CBG (cannabigerol): what it is, effects and how it differs from CBD
By the Golden High teamUpdated 26 October 202610 min read
Minor cannabinoids
CBG, or cannabigerol, is a natural hemp cannabinoid, considered non-psychoactive, and the neutral form of CBGA, the molecule the plant uses to make THCA, CBDA and CBCA. That's why it's often called the "mother cannabinoid". Here's how it forms, what we really know about its effects (not much, and almost all of it from the lab), how it differs from CBD and where things stand in Italy in October 2026.
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What is CBG: the cannabinoid the others come from.
Hemp produces more than a hundred different cannabinoids. THC and CBD are the best known, but they're not at the top of the chain: before them comes CBGA, cannabigerolic acid. That's the molecule the plant's enzymes work on to build the most abundant cannabinoids. CBG is its "neutral" form, the one you get when the acid loses a carboxyl group, for example under heat.
In most varieties, CBGA is almost entirely converted while the plant grows, which is why CBG is classed among the "minor" cannabinoids. Minor in quantity, not in importance: without it there would be no THC and no CBD. If other minor cannabinoids interest you, we've devoted an article to CBC, the cannabinoid in the shadows.
- Full name: cannabigerol (in Italian cannabigerolo).
- Origin: natural, present in hemp as CBGA.
- Psychoactive effect: not described; the literature considers it non-psychoactive.
- Role: precursor of THCA, CBDA and CBCA.
Biosynthesis
From CBGA to THCA and CBDA: the chain in three steps.
Hemp chemistry looks complicated, but the basic pattern is simple. A review published in 2021 in the Journal of Cannabis Research describes it like this: everything starts from two building blocks, olivetolic acid and geranyl pyrophosphate, which the plant joins to form CBGA. Then the road forks.
CBGA appears
An enzyme from the prenyltransferase family attaches geranyl pyrophosphate to olivetolic acid. The result: cannabigerolic acid, the central intermediate.
Enzymes convert it
Three specific enzymes, THCA, CBDA and CBCA synthases, convert CBGA into three main acids. The plant's genetics decide which enzyme dominates.
Heat makes them neutral
With heat (or slowly, over time), the acids lose a carboxyl group: CBGA becomes CBG, THCA becomes THC, CBDA becomes CBD.
The switch from acid form to neutral form is called decarboxylation. It's the same mechanism explained in our piece on THCA, the acid form of THC.
A bit of history
A molecule from 1964, a 2020s trend.
CBG isn't a recent discovery. It was first described by Israeli chemists Yehiel Gaoni and Raphael Mechoulam, the very same who worked out the structure of THC around that time. For decades it remained a lab topic, before landing on the shelves of hemp shops.
1964
Gaoni and Mechoulam describe the structure and synthesis of cannabigerol, a new constituent of hashish.
1965
In the "Hashish" series published in Tetrahedron, the same authors isolate cannabigerolic acid and propose that it forms from geranyl pyrophosphate and olivetol.
2005
The study by de Meijer and Hammond in Euphytica describes the inheritance of CBG-predominant plants: the genetic basis of CBG-rich varieties.
2020-2021
Scientific reviews note growing commercial interest in this cannabinoid, which they describe as still loosely regulated and little studied.
What the sources say
CBG effects: what research really says.
Search for "CBG effects" and you'll find all kinds of promises. The published reality is more cautious: the vast majority of data comes from in vitro and animal studies, and human studies can be counted on one hand. Here are the most solid references.
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics · 2021
A Penn State review describes an affinity for cannabinoid receptors somewhere between THC and CBD, and particular interactions with α-2 adrenergic and 5-HT1A receptors. The authors stress that little research has been done and that much of what we know still needs to be confirmed.
Phytochemistry Reviews · 2022
A bibliometric review explains the interest in CBG by its non-psychoactive profile and its low potency at cannabinoid receptors, and notes that clinical trials on efficacy, safety and side effects remain limited.
Scientific Reports · 2024
The first published controlled study in humans: 34 healthy adults, a single 20 mg dose of hemp-derived CBG versus placebo, double-blind. The researchers measured self-reported mood, anxiety and stress, and found no subjective "high" and no motor or cognitive impairment.
The common limitation
Small samples, single doses, no long-term data and several authors with industry ties (declared in the papers themselves). These are research leads, not conclusions.
Key point: none of these publications allow any health effect to be attributed to CBG. Be wary of anyone selling it as a remedy: these same reviews call for more studies before drawing any conclusion. Full references at the bottom of the page.
CBG vs CBD
CBG and CBD: cousins, not twins.
CBD comes from CBGA, so the two are close relatives. But they're not the same molecule and they don't behave the same way at the receptors. According to the 2021 review, CBG sits halfway between THC and CBD at cannabinoid receptors, without producing THC's psychoactive effect. To understand these receptors, read our guide to CB1 and CB2, the receptors that drive your experience.
| THC | CBD | CBG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acid form in the plant | THCA | CBDA | CBGA (the precursor) |
| Psychoactive effect | Yes | No | Not described |
| Usual abundance | High in THC varieties | High in CBD hemp | Low, except in selected varieties |
| State of research | Extensive, including clinical | Extensive, including clinical | Mostly preclinical |
In common varieties, then, CBG is present in small amounts, alongside other cannabinoids and terpenes. For the difference between CBD and newer molecules, you'll find an overview in CBD vs neo-cannabinoids: what's the difference.
