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Cannabis testing in the U.S. and why it matters for your business

As a business owner, you have a drug-free workplace policy. Your employees know it, and the vast majority of them are working to comply with your regulations. However, in the past year, the acceptance of cannabinoid products has made it more difficult for your employees to know when they are crossing the line into unacceptable drug use. No one is expecting a reversal in the trend, so, as an employer, it’s important to understand how cannabinoid products are tested, how they’re marketed and how likely a seemingly innocuous product is to show up on a drug test. Then, you can make an informed decision on how to work with your team.

CBD products are everywhere

Gummy bears spiked with CBD oil are on the shelf at your local gas station, your masseuse is likely using CBD oil, and you pass several CBD shops on your way to work. Many of these products advertise as THC free, but are they?

According to recent news, no one really knows.

How are cannabis products tested in the U.S.?

“Most cannabis products sold legally in the US are required to be tested and labelled for THC, the chemical responsible for most of cannabis’s psychoactive effects. A US study found that as few as 20% of recreational cannabis products are accurately labelled with only 17% of products reviewed accurately labelled for THC content (i.e., within 10% of the labeled value). It also found 23% were under labelled, and 60% were over labelled.”

What does this mean for a CBD user who intends to remain “drug free”? It means that their products are likely mislabeled as well, with inaccurate levels of CBD listed and likely THC content.

How are cannabis products marketed in Texas?

More and more private individuals selling CBD product here in Texas are now running their products to a private lab to ensure no THC content before they resell, protecting their customers from that next drug test. As long as CBD oil is not considered a drug, it will not be tested with the same rigor as other drugs. It’s basically being marketed and sold as an essential oil, albeit a dangerous one. Too much lavender will not get you high or fired from your job.

How likely are CBD gummy bears to create a positive on a drug test?

CBD edibles are being banned across the U.S. because no one knows about its safety and efficacy. And, as previously mentioned, the tests to ensure a product has CBD only are not yet fully accurate. According to Delish, “At the start of the year, Maine and Ohio also took a stand against culinary creations with CBD. [New York City banned it more recently.] Even though some believe the substance helps to relieve everything from anxiety to insomnia, the FDA hasn’t definitively weighed in on its safety or proved any measurable health benefits.”

Until we know more about CBD and its effects, and the CBD testing process improves at the manufacturing level, it’s a product to be taken with caution. While the chance for showing a positive on a drug test is always there, you’re also choosing a substance that’s often laced with pesticide, of variable potency, and has not yet been proven for efficacy in every form.

CBD and THC products, no matter where you get them, are still, at this point, caveat emptor.

Want to know more about drug testing and cannabis products in your workplace?

Marijuana Legalization: How does it affect your workplace

Workplace Marijuana Testing in the Post-Legalization Era: What Employers Need to Know

Types of Drug Testing & Alcohol Testing

Workforce Drug Use Hits 10-Year High

 

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