As you might already know, CBD has taken off as a natural remedy for a wide range of ailments. CBD has continually been promoted as a remedy for alleviating anxiety, chronic pain, and a whole lot more ailments. We must state that research is still ongoing on these uses since there is a science behind this compound. The FDA did approve a CBD-containing drug that treats a rare form of epilepsy. All said and done, does CBD show up on a drug test? This is the worry of most people who are new to CBD and are willing to take the CBD journey for different ailments.
With the recent CBD craze in the wellness industry, it is only reasonable to ask- does CBD oil show up on a drug test? Even though the short answer to that is a simple no, there is more to that. You should not just be satisfied that CBD will not show up in the drug tests.
As you might know, drug tests will never screen for CBD but THC instead for reasons we all know. THC is the psychoactive compound in cannabis that is responsible for ‘high’ feelings. You will need to consider some essential factors before you can proceed to use CBD products. First things first, let us get to understand what CBD is.
What Is CBD?
CBD is the short form for cannabidiol, an active ingredient of cannabis-derived from hemp plants. It is among the approximately 113 cannabinoids in cannabis plants that have been identified so far. Even though it was discovered in the 1940s, research about CBD in 2018 showed that it could alleviate different symptoms. These include movement disorders, anxiety, and chronic pain.
There are many ways of consuming CBD, including oral, topical applications, and even inhaling its vapor. If you happen to use these CBD consumption methods, does CBD show up on a drug test? You need to understand that CBD, regardless of the method you use, could have THC traces illegal federally.
The good thing about THC being present in low amounts is that there will be no psychoactive effects. Therefore, you will get the entourage effect that is very important with the presence of different compounds of the plant.
Process Drug Tests For Cannabis
Given that THC is a compound that the law has banned, this is what cannabis drug tests seek to detect. Whenever THC is detected, that test will be deemed positive, and when not detected, the test becomes negative. As we have previously mentioned, drug tests do screen for THC or its metabolites which is THC-COOH. Passing the drug test for cannabis does not necessarily mean that none of these are in your system.
As opposed to that, it can imply that the amount is too low below the average cut-off value. There are different methods of testing for these cut-off values and a variation in the detection window.
These methods include:
- Urine- This is the most common method of screening, particularly in the workplace. There needs to be a concentration of 50ng/ml in your urine to trigger some positive tests. As for the detection window, that will depend on the frequency of use and the dosage method. Generally. THC metabolites can be detected in urine around 3 – 15 days after you have used THC.
- Blood- These are less common methods of drug screening, especially in the workplaces. The reason behind this is that THC is eliminated in the bloodstream so fast. You will only detect it in the plasma for around 5 hours after use, even though metabolites have a detection window of 7 days.
- Saliva- Just like blood testing, saliva drug testing is not standard either. In this regard, there lacks an established limit that THC can be detected in your saliva. All the same, there are recommendations that state that the cut-off value is 4ng/ml. You will detect THC in the oral fluids for about 72 hours, even though that depends on the frequency of use.
- Hair- This is also a test used to screen for drugs in your system, and it is also not common. This, therefore, tells you that there are no set cut-off limits for the same. However, private industries have set a cut-off value of 1pg/ml. Metabolites of THC will be detected in the hair 90 days after you have used THC.
Is It Possible To Show Positive Result?
There are so many CBD products out there that people do use. These include gummy bears and lotions. In this case, you might be asking yourself, does CBD lotion show up on a drug test? Theoretically, getting a false positive for CBD drug tests should be impossible. This is because the CBD product only uses pure CBD containing not more than 0.3% of THC. Given that CBD is yet to be regulated, there are so many compromises to that.
For instance, you cannot fully guarantee that a particular product has pure CBD oil. At the same time, it would be hard to tell whether the concentration is at an ideal and safe level when the company has no certificate of analysis. The best approach to this is to make sure that you do your research well and take caution when buying CBD products. This is so important if you will be doing a drug test.
How Much CBD Will Make You Fail a Drug Test?
