If you use CBD products to unwind after a long day or to help any aches and pains you may have, you aren’t the only one. They are a great natural way to take the edge off, but does a mouth swab drug test pick it up? You may wonder this if you have a job that does drug testing, or if you are legally required to do regular drug tests.
So, read on to learn what a mouth swab test is and if it will pick up on your CBD.
What Is A Mouth Swab Drug Test?
A mouth swab drug test, also known as a saliva drug test or oral drug test, is used by many organizations now instead of doing urine or blood drug tests. This is because mouth swabs are much easier to collect, have the results faster, and are a lot cheaper than other testing options.
The most common types of drug tests include urine testing, blood testing, and saliva testing. As mentioned above, mouth swabs are easier to collect, so companies are more prone to use them rather than urine and blood tests. Another reason that companies are veering away from other drug testing methods is because of people being able to cheat them, and the cost of them.
Urine testing can be very easy for someone to fake, even when watched, if they are hiding something. However, blood tests can be hard to fake, but the results can take a long time to get, and they are pricey. Mouth swabs take care of both problems by being much harder to tamper with, and by being a cheaper option that shows results faster.
How Is A Mouth Swab Done?
Mouth swab drug tests are done in two basic steps and don’t need a lot of preparation either. Most likely, you cannot eat or drink for 10-15 minutes before the test, but that’s easy enough to accomplish.
There will be a collection stick that looks like a long Q-Tip with an absorbent pad/sponge on only one end, which will swab the inside of your cheek. This sample is then placed into a sanitary tube with your name and information on it so they can analyze it for any traces of drug substances. This will happen either on-site or in a lab.
The Results
The wait time for results all depends if your company or government body is testing the samples on-site or in a lab. If they are being sent to a lab, results will usually take up to 24 hours to come back; however, it can take longer if the lab is busy. If the sample is being tested on-site, then the results will be ready in just a couple of minutes.
The most common times you will see an on-site drug test would be for roadside tests if a police officer pulls you over for suspicion of driving under the influence of a drug or alcohol.
How Much Can They Detect?
It would surprise you by how much a swab test can detect. The test is also affected by how long a person has been using a substance, and how frequently. This means that the test can detect substances even if you haven’t ingested them in the past 24 hours or so.
Mouth swabs can detect substances that have been ingested in the past 5 to 48 hours. As well, mouth swabs can detect substances within 30 minutes which is much faster than other drug tests, making it effective to be used after an accident or other suspicious event.
Do Drug Tests Pick Up CBD?
Now, the real question – can a mouth swab drug test pick up on CBD? The answer is no, but sometimes yes. Confused? Let us explain.
CBD, also called Cannabidiol, comes from Cannabis Sativa, which is the same plant that gives us marijuana; more specifically THC. THC is the compound found in weed that gives you the psychoactive high, whereas CBD is used to give you a calm feeling. Most weed will have a combination of these compounds – some with more THC than CBD, or the opposite.
Lately, however, we have seen an influx of products that use CBD alone. This is because, unlike THC that binds to receptors in the brain that can alter your judgment and sensations, CBD binds to different receptors that can control anxiety, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain.
This is where it gets tricky, though. A lot of CBD products will still have tiny trace amounts of THC present because they come from the same plant. Although the government is okay with these trace amounts and still considers CBD products legal, drug tests can pick up on the THC. Due to CBD being legal, there is no real drug test for CBD.
So, you wouldn’t fail the drug test because of your use of CBD, but because of the residual THC in the product. Your company, or government body, will not be testing you for CBD as it is legal, but THC is most likely on that list. As mentioned earlier in this article, if you consume a substance regularly it can show up on your test even if you have consumed it in the past however many hours; this is the same for CBD.
If you are a daily user of CBD, you may think you have nothing to worry about on a drug test since it is not illegal, however, you will have a buildup of THC in your system which can be flagged by a swab test. It is good to know, though, that on drug tests there is a level which a drug has to hit before they flag it with your employer or whoever is needing the results of your drug test.
This means that most likely you will pass a drug test because it would take a lot of consumption to show enough THC in your system to hit that level on the drug test. Since there is no CBD drug test, you are free to go on living with your favorite CBD products.
Mouth Swab Drug Test
Now that you know all about the mouth swab drug test, and if it will pick up your CBD, we hope you are ready to have some more chill moments with CBD since you’re in the clear for drug tests!
Life can be tough, especially in the past year, and CBD is one of the best ways to mellow out. Check out our shop to find the perfect CBD product for your desired result; we know we have something for everyone.