Does CBD show up on a drug test?

What is CBD?

To give the best, and most thorough, explanation of why CBD could show up on a drug test it’s important to understand the origins of CBD.

Cannabidiol is a naturally occurring compound found in plants in the cannabis family. This type of compound is known as a cannabinoid, and there are over a hundred of them in cannabis plants. They interact with the human body via sets of receptors that make up a system known as the endocannabinoid system, which interacts to affect a range of physiological processes.

The different cannabinoids have different effects on the body. Although there are over a hundred, the two with the most well-studied effects are CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). There are common associations between cannabis and the notion of ‘getting high’ - a psychoactive experience - which is a direct consequence of the ingestion of THC. Meanwhile, CBD has no mind-altering effects.

There are different strains of the cannabis plant which have varying levels of CBD and THC. The plants which are used to produce CBD are known as hemp plants and have an extremely low THC content.

What do drug tests look for?

Standard drug test will search for the presence of THC in the bloodstream. This means that any amount of this compound that can be detected can cause a positive result. Seeing as drug test tend to operate on a zero-tolerance policy, having any amount - no matter how minuscule - of THC in your bloodstream will not be tolerated.

Mislabelling

If you are looking to take CBD  Oil but may be subjected to drug testing, reading the label carefully and thoroughly is imperative. And unfortunately this in itself can cause some issues.

The recent boom of the CBD industry, and the constant research and new discoveries which are being carried out, does mean that the market is largely unregulated. That is to say, the market is growing quicker than governing bodies can control it, and on top of that - there is no stand out regulatory body for the CBD industry.

Some companies have seen this as an opportunity to exploit a new and lucrative market, and they are producing low-quality or incorrectly marketed products. This means that not only are people being ripped off for low-quality CBD, but also there’s a risk that a company might label different products as full spectrum or zero THC, but in actuality, they have taken a short cut and used the same extract. For low-grade quick-turnover companies, the incentive for this is some people (who do not need to take drug tests) may not notice, and they will not have to spend money on the THC extraction process.

Lab Tests

So how do you avoid falling into this trap? The good news is that the answer is actually simpler than you might think! All legitimate and high-grade CBD producers will use an independent third-party laboratory to test their CBD extract and products for quality and consistency. 

If you are carrying out thorough research - which you should be if you are considering taking CBD when you are subject to drug testing - then you can find these documents online via the producer’s website. Remember, if there are no lab results available, think twice about whether you want to purchase CBD products from this company.

The certificates will show the purity of the CBD extract, which will hinge on whether there are any impurities in the product. And the part you will want to take particular attention to is the breakdown of the cannabinoids present - and if there is 0 THC.

How long does THC stay in the body?

You might be reading this having already taken a CBD product that has traces of THC in it, and you’re wondering how long it’s going to stay in your body before you can take a negative drug test. Well, this will of course depend on the amount and regularity with which you took it, but here’s how your body deals with it.

When THC enters the bloodstream it is broken down to form molecules called metabolites, these metabolites will be stored in fat cells which will eventually be passed as urine or excreted. The rate of your body ‘cleaning itself out’ of THC will depend on how frequently you have ingested it, as this can cause a build-up, and also your metabolism rate which will vary depending on your weight, age, and lifestyle. In general, THC is eliminated within 30 hours, but it could take up to 21 days in some cases.

Conclusion

You’ve just been presented with quite a lot of information, so it might be a good idea to have a quick recap of what has been discussed! 

First of all, due to the presence of THC in cannabis plants, it is difficult to say 100% that a CBD product definitely won’t show up on a drug test. However, there are a number of things you can do to guarantee a strong chance that there is no THC in your product.

First of all, pick a CBD product that has broad spectrum extract, meaning that all the natural molecules (other cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids) are present so that the entourage effect takes place, but THC has been removed.

Make sure you check the labelling thoroughly and then verify this against the CBD manufacturers independent third party laboratory results which should be displayed on their website.

And last, but certainly not least, if you know when you are going to be taking a drug test, it might be a good idea to allow your body some time to metabolise and eliminate the potential presence of any THC.