Again, as we have answered the question of – does CBD show up on a drug test, we state that it is not CBD. We already said that drug tests screen for THC and its metabolites. We do not refute that CBD will not make you fail a drug test since there can be trace THC amounts in it.
When this happens, it can be brought about for several reasons. This includes the source of CBD itself, the amount of CBD that you have consumed, and the period for which you have used CBD products. Other contributing factors will include your metabolism as well as other factors such as hydration levels.
Why Is There THC In CBD Oil?
By now, you should have known that cannabis plants produce both CBD and THC. It is also worth noting that industrial hemp and medical cannabis are closely related. Both of them create so many similar compounds, which are known as cannabinoids. You are probably wondering why there is THC in CBD oil. CBD obtained from hemp could consist of up to 0.3% of THC, which is federally legal. It is believed that this is a low amount of THC that will not cause a high. You will find THC in CBD oil to make sure that CBD users experience the entourage effect.
Instead of shying away from some compounds in the cannabis plant, having all of them in the right proportion will help you achieve your desired effects quickly.
In answering the question of- does CBD show up on a drug test, we can probably say that you are likely to fail a drug test. Look at it this way, when you ingest high CBD doses (thousands of milligrams every day) from the federally legal hemp oil, you could be ingesting like 1mg of THC daily.
Doing this for an extended period could accumulate high THC levels in your system and consequently fail a drug test. Still, labels are wrong, and you cannot tell the amount of THC in CBD products. The reason for that is that there is no oversight for these products due to the unregulated nature of CBD. To avoid unwanted THC exposure, use state-tested and licensed CBD products.
How Long Does CBD Stay In Your System?
There are so many contributing factors to the amount of time that CBD will remain in your system. The most common contributing factor is the method through which CBD was consumed. It is believed that CBD effects could last about half an hour to a couple of hours in your system. You need to understand that your body converts CBD into a byproduct called CBD-COOH in just a few hours. It is this byproduct that will stick around for several days.
How To Avoid A Positive Drug Test?
You could try several things if you use CBD products and do not want to fail a drug test. Among the things that you can do include:
- Perform thorough research- You must research your CBD products to make sure that they are pure and are all from legit companies. Any reputable company will be transparent, letting you know everything you need to know. They will have their products tested by independent third-party labs. To prove the purity and safety of their products, they will give you access to the certificate of analysis.
- Ask questions about CBD products- There are so many things that you should ask about CBD products that you are about to buy. For instance, you can ask about the methods of processing. This should give you a hint of whether there is cross-contamination. You can also read reviews from other people to know what they think about a particular brand.
- Hemp source- You need to make sure that the CBD product you are using is isolated. In addition to that, you must ensure that it comes from a viable and reputable hemp source. This will help you to ensure that you do not fall for low-quality products.
- Avoid second-Hand exposure to marijuana- This happens typically via hair contact or even pot-smoking from people who use THC. Getting exposed to THC would make you fail a drug test without your consent.
Conclusion
Does CBD show up on a drug test? By now, you should have a detailed answer to that. Put, CBD should never show on any drug test. When it comes to cannabis drug tests, the question is about THC vs. CBD. If your system has THC (the psychoactive compound), you will likely fail a drug test.
As we have already mentioned, cannabis drug tests are set to detect THC and any of its metabolites. Does this, therefore, mean that you are safe to use CBD products without failing drug tests? There is more into that than meets the eye. One, you need to note that the CBD industry is currently unregulated.
Additionally, it is federally legal that different CBD products have low amounts (0.3%) of THC content. What happens if you use high CBD doses daily? You will likely have much THC in your system as well.
You need to know that it is not the CBD that will trigger a positive drug test whenever you apply or consume a CBD product. Cross-contamination could lead to that where your CBD product could have too much CBD in it. Due to the unregulated nature of this industry, it becomes hard to exactly what amount of THC is in a particular CBD product.
Some brands will claim that their products are THC-free, but these claims might not hold. The best approach to this is to make sure that you only use high-quality products with CBD isolate and ones that come from reputable companies.
