Will Hemp Lotion Show Up On Your Drug Test? The Honest Truth

Can hemp lotion — or other topical hemp products — show up on a drug test for cannabis? Here’s the truth: it depends.

What does it depend on? The variables include:

• Whether the product is made with CBD oil or hemp seed oil. The term “hemp,” by itself, is often used to describe both.
• How much of the product you use, and how often.
• If the product is made with CBD (and not produced from hemp seeds), whether the CBD is full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate.

Here’s the good news, though. Hemp lotion, or any other topical CBD or hemp product, is extremely unlikely to trigger a positive drug test. Read on, and we’ll explain why.

(One note before we begin: we’ll be using the term “hemp lotion” generically to describe all CBD topical products including CBD oil, CBD cream, CBD salves, and CBD balms. The facts we’ll be discussing apply to all of them.)

CBD and Hemp

Hemp lotion contains one of two forms of hemp oil. And both of them, CBD oil and hemp seed oil, come from the same source: the hemp plant. Hemp is a member of the cannabis sativa family; it’s related to the cannabis plant, and each contains more than 100 different plant compounds called cannabinoids, but the two plants are not the same.

Cannabis plants generally have high levels of psychoactive THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and low levels of non-intoxicating CBD (cannabidiol). The cannabinoid profiles are almost reversed in hemp plants, which contain very little THC and high amounts of cannabidiol.

THC primarily interacts with CB1 receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Those receptors are mostly found in the brain and nervous system, and they control many crucial bodily functions including cognition and memory, sleep, appetite, and motion.

CBD, by contrast, primarily interacts with the ECS’s CB2 receptors, which are mostly located in other parts of the body and are responsible for controlling functions like immunity and responses to inflammation.

That’s the major reason why cannabis can get you high, but CBD sourced from hemp cannot. THC is the cannabinoid that triggers marijuana’s well-known effects like euphoria, drowsiness, and sensory changes, and there’s simply not enough THC in hemp products to produce similar effects.

The cannabidiol in CBD products sold in the UK and other Western nations is extracted from hemp for just that reason. It can provide its apparent health and wellness benefits without making users intoxicated — and that’s ensured by British law, which limits the THC content in CBD products to 0.2% (it’s 0.3% in the US and most European countries).

If you’re using CBD lotion, even that small amount of THC is unlikely to reach your bloodstream and the rest of the body.

When topical CBD products are applied to the skin, the cannabidiol and other cannabinoids can penetrate the muscles and joints to interact with the ECS receptors located there, but the skin’s layers below the epidermis almost always stop them from penetrating any further.

Only the heavy use of CBD lotion or other topicals (in terms of dose size or frequency of use) may eventually allow some of the product’s active ingredients to reach the bloodstream. That’s the only time the THC can be detected by a blood test.

However, as we’ve mentioned from the start, some “hemp lotion” sold online or at local shops may not be CBD lotion.

Hemp, Hemp Seed, CBD — What’s The Difference?

“Hemp seed” products, as you’d expect, contain oil sourced from the hemp plant, but they don’t contain CBD oil or other forms of cannabidiol. As its name suggests, hemp seed oil is created by extracting oil from just the seeds of the plant, not the rest of the plant.

That’s noteworthy because hemp seeds don’t contain detectable amounts of THC, CBD, or any other cannabinoids. Those compounds are only found in the hemp flowers, leaves, and stalks from which CBD oil is extracted.

In short, CBD lotion contains cannabidiol, and most types of CBD lotion contain a small amount of THC. Hemp seed oil does not contain cannabinoids either unless it’s been “contaminated” with other parts of the hemp plant during extraction and processing at a manufacturing facility.

But what about hemp lotion?

Truthfully, there’s no universally accepted definition for the term “hemp” when it comes to these products, and the word is often used to refer to both hemp seed lotion and CBD lotion. The term is sometimes used by consumers and vendors who don’t know the difference, but just as often, it’s used by producers who want to sow confusion.

Here’s why. It’s much more expensive to extract cannabidiol from hemp than it is to release oil from its seeds, so CBD products are generally priced much higher than hemp seed products. Some disreputable producers choose to use the confusing term “hemp lotion” instead of “hemp seed lotion” so they can charge higher prices for a cheaper product.

Other producers deliberately call CBD lotion “hemp lotion,” because there are many more restrictions on the way they can advertise CBD products. Calling it hemp lotion lets them dodge those advertising laws.

When purchasing “hemp lotion” or any other products identified only as “hemp,” check the ingredient label. CBD lotion will list cannabidiol or a form of hemp extract as the active ingredient; hemp seed oil should list cannabis sativa seed oil as the active ingredient.

