CBD use characteristics associated with perceived effects and satisfaction among CBD product users in Japan: an exploratory analysis of a cross-sectional web-based survey

Background. Cannabidiol (CBD) products are sold in many forms for many purposes, but it is largely unknown which characteristics of real-world use relate to how users evaluate their experience. Methods. We analyzed an anonymous web-based survey of 377 CBD product users in Japan. We evaluated perceived-effect (0-5) and satisfaction (0-6) scores using main regression models of use frequency adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index. Separate supplementary models examined estimated daily CBD amount and other-cannabinoid co-use, purposes of use, or specific CBD amount-reporting status. Results. Use frequency was positively associated with perceived effects (B = 0.148, 95% CI 0.091 to 0.205) and satisfaction (B = 0.113, 95% CI 0.049 to 0.177; both p < 0.001). Estimated daily amount showed no clear association with either outcome after adjustment, whereas participants who reported specific milligram information had higher scores on both (B = 0.543, p < 0.001 and B = 0.559, p = 0.002). Amount-reporting status was associated with product form (tincture 48.5% vs 30.8%; smoking or inhalation 58.5% vs 75.7%; both FDR-adjusted p = 0.009), whereas no statistically significant group differences were found for age, sex, body mass index, use frequency, or sleep timing. Purposes of use and sleep-timing indicators showed no clear associations with the outcomes. Conclusions. Subjective evaluation of CBD use was more consistently related to how often CBD was used and whether a specific milligram amount was reported than to how much was reportedly taken, and amount-reporting status was related to product form. Specific CBD amount-reporting status may be a useful complementary dimension for characterizing real-world CBD use.