CBD, or cannabidiol, is an extract of the cannabis plant that is steadily growing in popularity. Today, it comes in various forms, including oils, tinctures, edibles, and even lotions.
Due to the 2018 farm bill, which legalized hemp products that contain less than 0.03% of THC in all 50 states, many CBD users think that they cannot get in legal trouble for using CBD products. While this is true for the most part, CBD regulation is still not as straightforward as many people would like it to be.
So, will CBD oil show up on a drug test? There is a slight chance that using CBD oil could cause you to fail a drug test and, depending on your company’s policy, get fired. This article aims to explain how that can happen.
Resolving the Confusion Between CBD and THC
Since CBD and THC are both compounds derived from the cannabis plant, we understand why some people might confuse one for the other. However, though they share a few similarities, the two are very different compounds.
THC is the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana that creates the feeling of being high or stoned. On the other hand, CBD does not cause any psychoactive effects and, depending on the type you use, has little to no THC content.
When we say, ‘depending on the type you use,’ we are referring to the different types of CBD products, which are:
- Full-spectrum
- Broad-spectrum
- CBD isolates
Most full-spectrum CBD products have less than .03% of Delta-9 THC, meaning that they will not give you a head high or inhibit cognitive function. Broad-spectrum products do not contain THC, while CBD isolates only have the CBD compound.
On top of not having psychoactive effects, CBD can provide people with an alternative solution to the symptoms caused by chronic conditions, such as anxiety, nausea, and loss of appetite. It has also been shown to cause a dramatic reduction in the severity and number of seizures that those suffering from epilepsy experience.
Its multiple medicinal benefits are one reason why CBD products have been made legal in every state. Some people are even substituting CBD in states that do not allow medical marijuana.
CBD, THC, and Company Drug Tests
Though you can fail a drug test because of using CBD oil, most companies are not screening for CBD itself. That’s because most companies and private employers have modeled their drug policies on federal standards, and while THC is listed in federal drug-testing rules, CBD is not. Instead, companies often test for THC or the byproducts left behind when a person metabolizes THC.
However, considering the growing number of states that have legalized medical marijuana, you might be wondering why companies are still testing for THC.
For starters, even though several states have revised their zero THC tolerance policies, most companies are yet to do so. Not to mention that some employers still have a bias against marijuana use mainly because of the years of stigma associated with it.
The law allows private companies total jurisdiction over their drug policies. A company can conduct random testing, with the selection process being as simple as pulling out a random name from a pool of employees. You can also be tested if your employers suspect that you are using drugs.
Some companies can test you immediately after being involved in an accident at work, terminating you should you test possible for THC. In the end, you can be tested for any reason as long as it aligns with company policy and does not break the law.
Can You Get Fired if You Fail a Drug Test?
Though the product is legally available to every American, the THC policies put in place in a particular company will determine whether you get to keep your job or not. Unfortunately, this means that even if you only use CBD products, you could get fired if you fail a drug test, especially if your company has a zero THC tolerance policy.
There have been multiple cases of employees losing their jobs after testing positive for trace amounts of THC, even if they were only using CBD oil purely for medicinal benefits.
Even if your state has legalized the medical and recreational use of marijuana and is profiting from the sale of the drug, they are yet to establish laws that will protect employees who might be singled out for CBD use. At the end of the day, your company has discretion over its drug policies in the workplace.
How Can CBD Oil Trigger a Failed Screening?
The main question is, if companies are not testing for CBD, how can you fail the drug test when only using CBD oil? The answer to this question lies in the amount of THC content the CBD products you use contain.
Some CBD users prefer using full-spectrum CBD oils because they contain an array of the 112 cannabinoids found in a cannabis plant, including THC. The THC content contained in such products helps users achieve the entourage effect.
The entourage effect is a therapeutic sensation that resembles the one you experience when you take recreational marijuana but at an extremely low level.
When a person consumes Delta-9 THC, their body excretes a molecule known as C00H-THC. It is this molecule that a drug test specifically looks for in your urine. Even though full-spectrum CBD oils only contain 0.03% of THC content, if a user takes them consistently, they will have a buildup of C00H-THC in their system.
There is a slight possibility that a full-spectrum CBD user can excrete amounts of C00H-THC high enough for the test to pick up, meaning that you could fail a drug screening.
Even though the chances of CBD showing up on a drug test are slim, and your company might not fire you even after failing the test, the risk remains. Fortunately, there is a way you can enjoy using CBD products and not fail a drug test.
How To Avoid Failing a Drug Test for Taking CBD Oil
If you do not want to risk losing your job because of failing a drug test but still want to enjoy the multiple benefits of CBD, all you need to do is stay away from full-spectrum CBD products.
You could opt for broad-spectrum CBD products that lack traces of THC or CBD isolates that only have a single cannabidiol compound. Using these products will ensure that you do not consume THC in amounts that a laboratory report can trace.
What’s more, the CBD products still interact with your endocannabinoid receptors in the same way. While you will not get the entourage effect, the products still retain the therapeutic CBD benefits you have come to know and love.
We should mention, however, that CBD products are still in regulatory limbo. This limbo means that just because a label reads ‘THC-free’ does not mean that the product inside has no traces of THC. You could still, unwillingly, be consuming THC content, even if only in very small amounts.
For that reason, we recommend always exercising caution and only purchase your CBD oil from reputable sources.
A Safe and Natural Alternative
With all this talk of failing drug tests and losing your job, it is easy to forget the numerous advantages CBD has compared to other treatment options such as prescription medication.
For starters, unlike pain medications, CBD is not addictive. Also, depending on a person’s tolerance, it can take as little as four days to develop an opioid addiction. On top of that, there is a risk of overdose with opioids that isn’t there with CBD products.
Users can also be exposed to severe side effects from the long-term use of pain pills. Some of these side effects include depression, anxiety, and an increased tolerance that causes the user to take higher doses for the medicine to be effective.
CBD can offer people the help they need without adding harmful chemicals to their bodies. More importantly, it is a reason why people struggling with chronic illnesses are able to continue working. It seems highly unfair that it should also be the reason why that person loses their job.
Choose The Other Path for All Your CBD Needs
The CBD professionals at The Other Path created one convenient store that would allow people all across The United States to access quality, legal CBD products.
Since 2006, we have provided our customers with tinctures, edibles, and even CBD beauty products such as balms, lotions, makeup primes, and more. We also curate CBD products meant to soothe your pet’s aches, pains, and anxiety.
In addition to selling highly refined products, we here at The Other Path also try to educate the public on everything about CBD, THC, CBG, and other cannabinoids.
Are you interested in finding out more? Reach out to The Other Path by calling us at 818-825-2739 to schedule an appointment with a qualified CBD consultant. You can also browse our other blog posts for more information and details about our products.