Why Use “Hemp Lotion?”

Both hemp seed oil and CBD oil are believed to provide numerous health benefits, which is why both are used to produce lotion and other topical products. Since the products are unlikely to reach the bloodstream and the rest of the body, here’s a brief look at the benefits that topical users may receive from their use.

Hemp Seed Lotion

There have been very few rigorous studies of the effects hemp seed topical products can provide, but these are some of their apparent benefits.

• May ease symptoms of dermatitis and other skin conditions like acne and psoriasis, thanks to the bountiful amounts of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids found in hemp seed oil.
• May reduce the pain of skin inflammation and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
• Attracts moisture because of its humectant properties, moisturizing and soothing skin.
• May help repair the skin barrier to lock in moisture, again thanks to its fatty acid content.

CBD Lotion

There have been a number of research studies done to look at the potential benefits of cannabidiol, some of them focusing on the topical effects it may have.

• Studies have found that CBD may help prevent the body from releasing too much sebum, the oily substance that protects the skin but can cause acne and other issues when too much is produced.
• Research has shown that cannabidiol’s anti-inflammatory properties may reduce the skin dryness and itching which can lead to psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
• CBD has antibacterial and antifungal properties, meaning it may be beneficial as a treatment for skin infections.
• A study has indicated that CBD works as an antioxidant and appears to fight the effects of oxidative stress in the body, which may help prevent signs of aging like wrinkled skin.

That’s the background. What does it tell us about hemp lotion and drug tests?

Hemp Seed Lotion, CBD Lotion, and Drug Testing

Cannabis tests search for THC and a THC metabolite known as THC-COOH. Urine tests are most commonly administered, although blood, saliva, and hair can also be screened. When a urine test shows a positive result, the sample is generally sent to a lab for more rigorous testing.

However, the chances are slim that anyone will test positive for marijuana after using any sort of hemp lotion.

As we’ve mentioned, hemp seed lotion contains no THC, and in any event, it’s extremely rare for topical products to penetrate the skin and reach the bloodstream and body. Only very high doses of CBD lotion, or daily use for a long period, might occasionally lead to cannabinoids being detected inside the body.

Now, let’s speak more generally about CBD products used internally.

To reinforce the points we’ve made, products labelled “hemp” are produced with either CBD oil or hemp seed oil. It’s crucial to understand which one you’re using, to know whether it might show up on a drug test.

For starters, hemp seed products should never contain any traces of THC or its metabolites, since hemp seeds contain no cannabinoids. Unless the product has been adulterated or contaminated during production, or it’s been mislabelled, using any hemp seed oil or other product will not trigger a positive test.

That brings us to CBD products.

The small amount of THC in extracted cannabidiol is not enough to get users high, and it’s usually not enough to cause them to test positive for cannabis use. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Experts say there’s approximately a 10% chance that the THC in cannabidiol will show up on a cannabis test, usually only if someone consumes large amounts or is a daily user.

There are ways to reduce that possibility or even eliminate it.

Three types of CBD products are sold at retail, and only one of them contains the full amount of THC found in hemp or allowed by law. Every product should identify the type of cannabidiol it contains on its label.

1. Full-spectrum CBD: This is the “real deal.” It contains all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant compounds extracted from hemp, and that includes the 0.2% THC content allowable in Britain (0.3% in most other nations). All of the compounds work together in an “entourage effect” to maximize the CBD’s effectiveness.
2. Broad-spectrum CBD: This is full-spectrum CBD with the THC content removed through further extraction. It may still contain slight traces of THC, though, and it will be a little less effective than full-spectrum cannabidiol because of a less robust entourage effect.
3. CBD Isolate: Cannabidiol that has had all other plant compounds removed is known as isolate. It is pure CBD, so there will be no entourage effect. But there will also be no trace of THC that could theoretically trigger a positive drug test.

In Conclusion

There’s a slight possibility that the use of “hemp lotion” or other topical “hemp products” could show up on a drug test. However, a product labelled “hemp lotion” is in reality either hemp seed lotion or CBD lotion.

Properly-produced hemp seed lotion should not contain any THC whatsoever, and there’s almost no chance that the ingredients in hemp seed lotion will even penetrate the skin to reach the body and trigger a positive drug test. In short, hemp seed lotion should never be a problem.

Full-spectrum CBD lotion contains a small amount of THC, which might occasionally make it into the body and be detected. Broad-spectrum CBD lotion contains at most a trace of THC, and it’s extremely unlikely that it will be detectable even if it passes through the skin. And if you use lotion produced with CBD isolate, you’re safe.

We’re sorry it’s so complicated — but that’s the complete story.

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