Does CBD Show Up On A Drug Test in the UK?

  

With the CBD market continuing to grow, many people have concerns about its specific place in the law.

Whilst CBD itself is an entirely legal product -with the UK CBD market being one of the largest and most innovative in the world- the stigma surrounding it unfortunately holds it back. Many employers consider CBD to be on-par with illegal cannabis products, misunderstanding both the contents and the purpose of CBD.

This can cause people to be hesitant about using CBD, concerned that it will cause problems if they are subjected to a drug test. But does CBD show up on a drug test?

In this article we'll get into precisely what kind of drug tests are most often used in the UK and whether or not CBD is likely to trigger a positive result.

What Drug Tests Are Available In The UK?

Many different drug tests exist in the UK. The most common ones check for a variety of different drugs all at once. This is usually a urine test and tends to check for the following substances:

• Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
• Cocaine
• Amphetamine
• Methamphetamine
• Benzodiazepine
• Opiates

As you can see CBD is rarely checked for. THC however is present in trace amounts in some CBD products. Although not strong enough to induce a psychoactive impact, it can still trigger a positive test result.

Although a urine test is the most common, the following tests are also available in the UK:

• Saliva testing – A swab test of oral fluid. This is only likely to detect very recent drug use.
• Blood testing – Testing a sample of blood. This is likely to detect certain drugs even several weeks after use.
• Sweat testing – Similar to a blood test, this is an easier but slightly less reliable way to detect long term drug use.

None of these tests are likely to be designed to check for CBD, however they may detect the presence of THC.

Does CBD Oil Show Up On A Drug Test In The UK?

As mentioned, these tests are designed to identify the use of THC. This is the psychoactive compound found in hemp that can make a user feel ‘high’.

THC is a completely illegal compound in the UK. If you are being told that you are being tested for Cannabis, it is very likely that you are being tested for THC.

Although CBD is completely legal in the UK, any CBD product that meets UK trading standards can contain trace amounts of THC. These products are referred to as 'full-spectrum' CBD products.

If you get tested after having used CBD oil with trace amounts of THC, it is unlikely but still possible to fail the test.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a THC free oil, you should get either a broad-spectrum CBD oil or a CBD isolate product as these are completely THC free.

At Orange County we sell both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD, as well as CBD isolate.

Summary

Let’s summarise our key points before we wrap up this article.

• In case you didn’t already know, CBD is entirely legal in the UK and many other countries around the world.
• THC is a completely illegal substance in the UK.
• Although THC is illegal, CBD products are allowed to contain trace amounts THC.
• Broad-spectrum oil contains no THC whatsoever.
• Full-spectrum oil will only contain trace amounts of THC.

So, does CBD oil show up on a drug test in the UK?

Well, while it isn't possible for ‘CBD oil’ to show on a conventional UK test any THC the oil contains could trigger a positive result. If you're taking a drug test and are concerned about any possible positives, we suggest you use either a broad-spectrum CBD oil or a CBD isolate product.

We hope this article has helped to address any concerns about CBD oil and drug tests in the UK that you may have.