Staying away from drugs, addictive medications, nicotine, and alcohol is perhaps the best thing you can do for your health and well-being. Considering their health and wellness a priority, large numbers of people across America are choosing CBD as a potentially effective treatment for pain, insomnia, mental disorders, and as an alternative to traditional and sometimes dangerous medications.
However, since CBD is still surrounded by stereotypes, even despite its legality and popularity, the question of whether the use of CBD leads to a positive drug test remains relevant. We have studied CBD hemp oil drug interactions and are ready to share the results with you.
When and How You May Be Tested for Drug Abuse?
Drug testing is a rather common practice. For example, authorities may ask you to take an instant alcohol test if your driving behavior is weird or you are breaking the rules. What’s more, testing employees in certain industries is a normal and legally regulated practice. For example, workers in the transportation, aviation, and medical industries are regularly tested for drugs because their job involves taking responsibility for the lives of others.
Employers from other industries may also have the right to test their staff for drugs, for instance, as a part of the hiring process or after a work-related accident. Passing drug tests may also be obligatory for those who are treated from heavy drug abuse, alcohol, mental health disorders, or those staying under home detention.
Each state has its own regulation for the drug testing procedure, as well as for CBD production, sales, and usage. Considering the fact that CBD is still surrounded by some misconceptions, novice CBD users often ask does CBD oil show up on drug test and what are the results it may lead to.
So, can CBD ruin a drug test? To find out the right answer, let’s get started by discovering the main types of drug tests and the ways they work.
How Do Drug Tests Work?
There are a lot of types of drug tests in modern clinical practice. All of them are united by the single principle of substance detection.
- Urine test. This is the most common and painless type of testing. In this case, the subject’s urine is tested for the presence or residues of traces of hazardous substance usage, such as alcohol or opiates.
- Blood test. A blood test works similarly to a urinary test, except that the clinical material is blood, not urine.
- Breathe analyzer. This is a sensitive and instant test that allows you to determine the use of alcohol, some strong medicines, as well as hard drugs. The subject’s breath helps to determine the presence of these substances in the stomach.
- Swab-based test. This is a test that has become well known around the world over the past year as it is used for coronavirus detection. In this case, you need to get a swab from the nose or mouth. After that, the biomaterial is immersed in a special solution for some time and the chemical reaction that takes place helps to draw a conclusion about the result. In addition to testing for Covid, this test also detects recent medication, marijuana, and drug use.
- Home tests. Most home tests involve urine testing. Sometimes, they are intended for blood tests, such as blood sugar tests for diabetics. Home tests for urine testing determine the presence of either a single substance, for example, alcohol or hCG during pregnancy, or they can be multi-panel for comprehensive testing.
Each of these types of tests is sensitive to a certain component that is either illegal (cocaine, heroin, opiates), or illegal in some cases (for example, the use of alcohol while driving or at work).
CBD VS THC – Will CBD Show up on Drug Test?
CBD and THC are two concepts that are often used in a single framework. Yes, as you know, they are both hemp-derived components but there is a great difference in the way they affect the human nervous system, and influence the result of a CBD drug test. They are not the same things, so let us briefly remind you of the difference.
CBD
CBD is cannabidiol. This is one of the 113 cannabinoid components naturally contained in hemp. According to numerous researches, CBD is believed to be health-beneficial and helpful with different health disorders such as chronic pain, insomnia, and anxiety. The World Health Organisation also defines CBD as a low-toxic and non-addictive component that doesn’t change the perception of reality and doesn’t affect vital signs.
Need more insights into CBD specifics? Download our CBD 101 Guide to find out the answers to the fundamental questions about CBD, its effects, and legal status!
THC
THC, in turn, stands for tetrahydrocannabinol. It is also contained in cannabis plants. In high dosages, it can be a dangerous substance that may cause mental health changes. That’s why marijuana usage is detectable on drug tests. And that’s why hemp-derived products are legal only when the amount of THC doesn’t exceed 0,3% – this limit is considered to be safe and non-addictive.
Why There Is THC in CBD Oil?
