Can an Employer Fire You For Using CBD Oil?

Nothing kills company culture and employee morale like layoffs. However, some companies may have rigorous policies regarding drug use and employ drug tests of their current employees or potential new hires to detect the use of illicit substances. In some cases, a positive drug test result for the presence of some substances can lead to measures as severe as sudden dismissal.

Because CBD comes from cannabis, and drug tests usually screen for cannabis, it's common for some people to have concerns about whether using CBD oil could get them fired by their employers. If you are a CBD user, about to take a drug test, and want to know if CBD could pose a risk to your employment, you are in the right place! In this post, you will find all the answers you need regarding CBD and drug tests, including some tips that you can apply to further reduce the risks of testing positive.

Key Takeaways

• …employers do not usually target CBD when they apply drug testing since this cannabinoid is non-intoxicating and unregulated.
• …if you are using CBD isolate and you are about to take a drug test, you have nothing to worry about.
• CBD products that could make you fail an employee drug test are those that contain CBD extracts that also contain small amounts of THC or one of its isomers…
• Drug tests for potential new employees seek to detect the presence of THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis and responsible for causing its psychotropic effects or the controversial high that many employers want to avoid in their future employees.
• …the type of CBD oil you use makes the biggest difference in terms of employee drug test results.

CBD And Employer Drug Testing.

In most companies, food establishments, services, and stores of all kinds around the country, many employers require pre-employment drug tests as a mandatory condition for applicants for job offers. These tests generally seek to detect the presence of cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, phencyclidine, and THC in their potential new employees before closing a contract with them.

Although drug tests usually seek to detect the substances already mentioned, sometimes employers may request specific tests for additional substances. Nevertheless, employers do not usually target CBD when they apply drug testing since this cannabinoid is non-intoxicating and unregulated. In fact, CBD and its byproducts have been federally legal since the 2018 Farm Bill went into effect.

Therefore, if you are using CBD isolate and are about to take a drug test, you have nothing to worry about. Nevertheless, some products marked as CBD products might cause you to fail a drug test, but not because of the CBD itself. Although drug tests do not intend to detect CBD, some CBD products may contain higher amounts of other cannabinoids due to the lack of regulation of the cannabis industry and the nature of some cannabis products.

Does CBD Oil Show Up On Employers Drug Tests?

Short answer, no. Pure or isolated CBD oil will not show up on a drug test for employment. But we emphasize the words “pure” or “isolated” because some CBD products could appear on drug tests due to the presence of other substances in them. 

Some people may have doubts or concerns about if smoking CBD pre-rolls could make them fail pre-employment drug tests for jobs. But, the truth is that legal hemp pre-rolls are the ones that should cause users the least concern.

CBD products that could actually make you fail an employee drug test are those that contain CBD extracts that also contain small amounts of THC or one of its isomers, as drug tests seek to detect the remaining metabolites of these compounds in the body to determine if a person is a user of cannabis or any other cannabis product of a psychoactive nature.

Many jobs require a certain level of concentration that need their employees to be completely sober. For this reason, many companies have strict policies regarding psychoactive, intoxicating, consciousness-altering, or cognition-altering substances.

Can You Be Fired For Using CBD Oil?

The short answer to this question would be a simple no. But the truth is that reality can be somewhat more complex. Employers are not looking for cannabidiol in their potential new employees since there is no legal problem regarding the use of CBD, and this compound does not intoxicate or alter the mind of people. Drug tests for potential new employees seek to detect the presence of THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis and responsible for causing its psychotropic effects or the controversial high that many employers want to avoid in their future employees.

Overall, many CBD products like our Blue Raspberry or Green Apple CBD gummies do not contain any THC, but there are many other CBD products as the primary cannabinoid that may also carry small amounts of THC to cause the famous entourage effect that enhances the therapeutic qualities of CBD.

Therefore, using some CBD products could cause a positive result in a drug test or even give you some type of high or psychoactive effects that, if very noticeable, could be potential grounds for dismissal or a petition for new drug tests by your employers.

