Both CBD and THC interact with our bodies natural Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Endocannabinoid receptors occur naturally in our body and assist with the control of appetite, pain, mood, inflammation, memory and more.

The infamous compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in marijuana is known for the euphoric “high” a person experiences when ingesting the substance. THC works by binding to our body’s natural endocannabinoid receptors to create a high.

CBD may help regulate our cannabinoid receptors by working as an antagonist and potentially blocking what is able to interact with these receptors.

CBD can help to prevent the action of THC in the CB1 receptor and, for that reason, CBD may help to negate the intoxicating effects of THC. Thus, the biggest difference between these compounds is CBD does not contain intoxicating properties.

Will I Fail a Drug Test?

It’s not likely to fail a drug test taking CBD products, but there are some things to keep an eye out for. Though it’s not likely, it’s not impossible either. As mentioned, CBD products can contain up to .3% THC or less by law according to the 2018 Farm Bill. This is a negligible amount and will not cause any intoxicating effects, but if too much of a product is taken, the small amount can add up. A person taking an exceedingly large amount of a CBD product, as in 1/2 of a month supply per day or more, would be more likely to fail a drug test. This is obviously not suggested, nor necessary. Too much of a good thing can still be bad.

The limit of THC to cause a failed drug test is 50mg/ml as set forth by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Not all companies use this threshold, but it is the standard by which most use. Even at the max .3% THC limit, there is not even close to 50mg/ml in most products.

Make sure to understand the type of drug test you are taking as well. Both CBD and THC are classified as “cannabinoids” and thus if you are taking a drug test which is searching for ALL cannabinoids, you should be careful with taking CBD… or any cannabinoid. (Fun fact- black pepper contains small amounts of THC and thus has cannabinoids in it and should be avoided before drug tests as well.) For more info, read our full post on CBD and drug tests…

Most Common Reasons for Failing a CBD Drug Test

 

• Unknowingly Using CBD Products Containing THC

The most common way CBD oil users fail drug tests, this often occurs from

purchasing low-quality CBD hemp products that have not been third-party tested. While many brands may claim that their CBD oil does not contain THC, this isn’t always true. That’s why we only carry reputable brands that are guaranteed full spectrum, hemp-derived, and <0.3% THC.

• Purchasing Mislabeled Products

Continuing from the first point, it is unfortunately quite common for CBD oil manufacturers to mislabel their products as THC-free, when in reality, their products have been derived from the marijuana cannabis plant and contain various amounts of THC. It is important to find a trusted source of full spectrum, hemp-derived CBD like Made By Hemp so that you always know that your products will not result in a surprise failed drug test.

• THC Cross-Contamination

Buying your CBD oil products from a cannabis dispensary in legal states might seem like a good idea, but trace amounts of THC can contaminate their CBD oil supply in enough quantities that you could fail a drug screening after consumption. Purchasing from an online retailer like us drastically reduces the chance of this happening. We have our own on-site lab with full spectrum hemp plants sourced domestically from farms in the USA.

• CBD Oil Metabolic Process

While this is a more rare circumstance, some sources have reported that CBD oil can metabolize into small amounts of THC in the digestive tract. Other studies have contradicted these claims, however, the conclusion seems to be that this is most likely to occur with lower quality CBD products that have not been adequately purified.

• Secondhand THC Exposure

This is a reason that lies outside of CBD oil consumption but is still worth noting. Secondhand marijuana smoke in large amounts over several hours could potentially result in a positive drug test, especially if it’s a hair test and you’ve been in direct physical contact with paraphernalia or a person’s hands that have THC on them. However, if you pass someone on the street smoking cannabis, it’s very unlikely that you’ll get a false positive result with a traditional drug screen