Since both THC and CBD are ingredients naturally found in cannabis plants, there is no surprise that THC may be contained in CBD oil but only in the amount that doesn’t exceed 0,3%. However, you should know that there are different types of CBD products, including those that are THC-free. Broad-spectrum CBD products or CBD isolates don’t contain THC but may contain its traces and it depends on the way of CBD extraction and the manufacturer’s honesty.
CBD on Drug Test Researches
So, let’s turn to scientific research to get a more clear idea of how does CBD show up on a drug test.
According to the Urinary Pharmacokinetic Profile of Cannabinoids research, CBD may be detected on a drug test within 5 hours in a case of pure CBD usage in a form of injection or inhalation. However, pay your attention to the following two points:
- As a part of this research, the scientists were looking precisely for CBD. None of the drug tests used for employee testing or other situations when making a drug test is necessary, is looking for precisely CBD in your blood or urine. For the purpose of finding just CBD, pure CBD was used by the focus group.
- CBD vapes and CBD injections have the highest bioavailability since the CBD component enters the bloodstream directly and very quickly. So, in this case, CBD stays in your system much longer compared to sublingual or oral CBD intake.
The US Drug Centers study dwells on the correlation between the consumed CBD dosage and the right answer to the question of does CBD show up in a drug test. They suggest that taking CBD in high dosages (2000 mg per day) may lead to a false-positive result, however, this probability is very low. Interpreting the results of this study, keep in mind that 2000 mg of CBD per day is an extremely high dosage. This is more than one CBD oil bottle per day so the situations when such a high CBD dosage is necessary to be used are even difficult to assume.
However, as for THC, this is just the substance the marijuana tests are looking for and detect. According to the research, THC traces in urine testing may be found within 5 days after consumption. Another research states that it is detectable in blood tests within 3-4 hours. So, the main component that influences the way CBD shows up on a drug test is THC.
Will CBD Show up on a Drug Test? In a Nutshell
- Is CBD a drug? No.
- Is CBD addictive? No
- Is THC addictive? Yes, it can be addictive in high dosages.
- Is hemp the same thing as marijuana? No. Marijuana contains more than 0,3% of THC, and hemp contains less than 0,3%.
- Is marijuana usage detected on drug tests? Yes, because of the presence of a high level of THC.
- Are hemp-derived products or CBD usage detected on drug tests? It may be detected but only because of the presence of THC in the allowed limits. CBD as such can’t be detected on drug tests.
- Do drug tests test for CBD? No, because CBD isn’t a drug.
The correct answer to the question does CBD show up on drug tests is as follows. CBD cannot be detected with a drug test as it is a legal substance. Looking for CBD in your blood or urine is like looking for traces of vitamin C in it. You have the right to use both the first and the second, so such testing does not make sense.
However, the CBD oil drug interactions test can only be positive because of the TНC in the product you are consuming. At the moment, there are very few studies that can give a more definite answer to this question, but there are many more factors that can contribute to CBD failed drug test.
Can You Fail a Drug Test Because of CBD?
Taking into account the research above, the question like “will CBD make you fail a drug test” is still relevant. In fact, the probability of failing a drug test because of CBD is quite low, however, the following factors may influence the test result.
- Metabolism. Metabolism is a very individual process. Perhaps you know people who may afford high-calorie foods while still staying slim. This is because their body can quickly break down and excrete all the elements that lead to the formation of subcutaneous fat. The same thing happens with CBD – in some users, these components, including THC, are quickly excreted from the body.
- The presence of THC. THC is just the substance that makes a drug test result positive. The more THC you’ve consumed, the more probability of the positive answer to the question will CBD ruin a drug test. However, if you are using legal CBD products with less than 0,3% THC and don’t violate the manufacturer’s instructions, this probability is quite low.
- Time of drug testing. CBD stays in your system for some time – from several hours to several days. In a case you have consumed a high amount of THC as a part of CBD products and make a drug test soon, the result may be positive.