Does The Type Of CBD Oil Make A Difference?

Definitely, yes. The type of CBD oil you use makes the biggest difference in terms of employee drug test results. As we've already mentioned, some CBD products and oils may contain other compounds from the cannabis plant, including THC, the compound that employee drug tests seek to detect. In this sense, the most important thing is to know the types of CBD oil that exist and understand their key differences to avoid failing any drug test when your potential new employers require it.

Today´s market is flooded with brands, products, and CBD oils from almost every variety of hemp you can imagine. But in general, there are three main types of CBD oil that usually any kind of product labeled as a CBD product contains.

Full Spectrum CBD Oil.

Full-spectrum CBD oil is one of the richest and most potent oils in terms of therapeutic properties because it contains the largest amount of active natural compounds from the cannabis plant. Ironically, this high quality makes it potentially risky to fail drug tests since, in addition to CBD, full-spectrum oil also contains all the other compounds in the cannabis plant, including terpenes, flavonoids, and other cannabinoids like THC.

The fact that full-spectrum CBD oil contains all the active compounds of cannabis generates a synergistic interaction between the effects of each of these compounds that enhances the qualities of each one compared to the effects of each of these compounds by separate. This synergistic interaction is widely known in the cannabis world as the “entourage effect.” A perfect example of a product that carries this type of synergistic effect is our live resin CBD tincture, which contains all the terpenes from the live plant in our Sour Space Candy, along with a powerful 50mg of CBD and 2mg of THC added with to enhance the medicinal effects of CBD and the terpene content of this wonderful tincture.

Despite this impressive synergistic effect, the presence of THC in this oil can cause failure in drug tests since, even though it is in small amounts, the liver will still metabolize THC, and its metabolites will remain in the urine and fatty tissues of the body for a while.

Broad Spectrum CBD Oil.

From here, we are moving away from the danger zone to fail drug tests for employees. Broad-spectrum CBD oils also contain several active compounds from cannabis plants, including terpenes such as limonene, pinene, myrcene, or linalool, depending on the strain. In addition to containing terpenes and cannabidiol, broad-spectrum CBD oil can also contain other cannabinoids, such as cannabichromene. This type of CBD oil generally does not contain THC. However, some oils labeled as broad-spectrum CBD oils can contain trace amounts of THC, so they could still cause you to fail employment drug tests in some cases.

Isolate CBD Oil.

This is the safest way to consume CBD without any risk of failing an employment drug test. CBD isolate is just what the name suggests, pure CBD isolated from the rest of the compounds in the cannabis plant, making it the purest form of CBD on the market. Isolate CBD oil usually comes from hemp plants, which contain too low amounts of THC to be detectable. In addition, this type of oil goes through a process to eliminate any THC traces in it. Some CBD isolate oils are even made from pure CBD crystal powder mixed with a carrier oil that can be cannabis seed oil, coconut oil, or other types of oil.

How Long Is CBD Detectable?

The short answer to this question would be that CBD remains in the body and is detectable from a few hours to a month after use. But the truth is that the most precise and accurate answer can be somewhat more complex since various factors can vary the time that CBD lasts in our body.

Among the most relevant factors, we find the amount and frequency with which you use CBD, the method of use, and other physical aspects of each particular individual.

As with other substances, the larger the dose of CBD, the longer it will take your body to eliminate it, so it will remain longer and be detectable for more time.

On the other hand, the frequency of use also influences how long CBD remains in the body because it builds up over time when you use it frequently. Especially in the case of chronic oral consumption, CBD is detectable for at least 10 to 25 days. In contrast, when the use is sporadic, the system cleans itself much faster.

In the case of smokable CBD, it can stay in the body for about a week. If you have questions about whether smoking hemp can make you fail a drug test, the simple answer is no. But, of course, it all depends on the type of hemp product you choose to smoke. As for smokable CBD products, the same principle also applies to oils; full-spectrum or broad-spectrum products could make you fail drug tests, while CBD isolate products or federally legal hemp with less than 0.3 % THC content shouldn't be a problem.

