Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a natural substance that has recently gained popularity due to its use as a remedy to treat certain physical ailments.
CBD is a naturally occurring compound found in cannabis plants, the marijuana plant, or hemp plant. Hemp derived oil (CBD) has been a legal import in the United States for decades.
In theory, CBD oil should consist of two main ingredients: the compound cannabidiol dissolved in an oil made from hemp seeds or coconut.
Will using CBD oil result in a positive drug test for marijuana? The short answer is that it should not, but in reality, it could.
According to Dr. Barry Sample, Director of Science and Technology with Quest Diagnostics, CBD, itself, on a drug test would not be confused with either marijuana (THC) or marijuana metabolite (THC metabolite) and analytically the two substances can be clearly differentiated.
However, someone using a CBD oil that contains residual THC could very likely test positive on a urine drug test, not because of the CBD itself, but because of THC contaminants in the oil. Additionally, if a CBD product contains THC at a sufficiently high concentration (0.3% or greater), it possibly can cause a positive drug test result for marijuana metabolites.
THC is still considered a Schedule I controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) pursuant to the 1970 Controlled Substances Act.
Risks Associated with CBD Usage
- Using CBD products could cause drug tests to
come back positive for THC compounds found
in marijuana. - There is no way to differentiate a positive test
for THC from CBD oil usage versus a positive
test from actual marijuana usage. - Because CBD products are not FDA regulated,
there is no guarantee the product purchased is
THC-free. It may contain various levels of THC
depending on how it is produced, manufactured,
and the potency/formation of the product from
which it is extracted.