Can CBD Hemp Oil Make You Fail a Drug Test?

What is Hemp?

Hemp is a variety of Cannabis Sativa plant. It is grown for industry and is used for textile, paper, bio-plastics, insulation, biofuel, and making medical CBD. Medical CBD is extracted from the root and is commonly known for treating several illnesses, including asthma, arthritis, warts, and pain. Hemp is known to contain essential fatty acids that include Omega-6 and Omega-3, supporting healthy cholesterol levels. It is also suitable for immune system function.

CBD from Hemp

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a compound found in Hemp among other plants in the same family. When a drug test, the compound mainly tested is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its metabolites. THC is known to have psychoactive effects, impairing judgment, feeling of being drunk, low perception reaction time and movement, among others. It, however, has some benefits that include reduction of pain and controlling vomiting. Benefits of CBD include relieving pain, reducing inflammation, control of anxiety, and promotion of neuroprotection.

Hemp has less THC than marijuana. For that reason, most factories make CBD using Hemp. CBD oil binds to different receptors from THC. In the United States, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limits CBD hemp products contain THC below 0.3%. However, if you buy CBD from unregulated suppliers, you may get some with high THC levels of 6% or more. It may make you fail a drug test. In the USA, Canada, and the UK, employers are always updating their employment policy to abide by the existing laws regulating different drugs. Cannabis is one of the drugs tested.

Popular drug tests

Urine test: This is an immunoassay test that uses antibodies designed to latch onto THC and its metabolites. If there is THC in the system, it will indicate with a signal. There is a threshold that can be detected, below which the test can turn negative. Immunoassays from different manufacturers use different types of antibodies hence can give very different results.

Gas chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS): The method is accurate in detecting drugs and their metabolites. However, it cannot differentiate CBD and THC and hence may return false positive even for low levels of THC. When testing for trace compounds, the method requires a derivatization agent. An example of this agent is trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA)

Breath and saliva test for cannabis: this is still new and still not very well understood.

How long can THC in Cannabis oil be detected if excess?

Approximately three days after single use and 30 days after heavy use. The storage of THC in the body is in fat cells. The test results will be determined by the amount of CBD that you consume and whether it is broad-spectrum, full-spectrum, or isolate. Other factors include your metabolic rate, detection threshold, and drug test variables.

Some CBD tests will give false negatives and false positives. Some of the drug tests available in the market cannot differentiate between CBD and THC, especially the cheap ones testing urine and saliva.

To be safe, ensure you do the following.

Buy CBD from a regulated supplier and keep transaction details.
Choose the right CBD oil.
Disclose before testing that you take CBD oil, just in case they find traces.
Before consuming CBD, ensure it is legal in your country or state.
Check the quantity of THC on the bottle before buying. If not indicated, it is safer not to buy.
Ask for independent testing results from the supplier.
You can buy over-the-counter tests to test yourself before significant tests.
If the test is significant to you, avoid CBD products a few days to the test.
If possible, take only CBD isolate if you are due for a test with about 99.9% purity.

Conclusion

You probably got the answer to the question “Can CBD hemp oil make you fail a drug test?”. Yes, it can. The test results can hurt your job, child support arrangements, and other essential aspects. Even if CBD is legal in most states and countries, child protective services, employers, and others are still within their legal rights to test for THC. If you get a false positive, ensure you ask for a confirmatory test. Also, ensure you understand company organization policy or country laws before taking the test to know what is at stake.