As we mentioned, particular aspects of each individual can influence the time CBD remains in the body, such as metabolism, body mass index, height, and age, since metabolism decreases with aging. Additionally, what each person eats, and drinks can also influence how long CBD stays in our bodies. For example, after eating, it takes longer for CBD to reach its peak concentration in the blood, but when it does, it is generally higher compared to when you take it on an empty stomach. The body also takes longer to eliminate CBD when you take it on a full stomach than when you take it while fasting.

How To Flush CBD Out Of Your System.

Although CBD is entirely legal and pre-employment drug testing does not seek to detect the presence of Cannabidiol, some CBD products, especially full-spectrum ones, could cause false positive drug tests. If you know you have a drug test for that potential new job, have taken CBD products recently, and aren't sure if they contained any traces of THC, there are a few things you can do to flush out of your body any traces of cannabinoids faster.

Basically, the way you can speed up CBD flushing out of your system faster is to cause a faster detox of your system. This is easily achievable using the body's natural excretion pathways, by which the body gets rid of toxins naturally. You can achieve this detox by doing the following:

• Drink lots of water and fluids.
• You can take medicines or diuretic foods.
• Exercise constantly.
• Eat more fiber.
• You can take detox pills.
• Wait a reasonable time, according to your level of consumption, before taking a drug test.

Drinking a lot of water and liquids is one of the first hacks you can apply. Increasing the intake of water and fluids helps the liver and the body, in general, to eliminate detectable traces of THC from the body. You can complement this hack and help the body get rid of cannabinoids faster by taking diuretics and exercising, which will increase metabolism and help you eliminate traces of CBD and THC through sweat. Eating fiber-rich foods such as grains, seeds, vegetables, and fresh fruits can also help speed up metabolism and digestive activity. It is also advisable to wait as long as possible without taking CBD products to minimize the risks of having a false positive on your drug test. But, if you have to take a drug test that was not in your plans, you can also take a detox pill, which can help you complement the already mentioned hacks.

Is CBD Legal On A Federal Level?

Yes, CBD has been legal since the 2018 Farm Bill signed by President Trump entered into force. This Farm Bill redefines the term “marijuana” and lists as legal all cannabis plants that contain up to 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight. Likewise, it also allows all parts of these plants, cannabinoids, extracts, and derivatives, including CBD, as long as they respect the Delta-9 THC content established by federal laws.

Final Thoughts — Can An Employer Fire You For Using CBD Oil?

The final answer to whether an employer could fire you for using CBD oil is quite relative, as several factors go into it. CBD has been creating a buzz around the world in recent years. Both science and cannabis users continue to find potential therapeutic applications for this novel compound from cannabis. Currently, there are so many people venturing to experiment with cannabis as a complementary treatment for various conditions that everything related to this cannabinoid has become relevant.

But, because CBD is a new cannabinoid to many enthusiastic users and regulations on this compound are so fluctuating across the country, there are still many questions regarding the legality of CBD.

The legality of CBD oil varies significantly from country to country and state to state. Within the US, the legality of CBD oil depends on whether it comes from hemp or cannabis. On the one hand, CBD oil derived from hemp is permitted under federal law. On the other hand, CBD oil derived from cannabis or containing amounts of Delta-9 THC that exceed the limit of 0.3% by dry weight is federally illegal.

In jobs where employers have pre-employment drug testing policies that include screening for cannabis or its derivatives, using full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oil could result in positive drug test results. Depending on the policies of each company and the laws of the locality where you live, using CBD oil that contains traces of THC could lead to disciplinary action by employers or even dismissal. In this sense, it is vital to be aware of your employer's policies regarding drug testing and the use of CBD oils and take the necessary preventive measures to avoid any penalties or unexpected dismissals.