Since then, despite mentions gradually falling, interest in CBD is still way up compared to pre-2019 levels. One of the reasons for this fall could be consumers focusing on other, similar products.

One of the big associated topics we found in our data was another cannabis compound, THC. It’s scientific name is tetrahydrocannabinol, and this is responsible for getting people high when they ingest marijuana.

Obviously there’s some overlap here and, where cannabis is sold legally, the THC and CBD makeups are displayed too. This gives consumers a better idea of the effects of what they’re buying, with CBD diminishing the potency of THC and supposedly reducing the more negative side effects of getting high.

Let’s take a look at how the two conversations compare.

CBD gets far more mentions than THC, but while the former’s volume is decreasing, the latter seems to be on the rise. There are a whole range of THC products out there, and with cannabis being legalized in more places (and “legal” alternatives being sold where it’s not), could the CBD industry be under threat?

It may not be so simple. First, they do different things. People who take CBD aren’t looking to get high, something they can’t avoid with THC, which means it will always have an edge for some people. But THC might have a reputation amongst some people too.

Do you see that THC conversation spike in September 2019? That was caused by news coverage of US authorities investigating whether a spate of vaping-related illnesses and deaths were caused by THC vape cartridges.

This kind of coverage may explain why THC is talked about more negatively than CBD online. For the period 1 August 2020 to 22 July 2021, THC has a net sentiment of -22 compared to CBD’s +4.

This suggests that CBD may have a broader appeal than THC, particularly amongst those new to these chemical compounds.

From anxiety to gummies

It seems like you can put CBD in anything, from coffee to toilet paper. Some have become more popular than others.

CBD oils are discussed far more than any other product, but the conversation’s net sentiment is -12, one of the worst of all the products we looked at. This generally seems to be driven by critical news coverage around cost, scams, and health benefits.

While this doesn’t necessarily mean people who use the product don’t like it, it could put potential consumers off, which may explain why less people are talking about CBD oils than they used to.

In comparison, interest in CBD gummy sweets has seen a slow but steady rise since the start of 2020. They’re talked about much more favorably as well, with a net sentiment of +26. While they got less mentions, CBD lotions and creams are also talked about very positively, with net sentiments of +34 and +30 respectively.

This tells us that although CBD oil, the stalwart of the industry, may be falling in popularity, there are plenty of other products out there to pick up the slack and encourage growth.

Now we know the products, why are people taking CBD in the first place? There are a slew of claimed CBD health benefits, some far more dubious than others. For our analysis, we’re sticking to a few incredibly popular uses.

Pain and anxiety are way out in front, with stress and sleep issues following behind. These are obviously very common issues, particularly during the pandemic, which helps to explain the huge popularity of CBD.

It’s relatively early days for the industry, and with such versatility in products, we’re excited to see where it ends up.

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The Brandwatch React team