Here at CBDMEDIC ™, one of our most frequently asked questions is, “Will this product show up on a THC drug test?” The simple answer is no, however, read on to find out why.
CBD vs. THC
Both cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are found in the cannabis classification of plants. Both are also types of cannabinoids, which are chemical receptors that occur naturally in the body with the endocannabiniod system.
A study in the late 1980s concluded that cannabinoid receptors are partially responsible for our mental and physiological activity – that is, how are we think, act, and feel. While there are approximately 113 cannabinoids in a single hemp plant, the general consumer is most concerned with THC or CBD, in partial thanks to their rapid entrance into the medical cannabis market.
While THC is only legal in a handful of states and produces psychoactive effects, CBD does not. Moreover, thanks to a revision in legislation, it is completely legal in most states. Still, there are potential risks associated with CBD products if they contain the trace amounts of THC. Even if the THC levels are minimal.
For this reason, you should know the differences between the 3 spectrums of CBD; full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolates. Choose the one according to your needs. Here’s a breakdown below.
Full-spectrum CBD
Full-spectrum CBD is an extract derived from the entire cannabis plant. In addition to CBD, full-spectrum CBD contains terpenes, flavonoids, essential oils, and additional cannabinoids, which could include THC, the psychoactive variety responsible for producing a “high” feeling when consumed. While less than 0.3 percent of THC is required by law, there is a very small risk that it could show up in a urine test—although highly unlikely. So if you work at a place that conducts drug tests (CBD isolate drug test or CBD oil drug test), you may wish to take this under consideration.
That said, you may be drawn to the “entourage effect” of the plant compounds; how they work together to enhance their potential therapeutic benefits. In that case, you’ll want to choose between broad-spectrum and full-spectrum.
Broad Spectrum
Like full-spectrum, broad-spectrum consists of a blend of CBD, terpenes, flavonoids, essential oils, and other cannabinoids.
However, unlike full spectrum, THC is completely removed from the product. CBDMEDIC utilizes this form of CBD in all products for this very reason.
CBD Isolate
CBD isolates are the purest form of CBD. When the hemp plant is processed, the CBD is the only component of the plant that is removed and put on the shelves. This means that you will not get any other cannabinoids, including THC; flavonoids, or terpenes.
Like broad-spectrum, you are highly unlikely to fail a THC drug test with CBD isolate.
Types of THC Drug Test
Since CBD products like topical creams, ointments, and massage oils do not get people high and typically contain low- to no levels of THC, there are low chances for a positive drug test. The main reasons for testing positive on a drug test for THC includes ingesting the cannabinoid in some form– be it through smoking, vaping, or eating the drug.
THC edibles are also a surefire way to test positive on a drug test since they can stay in your system for up to a month.
A word of caution to cannabis users – smoking marijuana can affect a urine sample and show up in saliva tests depending on factors such as body fat and the amount of time since it was taken.
While you may think you are safe if you only use legal CBD products, you still hold a negligible risk of failing a test if you used a full spectrum variety. Here are the following tests to take into consideration, which each have different time frames of exposure to consider:
Urine Test
Within five days of consumption, 20% of THC is eliminated through urine. The cutoff amount to yield a positive urine test result is 50 nanograms per milliliter, with one nanometer equating to one-billionth of a gram. Depending on frequency and dosage, THC can remain in the body for a period of a few days up to two weeks. This is the most common drug test.
Oral Fluid Test
An oral fluid test tests the saliva for the presence of drugs and is a quick, non-invasive method. The cutoff amount for an oral specimen is four nanometers, and THC, especially, exhibits high concentrations in the mouth after use when taken orally. It typically remains present in saliva for a day after use, however, again, with heavier usage, THC can be identified up to the three days after being consumed.
Hair Test
A hair drug test is a good option for detecting moderate- to chronic substance abuse since drugs remain in hair follicles longer than they do in urine, saliva, or blood. THC can stay in hair for 90 days after usage.
Blood Test
THC does not stay in the bloodstream for very long relative to how long it remains in the urine, saliva, and hair. It usually remains detectable 3 hours if there is a low concentration of THC in the blood or 27 hours on the high end if there is a higher concentration. It does not take much, however, for THC to become present in the blood – one marijuana cigarette will force a positive result.
CBDMEDIC Products and Drug Testing
While extremely unlikely, certain topicals could cause a failed drug test if high enough amounts of THC are present. Even with the legal limit of 0.3 percent of THC allowed in hemp-derived CBD oil, the founder of the Center for Medical Cannabis Education, Jamie Corroon, believes, “It’s possible, but highly unlikely” to test positive for THC. However, as mentioned in the beginning of this article, cannabis is not yet legal or regulated at the federal level so you may not always know what is in your CBD topical products. Another question we occasionally receive – What is a CBD oil drug test. In short, drug tests are designed to find THC, not CBD.
That’s not the case with CBDMEDIC.
CBDMEDIC only uses broad-spectrum pure CBD, meaning there is no THC in any of our products.
Just to be on the safe side, we conducted our own test with our own employees,” said David Goldsmith, Cofounder and Managing Director. “We sent 3 employees who do not use marijuana in any form to take a THC urine drug test and all came out negative. To set a baseline, we conducted a preliminary test before they used our products to ensure that no THC was present. Afterward, they each used 14 grams (0.5 oz) of ointment that contained 64 mg of CBD and trace amounts of THC. The follow-up test revealed that none of them showed THC in their system. We concluded that there is no risk of failing a THC drug test, even if negligible trace amounts of THC are present in a topical product.
You can rest easy when using CBDMEDIC’s line of ointments and creams, knowing you’re not only benefitting your health and well-being but you’re doing so in a safe, legal, all-natural way.
Want to learn more about CBD? You are invited to join our community on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Don’t be shy. Ask your most pressing questions.
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. It has not been approved by the FDA to diagnose, treat, prevent, cure, or mitigate any diseases or conditions. We use CBD in our products for cosmetic purposes only.
I’m smoking a cbd vape with 50mg.
How long would that take for it to be out of my system or does it even have thc?
Hi Julian, we get questions like this often. Legally, a CBD product cannot contain more than 0.3% THC, which is a negligible trace amount. We do not sell vapes, however. Our topical products do not enter the bloodstream. We invite you to try a cream or ointment if you are concerned about your internal use of CBD.