Does CBD Show Up on a Drug Test?

By MJ News Team

For many people, taking CBD products is just a part of their usual daily routine. But here is a question that might come to anyone’s mind: will CBD be screened for on a drug test? And this concern is especially common among police officers, military personnel, teachers, parents, and athletes. Here is some information we’ve found to bring some colour to the topic.

1. Will drug tests search for the presence of CBD?

No, they do not. This means CBD will not be detected by drug tests. However, these tests do look for traces of psychoactive marijuana compounds. So, they examine whether there’s THC in your bloodstream or not. Another compound that can be screened for by the tests is cannabinol or CBN. This is also psychoactive but has a milder effect in comparison to THC. CBN is mostly found in old cannabis plants and rarely in CBD products.

2. Can CBD products be detected by a drug test?

It depends. We should remember that CBD products contain a whole bouquet of natural chemicals. So, here are the key factors affecting whether your CBD product will be detected or not.

While topical CBD products (cream, masks or serums) will stay on the surface layers of your body, CBD edibles and other CBD products consumed orally will then reach your bloodstream and have a chance of being detected if there are traces of psychoactive elements.
Remember that THC can stay in the bloodstream for days or even weeks, depending on the amount, potency and duration of consumption. Another alarming fact is that THC might reach your bloodstream through inhaling smoke from marijuana joints or CBD vapour. So, even if you’re not the one smoking or vaping, traces of THC might find their way into your body.
Taking CBD isolates could be the best option for those who are going to take a drug test. Producers use complex extraction methods to isolate CBD from not only THC but other plant compounds like flavonoids and terpenes. As CBD doesn’t react with the test’s chemicals, there’s nothing to worry about.
And finally, be vigilant. Don’t trust brands that do not have third-party testing results. The CBD industry is seeing continuous growth, while in many countries, there’s still a lack of adequate regulation. This allows producers to offer low-quality CBD exceeding legal THC levels, attracting inexperienced customers with ridiculously low prices.

3. Research overview

Let’s look at what the studies say. Below, we would like to present you with two examples.

This paper showed that urinary concentrations of CBD were higher after oral versus vaporised CBD. Only 1 out of 218 test results showed THC in pure CBD products.
In another published study, researchers reported that 2 out of 6 study participants tested positive after vaping cannabis that contained 0.39% THC. In fact, the amount of THC only exceeded the legal threshold by 0.09%.

4. Final thoughts

Positive drug test results can have tragic consequences for someone’s life, career or family. We encourage you to be highly attentive and mindful if this issue concerns you in any way. Share this information to ensure that nobody around you gets into trouble.