“Will hemp products make me fail a drug test?” is one of the most common questions we receive here at Copoeia. Though the question seems pretty straightforward, the official answer is quite nuanced. After all, there are many reasons one might have to take a drug test, including eligibility to work or engage in athletic competitions or to help medically diagnose and prescribe things safely.
Regardless of the reason behind the drug test, the outcome is always important. Unfortunately, the answer to “Will hemp make me fail a drug test?” is not a simple “yes” or “no.” Today, we’ll discuss a few factors that increase the likelihood of a failed drug screening, outline some herbs and other medications that could also trigger a “false positive,” and provide a few hints to help you avoid the risk of hemp causing a failed drug test.
What do Drug Tests Look For
To better understand whether or not hemp will show up on a drug test, let’s first discuss what most drug tests look for.
Essentially, drug tests detect compounds called metabolites that our bodies create after ingesting certain substances. Metabolites can linger in your body for different amounts of time, depending on the substance itself and where the body stores it. For example, most hemp metabolites leave the body through urine or feces within four or five days, though some will remain in hair and fat cells for up to a month or more.
Importantly, most drug tests scan for things like amphetamines, barbituates, opiates, and cannabinoids, specifically THC and THC metabolites. Remember, most drug tests do not look for CBD, which is a non-intoxicating chemical that develops in flowering hemp plants. However, CBN, another hemp cannabinoid and a common ingredient in hemp-based sleep aids may, in fact, cause a failed drug test. The reason is that CBN is actually a degraded form of THC. As such, it’s wise to avoid products that contain CBN as well as products with THC if you want to pass a drug test.
Can Hemp Make You Fail a Drug Test?
Determining whether hemp can make you fail a drug test depends on three factors: the test itself, how much THC is in your body, and the quality of hemp products you’ve consumed before testing.
The Test
First, consider the test itself. For example, will the test be scanning urine, blood, hair, or something else? Also, what substances is the test looking for? These answers will help determine how likely it is that you pass (or fail) an upcoming drug test.
Remember, drug tests can scan for a variety of substances stored in many different parts of the body. For example, some tests scan for current intoxication (like a breathalyzer or blood test), whereas others might help determine if someone used a certain substance within the last few days, weeks, or months. THC, in particular, tends to linger for many weeks, especially if you’ve consumed a lot of it.
The Amount of THC in Your System
Next, think about how much THC you have consumed before the drug test, including how frequently you consume it and how large each dose/portion size is. Also, consider the minimum amount of THC the laboratory will allow before failing.
Though hemp, by definition, contains minuscule amounts of THC, some products (particularly full-spectrum hemp products) may have some THC in them. Remember, labels that say “Zero THC” could mean that they contain no THC whatsoever or that the products contains less than 0.3 percent, which is the permissible amount of THC in hemp products. If you need to take a drug test soon, try using broad-spectrum hemp products instead of full-spectrum products. Copoeia’s Comfort Balm Topical Cream and Serinity Soothing Gummies are an excellent solution!
Hemp Product Quality
Finally, look at the quality of products you’re consuming. Do they come from a reputable seller? Does the seller provide a Certificate of Analysis (COA) that clearly outlines which hemp compounds are in their products? Note that there is a huge variance between hemp brands and products, with some brands over- or under-representing the cannabinoid profile of their merchandise. In fact, recent reports show stark inconsistencies between hemp brands, some of which deliver much more THC than listed on the labels.
If you don’t want hemp to make you fail a drug test, then you should always research hemp products before ingesting them. Refer to the product’s COA and customer reviews to determine product quality and precise contents. Anything with the words “full-spectrum,” “Delta 8,” “Delta 9, “D9,” or “Delta 10” contain THC (either natural or synthetic), which could flag a drug screen.
Other Factors that Could Cause a False Positive on a Drug Test
Hemp is not the only thing that could cause a failed drug test. In fact, many herbs and other medications can cause “false positives” or inaccurate test results, including heartburn medications, vitamin B supplements, pain killers like ibuprofen, SSRIs, sleep aids, poppy seeds, certain antibiotics, and OTC antihistamines. Low-quality tests like at-home drug testing kits could also trigger false positives, though most companies invest in higher-quality drug testing procedures to reduce this risk.
What to Do to Minimize the Risk
The easiest thing you can do to keep hemp from making you fail a drug test is to use broad-spectrum hemp products instead of full-spectrum products. Notably, broad-spectrum products are just like full-spectrum products except that they’ve been more thoroughly processed to remove all THC. Essentially, processors remove all cannabinoids from the hemp extract, isolate the THC, then re-infuse everything else back into the product minus all traces of THC — the hemp-based chemical that could cause a failed test. You’d still get all the other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that make hemp so special without the risk. Win-win!
If you require more frequent consumption, then topical hemp products may be a better solution. Importantly, most topical hemp products only penetrate the first few layers of skin and will never make it into the bloodstream. If no THC gets into your blood, none will transfer to urine or hair follicles either. As such, our Comfort Balm and Pain Away Pain Cream are safe hemp products to use before a drug test
Finally, only use high-quality hemp products from reputable manufacturers. These sellers will stand by their products by posting easy-to-find third-party COAs and authentic reviews from verified buyers. Copoeia is proud to fit that description.
Final Thoughts About Hemp and Drug Tests
High-quality hemp products are wonderfully beneficial in many ways, but helping someone pass a drug test isn’t always one of them. To be clear, some hemp products are safe to consume before a drug screening, but others are not. In other words, it’s not the hemp itself that will show up on a drug test, but rather a few key components of hemp that may or may not be present in the products you consume.
The good news is that you don’t have to stop using hemp products just because you’re subject to drug screenings. Broad-spectrum hemp products like Copoeia’s Serentiy Soothing Gummies and Comfort Balm Topical Salve are a safe alternative to more the risky full-spectrum stuff. Buy some today and let us know what you think!