Arizonans Report CBD Causing Positive Drug Tests for THC

Poison centers in Arizona are noticing a spike in calls lately from people wondering why they’re testing positive for the marijuana (THC) when they’ve only been taking products with cannabidiol (CBD).

Dr. Bryan Kuhn, clinical toxicologist at Banner’s Poison and Drug Information Center, said: “It certainly could be that the excessive consumption of these CBD products, derived from industrial hemp, do lead to accumulation and a subsequent drug test result. Or perhaps, as likely a scenario is consumers purchasing a product that they don’t know contains THC.”

People in Arizona and across the country have claimed they failed a drug test when they’ve only used CBD, Banner Health cautioned.

CBD is a derivative of cannabis that isn’t supposed to contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that produces a high. However, Banner said some CBD products may contain small amounts of THC, leading to positive drug tests. Banner did not specify how many failed tests have been reported.

People use CBD to treat a variety of issues, including chronic pain, anxiety, inflammation and insomnia, although the only CBD product the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved is a prescription drug used to treat rare, severe forms of epilepsy.