Does CBD Show Up on Drug Tests?

Curious about CBD? Also known as cannabidiol, you may feel like CBD is everywhere you look nowadays. In recent years, it has become quite popular for medical use and can be purchased online or in many drug stores, pharmacies, and smoke shops. But with this popularity comes an increasingly widespread concern: does CBD show up on drug testing?

Whether you're facing drug testing for employment, athletics, or as part of a substance misuse rehab program, it's important to understand how your lifestyle can impact its results. This includes any CBD use. So here's everything you need to know about CBD and drug tests.

What Is CBD?

CBD is a chemical compound found in the cannabis plant. It is considered an "active ingredient" due to its ability to directly affect your body when consumed. This activity gives CBD the potential for a variety of medical applications, and it is purported to provide therapeutic benefits for people who use it.

What Is It Used for?

CBD can be used for a wide range of medical conditions including seizures, chronic pain, anxiety and depression, inflammation, insomnia, and more. While conventional treatments may offer some relief from symptoms associated with these conditions, CBD provides an all-natural alternative without the side effects typically associated with pharmaceutical drugs. Proponents of CBD often choose it because it is less addictive than many prescriptions, while still helping them manage their health issues.

How Is It Taken?

CBD can be ingested orally as oils or edibles such as gummies or taken in capsule form. It can also be applied topically as a cream or ointment. Typically, CBD ointments are used to treat localized ailments, while edibles and capsules are ingested to provide relief from systemic conditions. Because studies on CBD's therapeutic potential are still underway, there is no widely agreed upon standard dosage yet.

How Is CBD Different from Marijuana?

While marijuana is also derived from the cannabis plant, it has a different chemical makeup than pure CBD. Marijuana contains both CBD and THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the compound that produces a "high" sensation when smoked or ingested. Unlike marijuana, CBD does not contain any THC or psychoactive compounds. So CBD products will not produce a high or altered mental state when used.

Is CBD Legal?

In 2018, legislation known as the Farm Bill removed hemp-derived products from the Controlled Substances Act. While this didn't legalize marijuana, it did open up access to products like hemp-derived CBD, regardless of a state's local marijuana laws.

Now CBD is legal in the United States for use by consumers over the age of 18, although some states have more restrictions on it than others. For instance, some states have laws about how much CBD can be contained in a product and how it is labeled. Often, CBD products and derivatives may legally contain no more than 0.3% THC. But in states where marijuana has been approved for recreational use, CBD may be available with higher concentrations of THC.

There are, of course, exceptions. For example, residents of Virginia can only legally obtain CBD with a prescription. When in doubt, be sure to check with your local regulations before purchasing and using any kind of CBD product.

CBD and Drug Testing: Does It Show Up?

Many people use CBD products for therapeutic reasons, such as to ease arthritis pain or help them sleep despite chronic insomnia. However, users of CBD should be cautious when required to submit a drug test. Will CBD actually show up on drug screens? The short answer to this question is: it depends. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question as the results of drug tests vary from person to person.

The two most common types of drug tests are urine and hair follicle tests. Urine tests are typically more accurate and can detect substances, including CBD, within a few days or weeks depending on how much was ingested. Hair follicle drug tests are less reliable and may test positive for CBD after long-term use or in people with high levels of exposure to CBD products.

To complicate matters further, the THC levels in CBD products are not always as accurate as the labels would suggest. Because the use of CBD products is still in its infancy, regulation and oversight efforts are struggling to keep up. This means that many products could contain more THC than the legal limit of 0.3%, and unknowingly consuming this higher concentration could result in a failed drug test.

What to Do If You Use CBD and You're Being Drug Tested

If you're taking CBD and are being drug-tested, it is important to know the risks of a potential false positive. It's also a good idea to keep a record of any CBD products that you have used, as well as the THC levels they contain. That way, if your test results show that you've been exposed to more THC than legally allowed, you can use your records to help prove that it was from a CBD product.

It may also be a good idea to inform your test administrator and the organization that requested the test of your CBD use. That way, they can take it into consideration when evaluating the results.

Get Answers with Countrywide Testing

If you're concerned about whether or not your CBD use will show up on a drug test, it's important to get the facts before you risk facing any consequences. At Countrywide Testing, we offer reliable and accurate drug testing services that can help you understand if CBD will show up on your test.

Countrywide is an online retailer providing you with easy access to drug tests and pharmacogenetic testing. We offer an array of products for testing at home, individuals staying clean after rehab, workplace testing, healthcare emergencies, and law enforcement purposes. 

Our test kits are convenient, affordable, and ship to you quickly. Plus, our lab is accredited by SAMHSA, so you can rest assured your test results are handled in accordance with the highest industry standards.

At Countrywide Testing, we provide fast, accurate results in an easy-to-use format so that you can get the information you need. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive selection of testing services.