Every day, more people are finding out about how CBD can change their lives. And while there is no shortage of information about cannabidiol online, nothing beats having a physical book in your hand. Being able to underline, make notes, and bookmark the pages of a book is a pleasure many people have lost touch with.
There are many talented authors who have written about cannabis and, recently, even more works have sprung up highlighting CBD as their main subject and muse. We’ve taken a look at what is available and have curated a list of the ten best CBD and cannabis books available, both on Kindle and in paperback.
CBD Books Worth Looking Into
Let’s look at which good reads impressed us the most from our list of top 10 best CBD books when it came to readability, beginner levels and affordability.
Best For Beginners
CBD: What You Need to Know by Gregory L. Smith MD is an easy-to-read book, ideal for those who are new to CBD. This book helps the reader get a good overview of all the conditions CBD can treat, and patient stories add interest and credibility to cannabidiol as a viable option for healing ailments both emotional and physical.
Best For The Budget Conscious
CBD-Rich Hemp Oil: Cannabis Medicine is Back by Steven Leonard-Johnson and Tina Rappaport provides a terrific overview of CBD via Kindle. But one of the best things about this book is its affordable price of just $2.99.
Best Overall
CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis–Healing Without the High by Leonard Leinow, Juliana Birnbaum, and Michael H. Moskowitz M.D. is an excellent 317-page book for patients and caregivers alike. This book covers everything related to CBD, from dosage recommendations to an alphabetized list of conditions treatable with CBD.
1. CBD-Rich Hemp Oil: Cannabis Medicine is Back
by Steven Leonard-Johnson and Tina Rappaport
Steven Leonard-Johnson is a psychiatric and mental health nurse as well as a member of the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA). His well-written book is easy to read and provides an excellent overview of cannabidiol. Medical and scientific information about CBD is explained in clear terms, and basic knowledge about the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is conveyed in layman’s terms. Additionally, the book focuses on:
- Government and University Studies (with footnotes for further reading)
- Explanations of different CBD products (tinctures, capsules, topicals)
- The various ailments CBD has been shown to treat
Pages: 102
Publish Date: May 2014
Paperback price: $9.95
Kindle: $2.99
2. Cannabis Revealed: How the world’s most misunderstood plant is healing everything from chronic pain to epilepsy
by Bonni Goldstein M.D.
Author Bonnie Goldstein is a medical cannabis specialist and an MD. She is the medical director of a center that provides medical marijuana evaluations for people seeking alternatives to traditional medicine. Remarkably though, the book is packed with information about cannabis. While it is geared toward the medicinal uses of THC, those who have an interest in CBD will find it applicable as well. Easy-to-digest educational information is paired with science and stories from cannabis patients. Every chapter is filled with valuable content that explains:
- Cannabis and the endocannabinoid system
- Conditions that may be treated using medical marijuana
- Understanding the risks associated with cannabis
- Patient case studies
Well reviewed by medical professionals and patients alike, this book ends with a comprehensive appendix.
Pages: 284
Publish Date: November 2016
Paperback Price: $22.28
Kindle Price: N/A
3. Cannabis and CBD Science for Dogs: Natural Supplements to Support Healthy Living and Graceful Aging
by D. Caroline Coile
Writing a book list about CBD would not be complete without the inclusion of our favorite four-legged friends. D. Caroline Coile is an author with over thirty years of research into how cannabis can help animals. In her book, she provides a beautiful overview that gives readers an inside look at the the scientific research regarding the endocannabinoid system of dogs and how CBD can help your pet live a longer and happier life. The content includes:
- The most effective CBD products for pets
- Case studies of animals who have been supported by CBD
- Information about the animal hemp health industry
Pages: 104
Publish Date: September 2016
Paperback Price: $11.95
Kindle Price: $3.99
4. CBD: What You Need to Know
by Gregory L. Smith MD
Gregory Smith is the author of a bestselling textbook on cannabis. His expertise now shifts over to CBD in this comprehensive book. The book is geared towards patients and provides information about how to select the best CBD oil from among the many substandard oils on the market. The book is a must-read for anyone considering CBD for whom traditional medicine has not worked. Smith’s insights in his latest work include:
