Does CBD Show up on a Drug Test?

CBD supplements are becoming a surging trend in the United States: the health benefits of CBD for reducing anxiety, managing pain, or even treating seizures, are becoming widely accepted.

However, although there are certainly many new uses for CBD, it is made from cannabinoid plants, which is why many people are worried if CBD oil will show up on a drug test.

CBD products do not contain THC, the cannabinoid that is associated with most of marijuana's psychological effects. But despite that, CBD oil and drug tests still cause concern about resulting in a false positive.

So, does CBD show up on a drug test? And can there be traces of THC in CBD oil? Let's answer the most important questions below.

What is Pure CBD?

CBD is a compound that is found in a cannabinoid plant; it's one of the hundreds of different types of compounds that you take in when smoking marijuana. The reason why isolated CBD has become so popular is its alleged effectiveness at treating various conditions without the psychoactive effects produced by consuming marijuana.

Usually, CBD is extracted from the plant and sold in the form of oils, creams, capsules, or even edibles such as gummies.

Although you are likely to find various unfounded claims about the effects of CBD, there are in fact scientific studies that confirm at least some of them. For instance, CBD has been shown to significantly reduce childhood epilepsy occurrences, as well as help people with anxiety or insomnia to manage their symptoms.

Still, as far as CBD showing up on drug tests goes, it will largely depend on whether there are traces of THC that were not completely cleared during the production process. If the CBD is pure, you should not fail the marijuana drug test. 

The Legality of CBD

Because of the fact that CBD cannot get you high, it has slowly become legal across the country, although legislation around its sales and consumption is still messy and unclear, differing greatly from state to state.

A few years back, the FDA eased the restrictions and regulations surrounding CBD use and allowed trials to go forward that determined its safety for consumption and potential effects.

Today, most people in the country can order CBD without any restrictions from stores online without the need for a medical prescription, which is one of the main reasons for its surging popularity.

Will CBD Oil Show Up on a Drug Test?

Now that we've explored what CBD is and whether it is legal to consume in the United States, we must answer the most pressing questions that are on people's minds: Does CBD show up on a drug test? Can it cause a false positive, even if you did not smoke marijuana? 

Well, the short answer to these questions is: probably not. Still, there are several factors to consider.

The vast majority of the drug tests that you might be required to take were not designed to detect CBD because it is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid.

Instead, most 5 panel or 10 panel drug tests that are used by workplaces or education institutions test for THC-COOH, which is the compound that THC turns to after the body has metabolized it. 

So, since there is no CBD drug test and the test looks for another compound, you should be safe, at least in theory. The tests look for THC, so detecting CBD oil on a drug test is not likely. 

The only possible reason for a CBD oil drug test failure is if the CBD that was consumed wasn't pure and contained trace amounts of THC, which is always a remote possibility.

CBD Oil and Drug Tests: Important Things to Consider

Even though failing a drug test due to CBD is unlikely, it doesn't hurt to be on the safe side and avoid unpleasant surprises regarding the test.

First off, hemp products such as CBD oil can legally contain up to 0.3% of THC. While that is a very low amount, and it's not even present in many CBD supplements, if you take very high doses of up to 2,000 milligrams per day, this could theoretically lead to a false-positive result in your test.

So, while the chances are relatively low, the answer can be yes in rare cases, and your employer may either not care about your explanation, or simply not believe it.

The good news is that there are pure CBD isolate products that promise 99% purity and often come with tests proving their quality. It's better to seek out reliable options so that you don't run the risk of having a false-positive test result.

Countrywide Testing

In this article, we looked at the potential conflicts between CBD and drug tests as accurately as possible. Still, as you probably understand by now, that will ultimately depend on a few key factors such as the quality and purity of your CBD products.

If you want to learn more about how standard drug tests work, you can check out the extensive selection offered by Countrywide Testing. Shop online or call us at (469) 389-2120 for more information.