Does CBD Oil Have THC?

If you walk into a dispensary in a legal state, you’ll find all kinds of hybrid products—products created very intentionally with a mix of both CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This is because there is evidence these two compounds can work effectively together to treat a variety of conditions, and because there are plenty of users who prefer the combination and swear the two cannabinoids actually work best in conjunction.

But not every CBD user wants to experience the psychoactive components of THC. And plenty more can’t risk THC exposure for other reasons, to include THC sensitivity and random drug tests.

One might think there is a simple solution to this conundrum: Simply purchase products that don’t tout the inclusion of THC. Unfortunately, depending on what type of CBD product you purchase, trace amounts of THC may still exist. In fact, a 2017 study found that out of 84 CBD products analyzed, THC was detected in 18 of them.

The inclusion of THC in some CBD products is mostly due to the chemical makeup of the cannabis plant and how different CBD products are made. But it is something consumers should be aware of—especially those who have asked, “Does CBD oil have THC?”

The good news is there are CBD products that are very specifically created without the inclusion of THC.

When taken on its own, CBD doesn’t cause any high at all. In fact, the safety profile for CBD is relatively strong, as it has very few negative side effects to report.

Now, what about those CBD products that contain trace amounts of THC? In most cases, those products will not get you high, either. The THC amounts are so small, and CBD has actually been shown to reduce the psychoactive effects of THC when taken in unison anyway.

So no, CBD oil on its own will not get you high.

CBD products typically fall into one of three categories: Full spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolate.

The key differences between these categories are pretty simple to understand, and that knowledge is what can help you avoid unintentional THC exposure.

Full-spectrum products are known to contain other cannabinoid compounds, to include low levels of THC. The goal of full spectrum products is to utilize the full benefits of the cannabis plant, otherwise known as the “entourage effect,” when those cannabinoids work together. THC is limited to less than 0.3 percent in these products, per FDA guidelines. So full-spectrum CBD products will not get you high, but they can sometimes contain enough THC to show up on a drug test—making the answer to “Does full-spectrum CBD have THC?” a resounding yes.

Broad-spectrum products also contain other cannabinoid compounds, though typically not THC. These products aim to benefit from the entourage effect of other cannabinoids working together without the inclusion of the one cannabinoid that might cause users to fail a drug test.

Of course, if you want to be safest, CBD isolate products are the way to go. These products contain only CBD, with no other cannabinoids included. This allows users to experiment with the benefits of CBD alone, and to avoid the risk of exposure to trace amounts of THC.

For CBD users who don’t have a THC sensitivity and aren’t afraid of failing a drug test, full-spectrum and broad-spectrum products may be worth experimenting with. The entourage effect of cannabinoids is still being studied, but the research we have so far suggests that the combination of cannabinoids working together can enhance the therapeutic impacts of individual cannabinoids.

The entourage effect is a result of how the different cannabinoids interact with one another. In the same way, CBD can help limit the psychoactive effects of THC, the entourage effect seems to produce better results for treating mood disorders, pain, and more.

This doesn’t mean CBD alone can’t provide benefits—plenty of research shows it can. But it is a reason to consider trying full-spectrum and broad-spectrum products if a little exposure to THC isn’t a deal-breaker for you.

So does CBD oil have THC? Well, it depends on what type of CBD product you’re purchasing—and whether or not you’re open to giving that entourage effect a try.

While CBD oil must contain less than 0.3% THC by law, which isn’t enough to get you high, it may be enough to show up on a drug test. For this reason, if you receive regular drug testing, we always recommend a broad spectrum or isolate CBD product.