This article was originally published on Real Tested CBD. To view the original article, click here.
If you’re wondering “Does CBD show up in a drug test?” the answer is that it can in certain situations. If you’re getting close to a job interview and expect that you will need to take a drug test, you should be aware of what it takes for CBD to show up in a drug test. Drug tests will always screen directly for THC or a primary metabolite known as THC-COOH. Guidelines have been established by the federal workplace that include a cut-off value for the amount of THC that could be in your system. In the event that there are trace amounts of this substance in your system, the drug test won’t detect it. A negative drug test simply means that the exact amount of THC in your system at the time of the test is lower than the cut-off threshold.
The main thing that you should be aware of with a drug test is that different types of testing come with different cut-off thresholds. Urine is the most common type of drug test that’s administered in the workplace. In most urine drug tests, the metabolite of THC-COOH will be looked for during the test. In order for the drug test to come back positive, the concentration of THC-COOH in your urine must be at 50 nanograms per milliliter or higher.
Although much less common, it’s possible that the drug test that you’re required to take is a blood test, hair test, or saliva test. Blood tests are rarely used in the workplace solely because THC doesn’t stay in the bloodstream long enough. While hair testing is very uncommon, some private industries will use this drug testing method when looking for THC. There are no actual cut-off thresholds for hair drug testing of THC metabolites. However, private industries may place the cut-off at one picogram per milligram, which is much less than the threshold in a urine test. As such, it can be easier to detect THC with hair testing. If a saliva drug test is administered to you, there are no current cut-off limits for the detection of THC, which you should keep in mind.
How Long Does CBD Stay In Your System?
When answering the question “How long does CBD stay in your system?” it can vary depending on what’s being tested and what compounds are contained within the substance. If the CBD that you use doesn’t contain any THC, there’s basically no risk of using CBD before a drug test. However, using a hemp product with THC will heighten the risk that your drug test comes back positive. While any type of CBD has much less THC in it than marijuana, you should still be aware of how long THC can stay in your system. For instance, THC can usually be detected in hair for much longer than it can be detected in urine.
The ability for a urine test to detect the THC metabolite depends on your dosage of CBD and the frequency in which you use the substance. A high dosage and frequency of use means that THC could stay in your system for up to 30 days. However, it could leave your system in as little as three days. Since urine testing is the most common testing method for THC, it’s important that you keep these timetables in mind.
If the test that you’re required to take is a blood test, standard THC can only be found in plasma if the test is administered within five hours after you use CBD. However, THC metabolites can be detected if the test is taken within a week after using marijuana or a hemp product that contains THC. In the event that a hair test is required at your place of work, the THC metabolites can be detected in hair for as many as 90 days. As such, even CBD products will small amounts of THC can show up during hair drug testing.
While saliva drug tests are rarely ever administered, it’s possible that you will be asked to take this type of drug test. In most cases, THC can only be detected in saliva for up to three days. If you are a heavy user of THC, it’s possible that the substance will remain in your saliva for much longer. Since most CBD products contain very little or no THC, it’s almost a certainty that THC won’t be detected in a saliva test unless you also use marijuana.
How to Avoid CBD Showing Upon On a Drug Test
The best way to avoid the possibility of CBD showing up on a drug test is to use a CBD product that doesn’t contain any THC. Since CBD itself isn’t tested for, there should be no harm in using a CBD product that’s derived from hemp. Even though hemp can have some THC, the only way to legally sell hemp is if the plant has less than .3 percent THC in it. If you want to be certain that the CBD product you purchase doesn’t contain any CBD, make sure that you read through all of the product information and use products that list the exact amount of CBD. A broad-spectrum CBD product doesn’t have any THC in it, which means that this substance is safe to use if you can find it.
Even if you avoid using hemp products with THC in them, there’s still a small chance that you will test positive for THC, which can occur if a product is mislabeled or cross-contamination has occurred during the manufacturing process for CBD. It’s also very important that the CBD products you purchase are from reliable and reputable sellers. Bad products from poor sellers can have THC and other chemicals in them that cause you to fail a drug test. In CBD products that contain THC, it’s unlikely that enough THC will show up in your system unless you are a chronic user of the substance. With this guide in hand, you should have no problem taking and passing a drug test.
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