Does CBD show up on a drug test in UK?

There is no drug test for CBD. It is legal in the UK, and it will not show up on the drug test. However, the situation is not that simple.

There are some things that you should know regarding the use of CBD in the UK. It would be best if you considered these facts in the other countries where CBD is legal also.

Although you can buy and consume CBD oil freely in many countries in the world, there are some concerns you should keep in mind.  The answer to the question “Does CBD show up on a the drug test in the UK?” depends on a few factors, which we will discuss now.

What is CBD, and how come it’s legal?

CBD oils or Cannabidiol is one of the cannabinoids, the compounds of Cannabis. When consumed, it affects our endocannabinoid system, which is important for processes such as mood, pain, sleep, and appetite.

People use CBD to treat various conditions, including:

• insomnia
• nausea
• anxiety
• chronic pain

Although it has potential benefits and is slowly getting recognized by conventional medical science, CBD and its features are still not sufficiently researched. CBD is usually considered pretty much safe. But, there could be some side effects such as:

• diarrhea
• fatigue
• dizzyness
• vomiting

Besides that, studies showed a possible connection between the use of CBD oil and liver damage.

You should also be careful if you are taking other medications or supplements because CBD can interact with it.

Where does CBD come from?

Cannabis plants come in different versions. The most famous one, marijuana, has a psychoactive effect due to THC.

Marijuana has high THC and low CBD levels. THC and CBD have different effects on the body, although they come from the same plant. While THC has mind-altering powers, CBD is not intoxicating.

That’s why it’s broadly legal.

Hemp, the type of cannabis plant with high levels of CBD and under 0.3% of THC, is also legal in many countries. Because of that and the abundance of CBD, hemp is usually used for creating CBD oil.

The extraction of CBD

There are various ways to extract CBD from the cannabis plant.  The best one, which gives the purest product, is CO2 extraction. Big companies mostly use this kind of extraction.

The purity of CBD oil is very important. The answer to the question: “Does CBD show up on the drug test?” depends on the real compounds of our product.

CBD oil can contain THC

How come? CBD oil can be pure, but it’s not always the case. Some researchers say that almost 70% of CBD products are mislabeled.

That means your CBD oil could have more THC than they wrote on the package. CBD cannot show on the drugs test, but THC can. You could have THC in your body even if you consumed only CBD oil. It could be inconvenient in a few ways, including being positive on THC on the drug test.

Also, some studies say that small amounts of THC from CBD oil could slowly pile up in your body. THC stays longer in our body, and it could be detectable in the urine test for up to one month.

The most used type of drug tests for Cannabis is the urine testing. That could be one of the reasons for being positive on THC after consumption of CBD products.

So, even if your CBD oil is labeled as 100% THC-free, it could be intoxicating. In that case, you could feel the psychoactive effect too.

Is CBD legal in the UK?

The law in the UK says that you can have and sell CBD legally. But, there are some requirements.

First of all, CBD needs to be extracted from hemp. Marijuana and THC are illegal in the UK. Only products derived from hemp can be on the market.

Secondly, CBD oil need to be labeled and contain almost no THC. By the law in 2019, the level of THC in CBD products cannot be more than 1 mg per product.

Also, the edible CBD products need to be submitted on a Novel Food Application. That can mean that we will have more standardized and controlled CBD products on the market in the near future.

What can you do to prevent failing the drug tests?

There are cases of people who lost their jobs because they failed the workplace drug test because their CBD products had more THC than claimed. We don’t want to scare you, but you should be aware of the possibility of being positive on THC even though CBD itself cannot show on the drug tests.

Luckily, there are ways to prevent this. If you know you will have a drug test and you are taking CBD oil, here is what you could do to be safe.

The best solution would be to stop consuming CBD products one month before the test. If you do that, THC you might have in your body will have time to go out. In this way, you could do the test peacefully, without the fear to fail a drug test.

What if you are doing CBD regularly for whatever reason, and you don’t want to stop?

In that case, you could get your product tested in the laboratory and make sure it has THC under the risky limit. It could be pricey, but your conscience would be clear.

Also, CBD levels could be lower than claimed on the package. It means you are not getting what you paid for. With third-party testing, you would find out if your CBD product is the quality one.

Anyway, the reliable source of CBD products is the key. Try to find as much information as possible on the product you are buying.

It can mean hours of research, going through customer reviews, asking around social media groups, and testing different products. But it will pay off.

Does CBD show up on a drug test in the UK? – the conclusion and final remarks

CBD products made by UK law standards are not recognizable by common drug tests. Even if it is, that wouldn’t be the problem. CBD is legal in the UK and many other countries.

But, there is a catch.

To understand if CBD shows up on the drug test in the UK, you need to dig deeper into the meaning of “CBD” in this question. If by CBD you mean a pure component of a plant, the answer is no. CBD cannot show up on the drug tests.

But, CBD products could cause you to fail a drug test. If a CBD product is labeled pure (or pure enough) but contains THC, you could have consequences.

THC is illegal and one of the drugs which are aimed to be found by the tests. The ways to make sure that your CBD product will not make you THC positive on the drug test are:

• stop taking CBD products at least one month before the drug test
• get your product’s quality and components checked by the third party
• find a reliable producer of CBD

Final Thought

The CBD market is growing rapidly. With modernization and standardization, we could have more reliable products out there in the future.

CBD features and potential benefits are still under research, but the interest in it is flourishing. But, for now, the market is still shady, and finding high-quality products is not always easy.

Still, many people use CBD, and it’s possible to find a way to avoid some negative side effects like to fail a drug test.

The most important thing is to find high-quality products from a reliable source, and you will be safe.