Cannabidiol (CBD) won’t show up on a drug test specifically designed to detect THC from Marijuana, but there are some things you should watch out for if consuming products enriched with cannabidiol. Many people want to get the safe all-natural relief provided by CBD, but have concerns about passing a drug test.
Cannabidiol & Drug Testing
Although the Cannabis compound CBD cannot cause you to fail a drug test, there are some ways that you could accidentally fail your tests due to CBD oil containing some level of Tetrahydrocannabinol (aka THC).
Drug tests for Marijuana specifically screen for THC – this is the main psychoactive substance found in Cannabis and if it’s in your CBD oil it can cause you to fail your drug test. Let’s take a look at the different types of CBD oils on the market so you can find out what is safe and what is not safe for passing a drug test.
Full-Spectrum Oil: Fail
If you’ve ever browsed or shopped CBD products, you may have noticed terms referring to spectrum. This term denotes the range of cannabinoids CBD oil may contain. A broad spectrum CBD oil will contain CBD, plus all other secondary cannabinoids such as CBG, CBN and THC. Having some levels of THC in it, may cause you to fail a drug test.
Broad-Spectrum: Pass
However, a broad-spectrum-oil will contain secondary cannabinoids, minus THC that has been extracted. Consuming this type of oil can cause you to pass a THC-drug test, only if the amount of THC on it equals to zero. Of course, passing a drug test or not can depend on other factors as well.
Cannabidiol Isolate: Pass
The isolate is made using advanced extraction equipment that utilizes temperature and pressure to separate individual molecules of CBD. High-quality CBD Isolate will contain 0% THC. No THC content should mean that you won’t fail your drug test.
But does isolate always contain 0% THC? Some inferior brands may often claim that their isolate is free from THC content, but recent data shows that this isn’t always the case. Can you fail a drug test even if you only take a low quality CBD isolate? It’s possible if you don’t know where your isolate came from!
How Drug Tests Work
Marijuana drug tests are designed to screen specifically for the presence of THC, so if there is THC in your CBD you could fail your drug test. Drug tests are based on the principle of competitive binding. THC is detected through a chemical reaction process. If the concentration of the compound in the urine sample exceeds roughly 50 ng/mL, then you will test positive for Marijuana.
Marijuana drug tests aren’t specifically designed to detect CBD. Therefore, CBD will not be detected by a marijuana drug test.
Scientific studies in the lab suggest that cannabidiol can be converted to THC once in the digestive system, but this evidence has been dismissed for false reports. Theoretically, the digestive environment could potentially turn CBD into THC. However, CBD passes through the digestion system too fast for these conversions to occur.
Can you fail a drug test due to CBD flower?
Only if the flower contains any compounds that are detectable on the test, as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for example. Cannabidiol shouldn’t show up on a drug test. However, many plants and their flowers contain trace amounts of THC, marijuana’s main psychoactive ingredient. If enough THC is present in your flower, it will show up on a drug test. This means that in rare cases, consuming a CBD-flower might lead to a positive drug test.
Which CBD Products Are Safe?
Many brands claim that their CBD isolates contain zero percent THC content, but recent investigations show that the vast majority of CBD products for sale online are mislabeled. The only way to be certain that your CBD product contains zero THC is by reviewing the certificate of analysis (COA), or lab results. Always ask for the testing results and chemical analysis of any CBD product before purchasing. These analyses are the proof of the purity and concentration of CBD in a product, as well as the proof that it is free from THC or any other unwanted compounds.
For those interested in trying cannabidiol, but who are concerned about the effects of THC or failing a drug test, a CBD isolate-based product will be your best bet. Next, broad-spectrum CBD products that contain vital secondary cannabinoid compounds and zero THC content are suggested. Full-spectrum CBD oils may contain some THC levels that may cause you to fail the test, so if you want to avoid the risks of THC you should probably avoid full-spectrum CBD oil.
Conclusion
Taking a drug test can be an unnerving invasion of privacy and a violation of rights, but many of us have to go through it. Avoid potentially testing positive for THC or Marijuana use by using THC-free products only.
If you choose to go with broad-spectrum CBD oil, which has secondary cannabinoids but no THC, then you must check the lab results to make sure it has 0% THC content.
Considering that most CBD products sold online have been found to be mislabeled, containing more or less CBD and THC than indicated, you should also be double-checking lab results for all isolate products.
Thanks for reading! You can learn more about CBD in our other articles of our site. If you’ve found this article helpful, please share it with others who may also enjoy reading it. Also, be sure to connect with us on social media and join our fast-growing network of CBD users and advocates all over the world.