Does CBD Show Up on Drug Tests?

 

CBD oil’s popularity is on the rise, and while these oils do provide therapeutic benefits to users, a lot of people are confused whether or not the oil will cause a positive drug test. Don’t worry, a lot of people, including experts, have debated this very topic.

Can a cannabidiol user test positive for marijuana?

Understanding Cannabidiol (CBD)

CBD isn’t intoxicating, so when a person should not undergo a CBD oil drug test. Since CBD doesn’t provide psychoactive benefits, most employers don’t care if you’re using CBD oil – a drug test is not to find out if the person is using CBD oil. Cannabis makes a person high because of the THC content – not the CBD content.

When a person uses CBD oil, they’re using the compound from either the hemp or marijuana plants.

And CBD has health benefits that help millions of people. Studies are still being conducted on  the health benefits this oil offers, but people that suffer from the following have found life-changing benefits with CBD:

• Seizures
• Anxiety
• Inflammation
• Vomiting
• Convulsions

There are also studies on CBD linking it to being able to help with certain forms of cancer. When CBD oil is made, it’s extracted from the leaves, flowers or stalks of the hemp or marijuana plant. Taking this oil is done in one of a few ways:

• Orally
• Topically
• Capsules
• Tinctures

People apply the oil to their skin, and they find relief from their health issues shortly after. Some people will simply use CBD oil to relax and calm their nerves.

You’ll even find a growing trend with people giving this oil to their pets that have aches and pains. There’s definitely a lot of people and animals finding relief from using CBD oil. There’s also a trend of these very oils being used in new, innovative ways.

So, there’s a lot of great things coming with CBD oil, and studies are showing that people aren’t crazy – these products certainly work well.

With that said, you also have to understand how drug tests work. I won’t go into the scientific aspect of drug tests too much, but it’s important to know that a drug test will check for THC or carboxy-THC.

There is a small chance that some oils may contain THC, but this shouldn’t happen with high quality oils.

True extracts that are void of THC will not cause a positive result. If you use CBD oil, a normal urine test should not be positive. This is a statement that several of the leading experts in the field have deemed to be true.

And it makes sense.

Since the test isn’t testing for CBD, you won’t test positive. The problem is that there’s always a risk of some THC content, and sometimes this is on purpose. The idea is that THC works better with CBD content mixed in, enhancing the effects.

Regulatory agencies have also cracked down on several companies that sell CBD oil. The companies were given warnings because their labeling didn’t contain factual information. Oftentimes, the labels had the wrong amount of CBD listed, or there were times when improper medical claims were listed.

Agencies continue to crackdown on these violators, so the industry has become more “truthful” in 2017.

Your best bet, if you know that you have to take a drug test, is to research the specific CBD oil brand you’ll be using prior to your test. Do your research to see if anyone else has failed their test after using the oil.

Safety and potency are the key most important things to research.

Rumors and Theoretical Concerns

Since a CBD oil drug test isn’t much of a concern, there is still some rumors and theories to keep in mind. If a person is taking very large amount of CBD hemp oil, they may trigger a positive drug test. The amounts would need to be in the 1000mg to 2000mg range daily.

It’s not likely to trigger a positive test, and even if the test is positive, it will likely be considered a false positive.

Why?

The test will look for other THC compounds as well as non-THC metabolites. Most tests will look for all of these indicators before a positive is found, so you’ll likely not be hit with a positive test. CBD-rich hemp oil has very small amounts of THC, and these amounts are not likely to trigger a positive test when the oil is taken in smaller quantities.

You’ll also find theories that CBD will convert to THC, and while studies from the 1940s did show this to be true, there’s no concrete backing for this happening in vivo in humans.

What did occur is that the CBD converted to THC after a long period of exposure to gastric acids.

You’ll find that there are a lot of rumors and theories to sift through, and if you’re that concerned, you may not want to use your oil prior to a drug test. But, for the vast majority of people that use high quality oils at the right dosages, there’s really no cause for concern when using CBD oil.

Research lab reports and call the company providing your oil to make sure that you won’t be hit with a positive drug test – that’s always your best scenario. Forums and online discussion groups can also help you find a product that has been known not to produce positive tests.

A little research and the right product will provide you with health benefits while also ensuring that you don’t test positive on a drug test.