scientists continue to look for additional tools, particularly non-opioid options that could work alongside existing treatments.

CBD is one of the compounds getting that attention.

What Is Opioid Use Disorder?

Opioid use disorder is a medical condition marked by compulsive opioid use that continues even when a person wants to stop or when it harms their health, safety, or relationships.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, its hallmark symptoms include cravings, escalating or risky use, and physical dependence, meaning withdrawal symptoms appear when the drug is stopped.

Over time, opioids change the chemistry of the user’s brain. Tolerance builds, and higher doses are needed to produce the same effect. When someone stops taking the drug, they may experience physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms including muscle aches, sweating, insomnia, nausea, and anxiety.

Those two symptoms, craving and anxiety, are where researchers think CBD may have something to offer.

Has the FDA Approved a CBD Drug for Opioid Addiction?

No. The FDA has not approved any CBD drug for opioid addiction, but it did clear human trials of one, which is a meaningful step in the research process.

In January 2022, the FDA approved an Investigational New Drug application for Nantheia ATL5, an investigational drug using cannabidiol. The drug was developed by Ananda Scientific, a research-focused biopharmaceutical company, with trials running through the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA and funding from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Announcing the clearance, Ananda CEO Sohail R. Zaidi said it “further re-enforces our vision of developing CBD as a therapeutic.”

What an IND clearance means: it gives researchers permission to test a drug in humans. It is not approval to market or prescribe that drug. Think of it as the starting gate rather than the finish line.

If Nantheia ATL5 eventually earns full approval, it would become the second FDA-approved drug containing CBD. The first is Epidiolex, a prescription medication approved in 2018 for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, with tuberous sclerosis complex added in 2020.

Where Do the Nantheia ATL5 Trials Stand Now?

The UCLA trial is underway, and a second trial at Yale has since been added.

Ananda Scientific enrolled its first patient at UCLA in July 2022 in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating CBD at 600 and 1,200 mg per day as an adjunctive therapy to buprenorphine and naloxone in patients receiving residential behavioral therapy (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03787628). The study’s primary focus is safety and tolerability, with secondary measures including reduction in cue-induced cravings and effects on endocannabinoid metabolism.

In 2024, the company announced a second trial at Yale School of Medicine examining Nantheia ATL5 in people with co-occurring opioid use disorder and chronic pain (NCT06544291), also funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

That a compound has drawn repeated federal research funding across multiple universities says something about how seriously the scientific community is taking the question.

How Might CBD Help With Opioid Cravings?

Researchers believe CBD may influence craving and anxiety through the serotonin system, though the mechanism is not fully understood.

One leading theory is that CBD may stimulate receptors for certain neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin. Serotonin is closely tied to a wide range of bodily functions including anxiety, mood, appetite, and sleep.

Specifically, CBD is thought to interact with 5-HT1A receptors, which help regulate serotonin levels in the brain and body. Laboratory research has shown that CBD behaves as a modest-affinity agonist at the human 5-HT1A receptor, and more recent work on human brain tissue has confirmed that CBD binds to these receptors in the hippocampus and temporal cortex.

Because withdrawal-related anxiety and craving are so closely linked, a compound that may influence this pathway is a logical thing for researchers to investigate.

What Does the Research on CBD and Opioid Cravings Show?

Early human research suggests CBD may reduce cue-induced craving and anxiety, and later trials have found it to be safe and well tolerated alongside standard treatment.

The most cited study was published in 2019 in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers gave CBD or a placebo to abstinent individuals with heroin use disorder, then exposed them to drug-related cues such as images of needles and videos of intravenous drug use. Participants who received CBD reported significantly less craving after cue exposure than those who received placebo, along with lower anxiety. The effect was still measurable roughly a week after the final dose, which researchers found notable.

A pilot trial published in late 2025 added to the safety picture. Inpatients receiving buprenorphine for opioid use disorder took 600 mg of CBD daily for 28 days. CBD was safe and well tolerated, with no serious adverse events and no meaningful pharmacokinetic interaction with buprenorphine. Craving and mood improved in both the CBD and placebo groups, and the researchers concluded that larger trials are needed to determine CBD’s clinical role in this setting.

That is the honest state of the science: promising early signals, a good safety profile alongside standard medication, and bigger studies still to come.

Why Are Researchers Interested in CBD for Opioid Use Disorder?

CBD checks several boxes that make it an appealing candidate for further study:

1.    It is non-opioid. CBD is a cannabinoid derived from hemp, not an opioid, so it does not carry opioid pharmacology.

2.    It is non-intoxicating and non-addictive. CBD does not produce a high and is not considered to have abuse potential.

3.    It appears well tolerated. Across clinical studies to date, including trials alongside buprenorphine, CBD has generally been well tolerated.

4.    It may work on the right targets. Preliminary research suggests CBD may influence the anxiety and craving pathways that drive relapse.

5.    It may complement existing treatment. Trials are studying CBD as an addition to proven medications rather than a substitute for them.

Can CBD Replace Methadone or Buprenorphine?

No. Medications for opioid use disorder are evidence-based, and CBD is being studied as a potential addition to them, never as a replacement.

Every trial described above tested CBD alongside standard treatment, not instead of it. Anyone currently in treatment should talk with their prescriber before adding CBD or any supplement, since CBD can affect the liver enzymes that process many prescription medications.

What Should You Know Before Trying CBD?

If you are considering CBD for general wellness, the most useful steps are to talk with a healthcare provider, start with a low dose, and choose products with current third-party lab results.

That last point matters in an industry with uneven oversight. A reputable company will publish a certificate of analysis for each batch, confirming cannabinoid content and screening for contaminants.

What Comes Next?

More results. With federally funded trials running at UCLA and Yale, the next several years should produce substantially better evidence about whether cannabidiol has a role in opioid use disorder treatment. We will keep following the research as those findings are published.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can CBD treat opioid addiction?

No. CBD is not an approved treatment for opioid use disorder. It is being studied as a possible add-on to established treatments like buprenorphine, and early results are preliminary.

Has the FDA approved a CBD drug for opioid addiction?

No. The FDA granted Investigational New Drug clearance to Ananda Scientific in January 2022, which allows human trials of Nantheia ATL5. Clearance to study a drug is not approval to sell or prescribe it.

What is the only FDA-approved CBD drug?

Epidiolex, a prescription cannabidiol medication approved in 2018 for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, with tuberous sclerosis complex added in 2020.

Does CBD reduce opioid cravings?

A 2019 study in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that CBD may reduce cue-induced craving and anxiety in people with heroin use disorder. Larger trials are underway to learn more.

What is Nantheia ATL5?

Nantheia ATL5 is an investigational oral CBD drug developed by Ananda Scientific, delivering 100 mg of cannabidiol per softgel using the company’s proprietary delivery technology. It is being studied for opioid use disorder, chronic pain, anxiety, and smoking cessation.

Is CBD an opioid?

No. CBD is a cannabinoid derived from hemp. It is non-opioid and non-intoxicating, which is part of why researchers are interested in it as a potential adjunct therapy.

Can I use CBD instead of methadone or buprenorphine?

No. Medications for opioid use disorder are evidence-based and save lives. Never stop or change them without talking to your prescriber.

Can CBD interact with other medications?

It can. CBD may affect the liver enzymes that process many prescription drugs, so talk to your doctor or pharmacist before combining CBD with any medication.

Is hemp-derived CBD legal?

Hemp-derived CBD containing 0.3% THC or less is legal at the federal level, though state rules vary.

If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid use, help is available. The SAMHSA National Helpline is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day at 1-800-662-4357.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Urban Roots products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to a healthcare provider before using CBD, especially if you take other medications.