- Personal stories from his own practice
- Advice on using CBD for 17 chronic conditions
- The history and legal issues of CBD
- A protocol for patients with opiate addiction
Pages: 214
Publish Date: September 2017
Paperback Price: $14.49
Kindle Price: $4.99
5. CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis–Healing without the High
by Leonard Leinow, Juliana Birnbaum , Michael H. Moskowitz M.D. (Foreword)
As the founder of synergy wellness, Leonard Leinow has over three decades of experience in the medical cannabis industry. This 325-page guide is considered one of the best books on CBD available today. Within its pages, you will find:
- A comprehensive look at Cannabis as a synergistic plant medicine
- All of the delivery methods by which you can take CBD
- An actionable and practical dosing guide
- A list of chronic conditions that CBD can treat—from ADHD to menopause
- A whole section on veterinarian applications for managing your animals
- An alphabetized list of high CBD strains
- A chapter on using cannabis to fight the opioid epidemic
Pages: 352
Publish Date: October 2017
Paperback Price: $14.49
Kindle Price: $4.99
6. CBD Every Day: How to Make Cannabis-Infused Massage Oils, Bath Bombs, Salves, Herbal Remedies, and Edibles
by Sandra Hinchliffe
This is the Hinchliffe’s second book about making homemade herbal remedies with cannabis. The first one was geared more toward marijuana and was a big hit. Her second book was just released in March of 2019 and is expected to do as well, if not better. This is a fun book to have if you’ve ever wanted to make your own CBD products but weren’t sure where to begin. Hinchliffe’s book explains
- Which CBD strains to work with that are non-psychoactive
- How to use CBD flower, oils, and resins
- How to incorporate CBD into a wide variety of foods and topical products including salad dressings, desserts, and spa products.
Pages: 176
Publish Date: March 2019
Paperback Price: $11.72
Kindle Price: $10.99
7. Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana—Medical, Recreational, and Scientific
By Martin A. Lee
Martin Lee is the director of Project CBD and a recipient of the James A. Duke Excellence in Botanical Literature Award. His book Smoke Signals explores cannabis from its ancient beginnings and examines CBD from its medical, economic, scientific, and recreational dimensions. At 528 pages, this is no pleasure novel, but a well-researched journalistic journey into cannabis culture.
Pages: 528
Publish Date: August 2013
Paperback Price: $19.99
Kindle Price: $14.99
8. The ABCs of CBD: The Essential Guide for Parents (and regular folks too): Why Pot Is NOT What We Were Taught
By Shira Adler
Entertaining and informative, the ABC’s of CBD takes a sometimes humorous look at cannabis, from its ancient beginnings to the present. This book covers all the bases, answering the basic questions most people are afraid to admit they don’t have the answers to. Shira Adler takes a lighter look at CBD and writes about:
- The history of cannabis
- Industry trends
- Social justice
- New science surrounding Cannabis
- A parent’s guide on how to talk to your kids about CBD
Pages: 225
Publish Date: January 2018
Paperback Price: $14.07
Kindle Price: $5.99
9. The Great Book of Hemp: The Complete Guide to the Environmental, Commercial, and Medicinal Uses of the World’s Most Extraordinary Plant
by Rowan Robinson
An oldie but goodie, this fascinating book is just as at home in the schoolroom as it is in your personal library. While not technically a book about CBD, a look into the fascinating world of hemp and its many uses can be eye-opening. The richly illustrated guide covers:
- The history of hemp cultivation worldwide
- How hemp can be a source of renewable energy
- Its uses as an all-purpose fiber
- Medicinal and therapeutic applications
- Outdated but interesting information about grassroots organizations involved the legalization of cannabis.
Pages: 256
Publish Date: November 1995
Paperback Price: $17.99
Kindle Price: $22.95
10. It’s Just a Plant: A Children’s Story about Marijuana
By Ricardo Cortés
Lastly, let’s not leave out the youngest members of cannabis culture — the kids. So much of the legislation we are enjoying today has come about as a result of parents tirelessly working to find holistic solutions to some of the most baffling pediatric conditions. Cortes’ book is an ideal tool for parents who want to talk to their kids about cannabis mindfully and factually,
Pages: 48
Publish Date: February 2013
Paperback Price: $17.55
Kindle Price: N/A
Sources Used:
- Amazon book review pages. See hyperlinked list above.