What the law says
CBG in Italy: the situation in October 2026.
A preliminary point: in Italy, the question isn't so much about the CBG molecule itself as about the products it's taken from. The turning point is article 18 of decree-law no. 48 of 11 April 2025 (the "security decree"), converted without amendment by law no. 80 of 9 June 2025. It amended law no. 242 of 2 December 2016 on industrial hemp.
The new text bans the import, supply, processing, distribution, trade, transport, sending, shipping and delivery of hemp inflorescences, even semi-processed, dried or ground, and of products containing them, including extracts, resins and oils. Offences fall under the penalties of title VIII of DPR 309/1990. Only processing for agricultural seed production remains allowed. "CBG" flowers therefore fall within this scope, just like CBD-rich ones.
11 April 2025
Decree-law no. 48, through its article 18, introduces the ban on hemp inflorescences and their derivatives.
9 June 2025
Law no. 80 converts the decree without amendment.
Dec. 2025 - Jul. 2026
The courts of Brindisi (2 December 2025), Trani (28 April 2026) and Brescia (15 July 2026) raise constitutional questions on article 18, published in the Italian Official Gazette.
9 February 2027
Date of the public hearing set by the Constitutional Court for the question raised by the court of Trani. In October 2026, the case is pending.
Good to know: in October 2026, the article 18 ban is in force and the Italian Constitutional Court hasn't ruled yet. The framework may change: always check the rule in force on official sources before buying, holding or transporting a hemp-based product in Italy.
And at our place?
The myths to clear up before you choose.
- "CBG is a stronger CBD". No: it's a different molecule, with a different receptor profile, and it isn't described as psychoactive.
- "CBG cures things". No study allows that claim. Human research is very rare and preliminary.
- "In Italy, CBG is unrestricted". Products made from hemp inflorescences fall under the article 18 ban, in force in October 2026.
- "You can smoke CBG before driving". A hemp-based product may contain traces of THC: never drive after use, whatever the product.
Golden High is a French shop. Our range isn't a CBG range: it's called Delta-P, it's CBDX-based, under 0.3% THC and lab-tested. To see the formats, start with the Delta-P flowers, or have a look at the Double Peach 30% resin and the Super Gelato refillable pod.
- Adults only.
- Start low: a moderate percentage, a small amount and time between doses.
- Never before driving or operating machinery.
- Check the law in your country before any order.
Your questions
What people ask us about CBG.
What is CBG?
It's cannabigerol, a natural hemp cannabinoid. It comes from CBGA, cannabigerolic acid, the molecule the plant uses to make THCA, CBDA and CBCA. Hence its nickname, the "mother cannabinoid".
Does CBG get you high?
The scientific literature describes it as non-psychoactive. In the 2024 controlled study of 34 adults, a 20 mg dose produced no subjective "high" and no measurable impairment. Data remains limited.
What's the difference between CBG and CBD?
CBD comes from CBGA, so the two are related, but they're different molecules. CBG has a cannabinoid receptor profile between THC and CBD and is far less studied than CBD.
Is CBG a cannabinoid?
Yes, it's a phytocannabinoid, meaning a cannabinoid produced by the hemp plant. It's called "minor" because in most varieties it's present in small amounts.
What are the effects of CBG according to studies?
Almost all the data comes from lab and animal studies. Scientific reviews talk about research leads and call for more studies: no health effect has been demonstrated.
Is CBG legal in Italy?
Since 2025, article 18 of decree-law no. 48 bans the trade and supply of hemp inflorescences and products containing them, CBG included. In October 2026, the Constitutional Court has yet to rule.
Does CBG show up on a drug test?
Tests look for THC and its metabolites, not CBG. But a hemp-based product may contain traces of THC. The only reliable rule: never drive after using a hemp-based product.
Sources
The references cited in this article.
- Tahir M. N. et al. (2021), Journal of Cannabis Research. The biosynthesis of the cannabinoids.
- Nachnani R., Raup-Konsavage W. M., Vrana K. E. (2021), Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. The Pharmacological Case for Cannabigerol.
- Anokwuru C. P. et al. (2022), Phytochemistry Reviews. Cannabigerol: a bibliometric overview and review of research on an important phytocannabinoid.
- Cuttler C. et al. (2024), Scientific Reports. Acute effects of cannabigerol on anxiety, stress, and mood: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, field trial.
- Mechoulam R., Gaoni Y. (1965), Tetrahedron. Hashish IV; de Meijer E. P. M., Hammond K. M. (2005), Euphytica. The inheritance of chemical phenotype in Cannabis sativa L. (II): Cannabigerol predominant plants.
- Normattiva (2025). Decreto-legge 11 aprile 2025, n. 48, articolo 18 (in Italian), converted by law no. 80 of 9 June 2025.
- Italian Constitutional Court (2026). Registro ordinanze n. 81 del 2026 (court of Trani); Gazzetta Ufficiale, 1st special series: order of the court of Brindisi of 2 December 2025 and order of the court of Brescia of 15 July 2026 (in Italian).
