Delta-8 And Drug Tests — What Employees Should Know Before Dosing Delta-8 THC
There’s a lot of hope in the cannabis space that companies will revise their stance towards drug screenings. Not only are more states allowing recreational cannabis, but some big businesses like Amazon also announced they wouldn’t screen all of their employees for weed.
While these developments are positive for hemp and cannabis fans, there’s still no law forbidding companies from requesting routine drug screenings. Depending on your profession, you may always have to give a urine sample for cannabis. Even if the US legalized recreational weed, it probably wouldn’t abolish drug screenings.
These points lead us to the thorny topic of delta-8 THC. There’s a ton we don’t know about delta-8’s structure and absorption rate, but it seems to impact standard cannabis drug screenings. Any employees who want to use hemp-derived delta-8 in their wellness routine must understand the risks inherent in this supplement.
Will Delta-8 Turn Up On A Weed Drug Test?
Delta-8 isn’t the same as delta-9 THC, but it’s close enough for most drug tests. Unfortunately, today’s screening technology isn’t all that sophisticated. Chances are, your company isn’t using a test that will distinguish between delta-8 and delta-9. So, if delta-8 appears in your blood or urine sample, it will trigger a positive result.
We should also mention that delta-8 and delta-9 break down into hundreds of metabolites. Often, cannabis drug tests scan for these secondary compounds to tell if you’re using THC. Although we don’t know the specifics of delta-8’s chemical breakdown versus delta-9, it’s likely delta-8’s metabolites will make users fail a drug test.
How Long Should Employees Wait Before Taking Delta-8?
Here’s the hard truth: There’s no safe time to take delta-8 before a drug test. OK, there might be a “safer” time to take this cannabinoid, but no one can say when that “perfect moment” is.
Most scientists believe delta-8 has a similar absorption rate and half-life as other THC molecules like delta-9 THC. If that’s the case, this cannabinoid could remain in your body for days, weeks, or months after using it.
How long delta-8 stays in your body depends on countless factors, including your dosage, body weight, and metabolism. Obviously, the more delta-8 you take, the more likely it will stay in your system for a longer time. Also, since delta-8 is fat-soluble, it can cling to fat cells, which means people with a higher BMI may retain more delta-8.
Delta-8’s metabolites also add complexity to its average absorption rate. Even if you don’t have delta-8 in your system, you could have its associated metabolites in your urine when it’s time for a drug screening.
Heavy delta-8 users usually need at least one month for this cannabinoid to clear their system before a drug scan. If you only use small doses of delta-8 infrequently, you may “get away” with using delta-8 a few days before a test.
However, you shouldn’t use these “guestimate ranges” as advice for when to dose your delta-8 sessions. Please remember that delta-8’s absorption rate is notoriously difficult to predict, and the delta-8 in your system may be significantly different from your co-workers.
To be honest, the only way to ensure delta-8 won’t wreck your system is to refrain from using this cannabinoid long before a drug screening.
Are There Any Hemp Products That Won’t Trigger A Drug Screening?
OK, so delta-8 THC isn’t the wisest option for employees. Does that mean you can’t use any hemp products during a workday?
If you want to be super safe, you should only use CBD or CBG products with zero THC. Often, these are labeled as “broad-spectrum” or “isolate,” but please double-check the lab results to see the verified THC percentage.
Although CBD and CBG share a similar structure to THC, they aren’t as closely related to delta-9 as delta-8 is. Therefore, it’s less likely these non-psychoactive cannabinoids will make your drug test show you’re using a THC-containing drug.
If you want to be even more extreme, you could consider making skin-safe CBD topicals with one of Organic CBD Nugs’ CBD oils. Since you put CBD creams on your skin rather than in your tummy, they won’t penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Instead, hemp topicals have a localized healing effect by interacting with the skin’s cannabinoid receptors.
Although full-spectrum CBD oils or flowers aren’t as risky as using delta-8 THC, they aren’t “risk-free.” Organic CBD Nugs lab-verifies our products have ≤ 0.3 percent delta-9 THC, but there’s no way we could guarantee these traces of THC won’t be in your system when you have to submit a urine sample.
It’s unlikely ≤ 0.3 percent delta-9 will linger longer than a day or two, but everyone’s metabolism is different. Please understand that full-spectrum CBD oils and CBG oils can put you at risk of a positive drug screening.
Can Drug Dogs Smell Delta 8 Carts?
Yes, drug dogs can smell Delta 8 cartridges, especially if they are trained to detect them. Their ability to smell is up to 100,000 times better than humans. Therefore, they can be trained to detect hemp plants and the compounds in them. However, drug dogs are typically trained to detect dangerous bombs or hard drugs, not hemp-derived products, especially since dogs can’t tell the difference between medical and recreational cannabinoid substances.
Bottom Line: Delta-8 Isn’t Great On A Workday
Unless scientists figure out a way to differentiate delta-8 from delta-9 THC, it’s unlikely employees will get away with using delta-8 on their lunch break. Plus, since delta-8 can make you sleepy, it’s not the best option for boosting productivity during a workday. Delta-8 can also negatively impact motor skills, which is incredibly dangerous if you drive to the office or operate heavy machinery.
Honestly, the best time to take delta-8 flowers or vape carts is when you have plenty of time to chill at home. Delta-8 will induce a “high” sensation that many describe as “indica lite.” Indeed, you may feel slightly sedated after taking delta-8 THC for the first time. Some insomnia patients also use delta-8 to help with sleep.
A significant drawback of using delta-8 is that it will mess up standard cannabis drug tests. Even if you carefully space out your delta-8 sessions, there’s no guarantee you’ll pass. Every employee needs to understand this risk before they start dabbling with delta-8 pre-rolls.