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Probably not, but Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium urges caution

As CBD (cannabidiol) use increases across the country, some commercial driver’s license holders are wondering if CBD is detected in drug tests. Early research indicates it is not. However, impure CBD holds a higher risk of showing up in a drug test.

Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium (WDTC), which serves as a Certified Third Party Administrator (C/TPA) to help employers and owner-operators meet federal DOT drug testing guidelines, cautions against assuming your drug test will be clean despite CBD use.

The question “Is CBD detected in drug tests?” likely comes down to whether the cannabis extract is pure. In other words, is it free from another cannabis compound called cannabinol (CBN)? These chemicals are different from yet another compound called THC, the chemical in cannabis plants that causes the marijuana high and results in failed drug tests.

How can other chemicals make CBD detected in drug tests?

Researchers have found that CBN can trigger a failed drug test, while CBD typically does not. However, CBN also is present in marijuana and is a derivative of THC. What this chemistry lesson tells us is drivers may be playing with fire when it comes to using CBD and clearing federal DOT drug testing guidelines.

CBD products that are not 100 percent pure run the risk of containing a compound such as CBN that could show up on a drug test. Licensed farmers now can grow hemp legally as long as it contains less than 0.3 percent THC.

The answer to the key question “Is CBD detected in drug tests?” may change as test manufacturers revise their products. Current tests use antibodies to detect drugs. Since tests vary between manufacturers, it is possible to see different results depending on which antibodies are used in your test.

About Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium

Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium is an accredited, Certified Third Party Administrator (C-TPA), and specializes in consortium management; a variety of drug testing methods, including urine, hair and fingernails; post-accident testing; pre-employment drug tests; criminal background checks; supervisor training programs to keep employees compliant with DOT regulations; pre-employment DOT physicals; and paternity DNA testing. Headquartered in Green Bay, WDTC also has offices in Oshkosh, Appleton, and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Call 888-784-8842 or visit www.widrugtesting.com for more information.