Can CBD make you fail a drug test? That’s a question that often pops up in people’s minds when they think of routinely using CBD skin care products.
Skin care is an essential aspect of your life, and you want to use the products that show the best results while being safe to use.
CBD topicals serve as a viable option! They are effective and serve a wide array of purposes. However, one thing might bother you in this regard. Yes! We’re talking about that drug test!
So, what’s the answer to the question we asked you at the start? Well, read on and see for yourself!
Can CBD Make You Fail a Drug Test?
Like all medical phenomena, a rare exception exists. There have been many cases where people have reported a failed drug test after using CBD.
So, how does it happen? What are the precautions you should keep in mind while using CBD?
Cannabidiol or CBD is the second most abundant component of the cannabis plant.
Unlike its elder and more rave-y brother THC, it is non-psychoactive and does not cause any intoxication or “high” feeling.
Hence, basic logic dictates it can’t show up on a drug test.
However, many CBD oils and topical creams contain some amount of THC too. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is a psychoactive component that is related to the infamous high of marijuana plants. You can find THC in small amounts in full-spectrum products, though you won’t find it in detectable amounts in broad-spectrum or CBD isolate formulas.
The federally legal amount of THC a company can have in their CBD-related products is 0.3 percent. (Some states with more permissive marijuana laws allow more, but usually, those products are only locally available.)
However, chances are with prolonged use, it can gradually build up in your body which may be significant enough to show up on tests!
Moreover, THC is fat-soluble and can easily build up in your body tissues. This phenomenon can lead to a false belief that the use of CBD causes a failed drug test.
Where Does It Go Once It Enters Your Body?
The ultimate storage site for CBD is your liver. However, before reaching the liver, CBD follows a route that depends upon the way you took it.
The time CBD stays in your body is subject to variation based on several factors. Some are discussed below.
How Long Do CBD Skin Care Products Stay Inside Your Body?
Let’s start with one important point: topically applied CBD normally doesn’t really get inside your body, because it doesn’t penetrate your skin. The only way that happens is if you use a transdermal patch or you apply the topical to a mucous membrane, which you should not be doing with skin care products. But CBD does get into your skin and can linger there for a while.
Generally, the amount of time your body houses CBD ranges from two to five days. And as mentioned above, there can be plenty of variation in different people depending on their habits and body types.
The amount of CBD you use directly correlates with the amount in your body.
Pretty basic, right?
However, you should know the more CBD you use, the longer it will stay in your system!
In addition, some people digest food quicker than others. People who have higher metabolism will utilize and excrete CBD at a much faster rate than those who have a slow metabolism.
Similarly, people with higher body fat percentages house CBD for longer periods than those with lower fat percentages.
Moreover, the route of CBD intake also has an effect on the time it resides in your body.
Smoking (though you should avoid it) delivers and excretes CBD the fastest while oils and tinctures are the slowest on removing CBD.
The typical hierarchy is as follows: smoking followed by pills and capsules and then oils, tinctures, and lotions.
Do CBD Skin Care Topicals Get You High?
The odds of you getting high by the use of CBD lotions are none!
Firstly, CBD is a non-psychoactive compound that can’t cause any hypnotic effects. However, even if some cannabinoid creams contain trace amounts of psychoactive THC, your body can’t absorb enough for it to have an impact on the neurological receptors in your brain!
Think of it this way: Whenever you use rubbing alcohol to clean wounds, you don’t get drunk, even though the concentration of the rubbing alcohol is more than enough to cause intoxication.
That’s because the skin filters out all the psychoactive components from the compound and they do not enter your bloodstream to have an impact.
The same goes for CBD. Besides, not only is the concentration of THC small enough to avoid any symptoms, applying CBD in the form of lotions or oils allows the skin to filter out all the hypnotic THC compounds!
Will They Show Up on a Drug Test?
With the above-mentioned facts in mind, we can logically predict that CBD ointments can’t make you high.
As the psychoactive components are not able to enter the bloodstream via skin, it can’t lead to a failed drug test!
Moreover, a study points to the fact that CBD skin care products applied to skin did not lead to positive drug findings in urine or blood.
However, there are some exceptions too! These exceptions are the transdermal patches of THC-rich cannabis. These patches work in a similar fashion to nicotinic patches which are used to quit smoking.
The amount of THC and psychoactive components in these patches are significant enough to get into the bloodstream and thus, cause a failed drug test.
FAQs
Can CBD Make You Fail a Drug Test?
No! Pure CBD itself is a strictly non-psychoactive compound that does not show up on any routine drug tests.
However, if you use full-spectrum CBD products that contain heavy amounts of THC, it might bug your drug test!
So, the best way to go is to use either CBD isolate or broad-spectrum CBD that’s devoid of THC!
Are CBD Skin Care Products Legal?
Absolutely! CBD skin care items are legal as long as their composition fits the standards required by the authorities.
Products that have THC within the legal range can easily be sourced from nearby stores. However, you need to stay away from topicals that have more THC than the legal limit!
Is It Safe to Use CBD Skin Care Items?
Yes! CBD is a safe compound that does not have frequent side effects. On top of that, administering it via the skin makes it even safer as your skin acts as a natural filter, keeping all impurities away from your bloodstream!
But, as prevention is better than cure, make sure that you consult a medical professional before adopting a CBD skin care routine.
Can People With Diabetes Use CBD Topicals?
Yes! Diabetes and CBD topicals have no link whatsoever. You can use them and rest assured that they won’t tamper your blood sugar levels!
However, we’d like to reiterate that making medical decisions without a health professional is dangerous. Therefore, consult a professional before adding a new product to your regimen!
