Will CBD Oil Show Up On A Drug Test?

One of the most frequently asked questions, and biggest fears, people have when considering CBD for the first time is “Will CBD oil show up on a drug test?” For some people, particularly if their job depends on it, failing a drug test can have serious ramifications.

Drug tests typically only look for THC, which is the chemical compound in cannabis that makes you “high”.  So in short, CBD derived from hemp should not make you fail a drug test. However, some CBD products do contain amounts of THC.

You may have heard that CBD can be converted to THC by your stomach acids, but a 2017 study has since debunked that myth.

Where Does CBD Come From?

CBD Oil is one of the 100+ chemical compounds present in the cannabis plant.  CBD can be extracted from either marijuana or hemp. This is a central issue that has caused much confusion in the industry and can determine whether or not CBD oil will show up on a drug test.

What’s the Difference Between Marijuana and Hemp?

Both marijuana and hemp are varieties of the cannabis sativa plant.  They generally look and smell the same, but their chemical makeup is different.  The main difference is that marijuana typically contains 5 to 20% THC, while hemp contains only trace amounts of THC (less than 0.3%).

THC is the cannabinoid that makes you high.  So while you can’t get high from hemp, the trace amounts of THC in hemp could be problematic in regards to drug testing.

Is CBD Legal?

In essence, the legality of CBD depends on whether it’s extracted from marijuana or from hemp. Marijuana has been illegal in the US since 1937, therefore CBD products derived from marijuana are also illegal.  Hemp on the other hand has gone through several legal changes over the last 5 years.  

The 2014 US Farm Bill defined industrial hemp as distinct from marijuana and authorized institutions in certain states to cultivate and conduct hemp research and pilot programs.

With the recent passage of the 2018 US Farm Bill, hemp has been fully legalized on a federal level, which includes hemp derived products such as CBD.  In essence, hemp-derived CBD products are legal in all 50 states, but the exact application of the law is still murky in some areas..

What Type of CBD Products Contain THC?

Besides the source from which the CBD is extracted from (marijuana vs hemp), you’ll also want to consider the type of CBD hemp product you’re consuming.  You’ll need to understand the difference between full spectrum CBD, broad spectrum CBD, and CBD isolate.

In a nutshell…

Full Spectrum CBD =
Whole plant hemp extract, including trace amounts of THC up to 0.3%

Broad Spectrum CDB =
Whole plant hemp extract, with all THC removed

CBD Isolate =
Contains CBD only, with no other compounds from the hemp plant

As you can see, only full spectrum CBD products contain THC.  Although it only contains tiny amounts which are not enough to have any intoxicating effects, there is a slight chance that it could show up on a drug test.  There are also factors such as your metabolism determining how long CBD stays in your system, how much CBD oil you take and how long you’ve been using it. If you are concerned about failing a drug test, we suggest you DO NOT consume full spectrum CBD products.

All Tessera Naturals products are made with broad spectrum CBD.  Broad spectrum CBD oil begins as a full spectrum extract, but we go one step further and use a purification process which selectively removes the trace amounts of THC from our hemp oil, resulting in a 0% THC product.

Broad spectrum products are generally safe to consume without the risk of failing a drug testing.  That being said, it depends on the testing methods and standards of the lab administering your drug test. 

As mentioned, most labs only search for THC and do not screen for CBD.  While highly unlikely, there may be some testing facilities that check for a spectrum of cannabinoids and could trigger a false positive on a drug test.  This is similar to poppy seeds that can trigger a false positive test for opium. We suggest contacting your lab and asking them about their testing methods.

CBD isolate products do not contain any THC, nor any other cannabinoids, and are practically impossible to trigger a positive drug test.  Unfortunately, consuming CBD isolate products are not as effective as full spectrum or broad spectrum CBD as they do not produce the beneficial “entourage effect” you get from the whole plant extract.

Quality Matters Whether CBD Oil Will Show Up on a Drug Test

Due to the lack of regulations on the CBD industry, you need to make sure you’re purchasing your CBD products from a reputable source.  Unfortunately, advertised THC levels in some CBD products can be unreliable.  There have been many cases of mislabeling, cross contamination, false claims or flat out deception from some manufacturers regarding the amount of CBD and THC in their products.

Make sure to know whether the CBD products comes from marijuana or hemp.  Read labels and ensure it lists whether it is a full spectrum, broad spectrum or isolate.  Also, look for specific amounts of CBD and THC contained in the product.

Lastly, make sure to review 3rd party lab tests confirming the amount of CBD and how much THC, if any, is in the product.

Note: Our product boxes were printed before the term “broad spectrum” became commonly acceptable and therefore states “full spectrum hemp extract”, but our labels clearly state the amount of CBD in each product, as well as listing 0% THC in the ingredients.  We’ve updated all of our online content to reflect the newer broad spectrum terminology and we will be updating and reprinting our boxes in the near future.

Key Takeaways

• CBD can be extracted from marijuana or hemp, but marijuana contains significant amounts of THC while hemp only contains up to 0.3% THC.
• Drug tests only look for THC and do not screen for CBD, but some CBD products contain THC.
• Full spectrum CBD contains trace amounts of THC, which may show up on a drug test.
• Broad spectrum CBD and CBD isolate products do not contain any THC and should not show up on a drug test.
• Read labels and review lab reports to confirm the content of CBD and THC in each product.
• Do your due diligence to ensure the CBD products you purchase are high quality and from a reputable company.