Will CBD Ruin Your Drug Test?

While CBD, on its own, is not psychoactive, full-spectrum CBD with THC can get you high. So, the problem is, will it show up on a drug test?

What happens if CBD does end up on your drug test results? And why is it important to buy CBD products from a trusted brand? 

In this article, you will learn the answers to all your questions. So, let’s find out! 

Content Overview:

• CBD and THC
  • What is CBD?
  • What is THC?
• Dosing of CBD
• Can CBD Show Up on a Drug Test?
• Type of Drug Test Where It Might Show Up
• How Long Can CBD Stay in Your Body? 
• Why Is It Important to Buy Your CBD Products From Reputable Brands?
  • Source of CBD 
  • Third-Party Testing 
  • Certificate of Analysis (COA)
  • THC Levels 
• Conclusion 

CBD and THC

More than 120 phytocannabinoids have been extracted from the cannabis plant to date.

Two of the main cannabinoids are CBD and THC. Both cannabinoids possess different properties and affect various receptors in your endocannabinoid system. 

Here is how: 

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) makes up 40% of the Cannabis plant. It is one of the most prevalent cannabinoids used in the medical and wellness industry.

The non-psychoactive component of the Cannabis or hemp plant is used for its potential health benefits. 

CBD is a legal component of the cannabis plant as it does not get you high. And hemp-infused CBD products with less than 0.3% THC are legal in the US under federal law. 

What is THC?

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive part of the cannabis plant. 

THC is short for Delta-9-THC isomer, which is also one of the main cannabinoids of marijuana. Even though THC has several potential health benefits, it is not considered a legal drug. 

As you now know, only less than 0.3% of THC is legal in the US.

This restriction means anything above that can only be prescribed by a licensed doctor in a severe emergency.

High doses of this compound are entirely illegal and hazardous to health. 

Dosing of CBD

The amount of CBD you consume depends on the reason behind your intake. For example, some people take CBD to reduce the symptoms of different illnesses, while some use it for recreational purposes. 

However, the average dosage of CBD per day should not exceed 200 mg. 

If you are a beginner, then start with 20 to 40 mg per day and then increase the dosage as you go. It is recommended to increase only 5 mg every time to let your body adjust to the change. 

You should always consult with your doctor before setting a dosage for yourself.

Especially if you are taking any medicine, you need to be very careful about the type and dosage of CBD you are taking. 

Some physicians can recommend higher doses of CBD which is 1500 mg or more. The amount can change as your health condition changes. 

Can CBD Show Up on a Drug Test?

The answer to this question is both yes and no. CBD is legal in the US; therefore, authorities do not run tests for this specific drug. Instead, they perform tests for THC, steroids, etc., which are illegal substances. 

If the CBD product you are consuming has a large amount of THC, it can show up on the test results.

For instance, full-spectrum CBD products have a significant amount of THC. So, if you’re dosing on them, it is more likely that THC can show up in your drug tests.

However, some tests can show the presence of CBD as well. But, it will not be a legal problem since the US government has allowed the use of CBD nationwide. 

According to an experiment conducted in 2019, smoking a single episode of Cannabis similar to the composition of legal hemp products can show up on urine drug tests.

This is a common drug test that most law and justice agencies use. 

The researchers at John Hopkins Medicine center examined six adults who used high CBD/ low THC products.

Surprisingly, it showed up positive in the urine drug test.

The results indicated 50 nanograms of THCCOOH, a metabolite used to show if someone has used Cannabis. 

However, pure CBD or CBD will not appear on a drug test. It will show up if your CBD has even a trace amount of THC.

Different people have different metabolism, so some can have more cannabinoids built-up in their bodies. 

Since CBD is legal, if you don’t want Cannabis to show up on your drug test, then make sure to avoid full-spectrum CBD products. 

Type of Drug Test Where It Might Show Up

If you are a regular CBD user, it might show up on a urine drug test.

Yes, it might contradict that CBD does not show up on a drug test. However, THC, another component of the cannabis plant, can easily show up on a drug test. 

Some CBD products can trace amounts of THC, which are not enough to get you high. 

Since THC is fat-soluble, it can slowly build up in the fat tissues and later show up in drug screening.

Therefore, it is crucial to get CBD from trusted sources to have complete information about all the contaminants and the amount of THC in the product. 

CBD with low levels of THC can also show up in Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. This is one of the confirmatory tests for most drug screenings. 

If you are a regular CBD user, it might show up in your GC-MS Analysis test because even trace amounts of THC can appear during the derivatization process. 

People who want to avoid having a positive result on their test should stop using CBD a long time before taking the test. 

They can also use different detox drinks and diets to eliminate any buildup of THC in the body.

Using diuretics can also help flush out CBD and THC from your body. However, make sure to consult your doctor before taking any medication for this purpose. 

How Long Can CBD Stay in Your Body?

Generally, if you consume CBD orally, it can either stay in your body for a few hours or four days.

However, since everyone has different metabolisms, some people can have traces of CBD in their bodies for weeks. 

There are a few factors that affect how long CBD stays in your system, including:

1. The quantity of product. 
2. The concentration of CBD.
3. Frequency of your CBD intake. 
4. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) and metabolism. 
5. Whether you take CBD on an empty stomach or with food. 

It is best to stop using CBD at least 7 to 8 days before taking a test since everyone reacts to CBD differently and has a different metabolism.

Why Is It Important to Buy Your CBD Products From Reputable Brands?

CBD products are readily available for the general public to purchase and consume.

You can find several CBD brands available in the market, but choosing reputable brands with proper certifications is essential. 

Here’s why: 

Source of CBD

All the reputable CBD brands use hemp from local US farms that have proper quality control for their soil.

CBD and the source of other natural ingredients should also be mentioned. 

Brands should source CBD ethically, and it should be 100% natural and organic.

This way, you will get the purest and safest hemp extracts. 

Third-Party Testing

When buying CBD products, make sure to check if they are tested from a third-party lab. These independent labs check the product for potency, impurities, and THC content. 

It also confirms the reliability of the product.

So, before you add a wellness product to your life, make sure it is from a brand that gets its products tested in third-party labs. 

Certificate of Analysis (COA)

Having a COA shows the quality and status of materials used in your products.

All the components must be certified whether the product is manufactured from natural extracts or other chemicals. 

It ensures that you are not ingesting substandard ingredients.

Moreover, it gives you detailed information about the ingredients used in the products that you cannot usually find on the label. 

THC Levels

According to the federal government, less than 0.3% THC is allowed for the product to be counted as legal. Therefore, the brand you purchase from should mention the THC levels in the product. 

Since THC is a psychoactive component, it can get you high. Therefore most formal places like offices and planes do not allow even trace amounts of CBD. 

Conclusion

CBD does not generally show up on a drug test. However, since everyone has a different metabolism, it can stay in your body for more than a week. 

Some CBD products can contain trace amounts of THC which can easily appear on a drug test. 

If you have to take a drug test, make sure to avoid using CBD products a week before to stay on the safe side.

Stay safe and enjoy the benefits of CBD! 

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