- Type of CBD product. Different CBD products have different bioavailability, i.e CBD and THC stay in your system longer. CBD vapes have the highest bioavailability while in CBD topicals, it tends to zero. CBD oils and gummies have the average bioavailability. Choose the last options if you want to avoid the negative outcome of CBD and drug test interaction.
- Usage of other drugs and substances. Some of them may lead to false-positive results as well.
How to Avoid Failing a Drug Test Because of CBD?
Despite the fact that CBD oil shows up on a drug test because of the THC component, there are still some ways to avoid it. Here is how.
Choose Broad-Spectrum CBD Products
While full-spectrum CBD products contain THC, the broad-spectrum ones either don’t contain it or contain THC traces. Using broad-spectrum CBD oils or gummies may reduce your chances of positive drug test results. How to choose CBD oil in this case? Pay attention to those that are marked as broad-spectrum and THC-free ones.
Review Lab Tests Before Placing an Order
However, there is one more important thing to keep in mind when choosing a CBD oil that you may safely use without worrying about the drug test results. Since even broad-spectrum CBD products may contain THC traces, you should review the lab test results before placing an order.
We, at Unabis, carefully test each bunch of our CBD tinctures and freely share the results of testing. You can make sure that our broad-spectrum CBD oils don’t contain THC or its traces, and their consumption can’t result in a positive drug test.
Test Yourself With the Help of Home Drug Tests
If you have some concerns asking does CBD oil show up on a drug test, you may check it personally with the help of home testing. Proceed with the CBD products you are using, buy a home urinalysis test and you will be able to instantly find out the results. Home tests are quite accurate so they may be one more piece of evidence in this case.
Don’t Increase the CBD Dosage Specified by the Manufacturer
If you are using broad-spectrum products with no traces of THC, then even an increased dosage of CBD will not lead to a positive drug test. However, if you are using full-spectrum products, increasing the dosage of CBD and THC as one of its ingredients, will result in being tested positive. So, always follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Don’t Mix CBD With Alcohol and Prescription Medicines
Mixing CBD with alcohol and some medicines may lead to a positive drug test, even if there is no THC in the product compound. For example, taking Ibuprofen may result in positive marijuana testing, however, the reason will be in the compound of the medicine, not in CBD. Plus, CBD products aren’t compatible with some medicines. Keep that in mind and talk to your doctor before getting started with CBD regardless of the medicines you are using.
Summary
CBD may show up on a drug test but only if you consume the full-spectrum CBD products. This is due to the THC in the product’s compound. In legal CBD products, it never exceeds the allowed amount of 0,3% and you should always check it by reviewing lab test results. Also, most CBD users report no problems with drug testing, and their probability is very low if you buy high-quality CBD products from a reliable brand.
Unabis CBD tinctures and gummies are created according to the best hemp processing practices in compliance with federal laws. We always assure the quality of our products with the lab test results so that you may check the compound and stay calm about the drug test result.
Discover our CBD products range, lab test results and customers’ reviews to get started with safe CBD shopping!
F.A.Q.
Can you fail a drug test due to CBD?
There is a little probability because of the THC in the compound of the full-spectrum CBD products. With THC-free product usage, the chances of failing a drug test tend to zero.
Can CBD turn into THC on your body?
No, CBD can’t turn into THC in your body since these are two completely different hemp components. However, if you are using CBD products with THC in their compound, then the drug test may be positive – just because of the presence of THC. THC-free CBD products that contain THC traces may also lead to positive drug test results.
Will CBD oil show up on a drug test?
It may show up on a drug test but the reason will be in THC in the CBD products compound. To reduce your chances of being tested positive, choose high-quality and legal CBD products, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and don’t mix CBD with other substances.
Can CBD lotion make you fail a drug test?
No, it can’t since CBD topicals have zero bioavailability – that’s none of the ingredients enter the bloodstream, and thereby, can’t be detected.
Do CBD gummies show up on a drug test?
As in the case with CBD tinctures, they may show up on a drug test but only in the case of the full-spectrum CBD gummies and with a very low probability.
Full-spectrum CBD oil and drug test - is there a reason to worry?
Maybe just a little:) Most users report no problems with drug testing even after full-spectrum CBD usage.
