Will I fail a drug test using CBD? (2022 edition)

Could using CBD result in a positive drug test? 

As more and more people experience the benefits of CBD products, there has been a growing concern that the cannabinoid could lead to a positive drug test. After all, doesn’t it come from the cannabis plant?

We would love to give our readers a straight forward answer like yes or no, but we can’t. The truth is, there are many factors to take into account. The spectrum of the CBD is a major concern and trust in the company that you are buying from is another.

Long story short, there are plenty of people who use CBD and pass drug tests ✅. You just have to know how to select the right CBD product and know who to buy it from.

In this article, are going to cover the “need to know” information. There is nothing more nerve racking than thinking you may test positive for a drug test because of something you normally take everyday. Don’t worry, we have you covered.

👉 It is important to know this article applies to the UK, EU and North America. If you are outside of these areas, check with your local laws.

Reasons why you may be tested for drugs

In the modern era, drug tests are pretty common practise when scoring a new job or getting a promotion. There are other reasons like law enforced drug tests or even before any medical procedures.

Most people will have to submit a drug test at some point in their lifetime. If you don’t use drugs, then you have nothing to worry about; most times.

There are things you may eat or consume that are perfectly legal but could lead to a positive test. This is called “false positive” and could result in a person having to retest. Poppy seeds is a common reason perfectly normal people sometimes fail a drug test.

If you do happen to receive a positive drug test but have never used drugs, mention to the test facility and the group waiting for the results. The more forthcoming you are, the better your chances that they will believe you!

The same applies to CBD. There are some CBD products that also contain THC. Products that contain THC usually are labeled “full spectrum”.

THC is considered a narcotic and generally will lead to a failed drug test. If you are a professional or a professional athlete, be sure to avoid CBD products that have ANY THC.

What are the types of drug tests?

Drug screening has become a growing part of workplace culture in many sectors, and it’s important to understand how these tests work and what substances they detect. We are not including this information so that someone could devise a work-around, if you follow our information here, you won’t have to.

There are three common types of drug tests: 

Saliva

For a saliva test, a mouth swab is employed to check for several common substances. The procedure is completed in a few seconds but the results can take up to 24 hours to be returned.

Saliva tests are often used by police in the event of a traffic stop. Saliva tests activate an easy to read coloured pigment that determines if a narcotic has been used and is still present in your bloodstream.

There is no official cutoff limit for saliva testing, but there are some guidelines published that you can read here. Generally, these tests detect THC. Given that even full spectrum CBD oil only contains 0.2% THC, you are generally ok.

It is important to know exactly how much THC is in the product you are buying, so please, demand a lab analysis before any purchase. At Pure Organic CBD, we provide lab reports on every product we sell so you do not have to worry. Just click on any product, and look for the link “view lab report for this product”.

Urine

We just want to remind you that CBD even with a small amount of THC may show on a test. If you are anticipating being drug tested you may want to pick our Broad Spectrum CBD oil which is THC free and verified by lab tests.

Urine tests are the most prevalent method of workplace drug testing. Once again, it only takes a short time and results tend to come back within 24 hours.

Known as ‘urinalysis’, this form of testing has a longer detection range than saliva swab tests.

Generally, urine tests will show results from any narcotic used inside of 2 weeks. Although it is possible for tests to detect use from a longer period if the person used chronically.

Blood

It’s unlikely that any employer would require an employee to take a blood sample for illicit substances. It is, however, the most accurate form of testing, with the longest detection range.

An important point to make here is that none of these tests are searching for traces of CBD. Instead, the tests are focused on illicit and prohibited substances, such as alcohol, THC, amphetamines and opioids.

In specific relation to cannabis, the drug screenings are only testing for the intoxicant properties of the plant, i.e. THC and its metabolites. CBD users need not worry if the product they take is THC free.

Will CBD result in a failed drug test? 

If drug tests aren’t searching for CBD, then it surely follows that there’s nothing to worry about? Well, to a limited degree, the answer is yes. If a person has consumed CBD products from a reputable source, then they should have no concerns.

Unfortunately, some inferior CBD products contain THC levels of sufficient quantity to lead to a positive result. But, in the case of CBD oils from a reputable source, the THC content is so insignificant (usually 0.05%) that there’s no danger of crossing this threshold.

Although unlikely, if a person were to consume a large enough quantity of CBD oil, this could lead to a ‘false-positive’ result. But they would need to have swallowed a 1,000mg bottle of 10% CBD oil in a single sitting – and even then, at least some of the CBD would likely have left their system by the time the test was conducted.

Even if CBD was to result in a false-positive result, a further screening would reveal this to be the presence of CBD and not an illegal substance.

The difference between CBD and THC 

Along with CBD, THC is one of the most prevalent compounds in cannabis. However, the two are very different in both their actions and effects.

THC is an intoxicant and provides the primary psychotropic effects of cannabis.

CBD is a non-psychotropic but has soothing and holistic benefits when consumed.

These two very distinct properties are responsible for the difference in legalisation regarding the two compounds: while THC is prohibited throughout most of the world, CBD is widely accepted and (in most places) legal to consume.

For more information about CBD, read our long format page titled what is cbd.

Conclusion

The majority of CBD oils can be divided into three camps. There’s CBD isolates, which contain nothing but CBD, broad-spectrum CBD which has a wider selection of compounds, and, finally, full-spectrum CBD.

As previously suggested, full-spectrum CBD oil does contain traces of THC, but as long as it is made to the correct standards, the level should not lead to a positive drug test.

Although drug tests vary by country and organisation, the THC threshold for a positive result is generally 50ng/ml in a urine test and 25ng/ml in a saliva test. Following a positive test, the sample is likely to be sent for confirmatory testing, which will have no problem distinguishing THC from CBD.

Consuming a product containing 0.2% THC will have no impact on drug tests whatsoever. Indeed, this amount is so negligible that highly sophisticated laboratory equipment has difficulty detecting it. As such, our full-spectrum CBD products are unlikely to result in a positive drug test.

If you’re searching for a CBD oil that is certain to contain THC below the legal threshold, take a look at our range of full-spectrum CBD oils, supplements and capsules.