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Will CBD Oil Show up On a Drug Test?
CBD oil and drug testing is definitely a significant topic to discuss when deciding to take CBD oil. At some point in life you will be subject to drug testing, especially some jobs require drug tests.
The last thing you want is to fail a drug test when so much is at stake.
So lets find out what kind of result we will get when taking CBD oil, shall we.
The Theoretical Outcome of CBD and Drug testing
First I’d like to mention that CBD will NOT show up on a drug test because drug tests do not test for CBD, the real issue and concern is, will THC (the psychoactive component of marijuana) show up on a drug test from taking CBD oil?
Many full spectrum CBD oils (if you would like to know the difference between full spectrum and CBD isolate, I wrote an article here) contain very little trace amounts of THC (less than .3%).
In theory the amount of THC is so insignificant that it should not show up on a drug test. According to herb.co you would have to ingest 1000 to 2000 mg of CBD daily for you to test positive on a drug test. It seems that the consensus on most websites is this theory, that it should not show up on a drug test.
I decided to put that theory to the test!
A Little About Myself
After bouts of anxiety I decided to use CBD oil after hearing all the great claims. I started taking it twice daily. I take 25 drops of a 600 milligram bottle in the morning and 15 drops of the same bottle at night before I sleep. The brand I typically use is called Fab CBD, which works really well, I highly recommend it. Fab CBD is a full spectrum CBD oil so naturally it contains trace amounts of THC.
After taking CBD oil for 2 months I decided it was time to take a drug test and find out what the results are.
Getting Drug Tested
I was able to get a doctor to schedule a drug test for me to put the theory to the test. As soon as I got the okay I picked a day and went to Quest diagnostics for my drug testing.
After a not so long wait (30 minutes) it was my turn to see the lab technician.
I answered a few questions, took my cup to the bathroom, did what I had to do and returned to the technician.
He told me it would take a couple of days for the results.
Over the Counter Drug Testing Kit
Since I had to wait a few days, as a second option, I decided to go the convenient route and buy an over the counter drug test kit that tests exclusively for marijuana at my local Duane Reade.
The kit cost around $20 and claims to be “the most sensitive test on the market”.
After feeling awkward paying for the kit in front of the cashier, I brought it home and decided to immediately try it out. It’s simple enough. Pee in a cup, test the temperature of the urine, insert the test strip and wait the amount of time on the instructions.
What were the Results?
10 minutes later I went to check up on the results. After being disgusted of what was in the cup I pulled out the test strip.
According to the instructions there are two fields, a “control” field and a “test” field. Both have to display a pink ribbon for a negative result. Dun! Dun! Dun! the test results were……..Positive!!!!
The readings claimed that there was THC in my system. This left a lot on my mind, but I was not convinced as this was an over the counter drug test and I was uncertain of the accuracy of these results. I wanted to wait for the lab test for me to be positive (pun intended).
The Official Lab Test Results
Two days later my doctor sent me my results. This was it! The conclusive official answer to “will CBD give me a false positive on a drug test”?
Well the answer was hard to hear. Full spectrum CBD might give a positive result on a drug test.
Now I know that this is a false positive being that CBD is legal but most of us, myself included do not want to take the risk when it comes to certain things. Also I would like to mention that I have never tried anything psychoactive in my life and have never failed a drug test, so there is no reason for me to get a positive result other than the CBD causing it.
Further Research
After reading the many website claims that CBD oil should not show up on a drug test unless you used unusually large amounts I decided to investigate further. After re-reading it seems that most of these claims are speculative and theoretical, there aren’t a lot of tests done. I did later come across some reddit forums where CBD oil users decided to get drug tested with the same positive result as me. They went further to claim that CBD isolate however does not give a positive result because there are no traces of THC just strictly CBD, unlike full spectrum CBD.
Trying CBD Isolate
I waited a couple of weeks and got drug tested again. I was back to negative.
Great!
Now it was time for me to try CBD isolate. I immediately ordered a reputable brand of CBD isolate and began taking it upon arrival. I made sure to take more than the recommended amount. The bottle recommended 3-5 drops, so I took about 8 drops two times a day (one at morning and one at night). I took it consistently for about a month. It was time to get drug tested again. I again bought an over the counter drug test kit as well as getting tested in a lab. Both tests had the same answer.
I showed up negative.
It is confirmed, the the claim that CBD isolate does not show up on a drug test is correct.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Full spectrum CBD oil might test positively for THC on a drug test.
While CBD isolate shows up negative, as it only contains CBD. NO THC.
If this isn’t a concern for you, CBD oil has an array of benefits, Make sure you weigh all the negative consequences of showing up positive on a drug test before you make a decision.
I’ve been avidly using CBD to deal with my anxiety, and have been fortunate to do so successfully. I started this blog to share my experience and knowledge with as many people as possible.
“I have never tried anything psychoactive in my life…”
You mean, you’ve never tried caffeine or chamomile tea? Or even alcohol? Never?
The word psychoactive means ,”affecting the mind or mood or other mental processes”.
Have you ever considered why you are using the word “psychoactive” when you really mean “psychedelic”, i.e. “hallucinogenic”.? THC was outlawed because it’s considered an hallucinogenic drug, not because it’s a psychoactive drug. If they outlawed it on that basis then they would have to outlaw Valerian, Kava, and St. John’s Wort too.
I have taken Valerian, Kava, St. John’s Wort, and CBD isolate, and I know they are all psychoactive.
There appears to be a friendly communal conspiracy surrounding CBD to claim that it’s not psychoactive (right after they claim that it lessens anxiety and depression). In a shamelessly brazen semantic slight-of-hand, they pretend that psychoactive means hallucinogenic so that they can then deny that it’s psychoactive. I think the reason they want to do this is that then there is absolutely no basis or chance that the authorities will get suspicious about it and outlaw it, because the powers that be have been known to outlaw anything strange and threatening that affects thought or feeling.
It’s a way of covering their collective ass. Or, in other words, it’s a kind of protective public relations marketing. But it’s dishonest and/or ignorant, and makes me question the logic, honesty, and legitimacy of some of their other claims.
thanks so much, I pray you are correct. My VA primary care provider is cutting down on my meds for chronic pancreatitis and I need some help. First she said just up to me,then said it would violate my pain agreement. Well, I had already obtained some thru mail and had used it a few times. Full spectrum. Worked ok. So I found your site. Thank you very much. Am 70 yrs. old. and many pains.
Hi Bobby,
You are very welcome! I am glad the information helped. I am sorry to hear about your condition and I hope it gets much better. Hopefully the CBD works for you. Have a wonderful day!
-Gabriel
I use Charlottes Web Isolate and consistently fail an at home test at 15ng/ml…not good…
What was the “reputable brand of CBD isolate”?
Sorry I forgot to include that in there. The isolate brand I used was Kat’s naturals. They did not give a false positive and their CBD is pretty effective. Alternatively you can check out a companies third party lab testing (if they provide it) before buying and see if there is any THC content. Have a great day!
Thank you!
You are very welcome!