Will Cannabis Topicals Make You Fail a Drug test?

cannabis creams and lotions for a drug test

Users of medical products of cannabis are gradually increasing around the world as cannabis itself is being accepted in more regions of the world. More and more people continue to see the benefits that can be derived from the utilization of the cannabis plant. However, despite this increase in prominence, a large part of the world is still not convinced and a form of apathy is still being shown to users of cannabis, both recreational and medical.

With the growing use of medicinal products of cannabis origin, users are still cautious about their effects and even the possibility of them showing up in drug tests. One such medical cannabis product are cannabis-infused topicals. Products commonly used for pain relief and to deal with inflammation. Users of products such as cannabis-infused topicals tend to show fear with respect to the possibility of cannabis showing up in a drug test. Is this fear valid? Or is it a baseless myth? Read on to find out!

What are Cannabis-infused Topicals?

Cannabis-infused topicals are pharmaceutical products that are applied to bodily surfaces to provide local action for relief from pain and inflammation. They include creams, lotions, balms, and ointments which are used to provide therapeutic effects. Cannabis-infused topicals as other topicals give a fast onset of action as they are applied to the site of pain and are easily absorbed through the dermis of the skin to give therapeutic action.

Cannabis-infused topicals are made with CBD in combination with essential oils such as peppermint oil and pharmaceutical agents like liquid paraffin which are added to further increase the action of the topicals. Cannabis-infused topicals will also help to deal with cramps and muscle recovery problems after workouts.

Will Cannabis-infused topicals make you high?

Even though some cannabis-infused topicals contain low levels of THC in their makeup, they do not give a euphoric high that is characteristic of smoked and vaped cannabis. This is because cannabis-infused topicals are infused with significant amounts of CBD, a major cannabinoid in cannabis. CBD is non-psychoactive which means that unlike THC (the cannabinoid responsible for the intense and euphoric high) it does not interact with the brain to alter or affect the mental alertness and activity of the user.

Common misconceptions have risen among users of cannabis-infused topicals that they can give rise to a euphoric high which has then promoted the thought that their use can lead to a failed drug test. This is not true! You cannot get high from cannabis topicals. Coupled with the fact that the major component of these topicals is CBD and not THC, the skin plays the role of absorbing the components of cannabis-infused topicals keeping them from seeping into the capillary vessels. The components of the topicals are absorbed across the dermis of the skin and they bind to nerves and muscle tissues and are completely used up which prevents penetration into the bloodstream.

Will Cannabis-infused topicals make you fail a drug test?

It is expected that since cannabis-infused topicals cannot make you high, then they cannot account for a failure in a drug test. The use of cannabis-infused topicals cannot cause a failed test because the low THC levels in them are not allowed to reach the bloodstream hence they will not show up in drug tests of urine, blood, and hair.

The concept is the same one that applies to alcohol when it is rubbed on the skin in the case of injuries as an antimicrobial to prevent infection and cannot bring about intoxication, such is the concept with cannabis-infused topicals.

Transdermal patches on the other hand are something else entirely. Transdermal patches deliver a high dose of their constituents through the skin that will eventually seep into the bloodstream. Therefore, for cannabis-infused transdermal patches, the high dose of THC delivered into the bloodstream is bound to show up in a drug test. Therefore, for users of transdermal patches, they should be sure to know that in drug tests, the patches will lead to a positive result.

Although cannabis infused topicals won't necessarily cause a failed test it is advisable that users take all precautions when using it as wrong application may cause a positive result. When applying the topicals, they should be properly done advisably with gloves so the user doesn’t use their hands to introduce the topicals into the mouth or the eyes. Drug tests are carried out majorly on urine, blood, and hair samples with urine being the most commonly used due to ease and cost. These methods can detect the concentration of THC that has been used for a long period and if topicals are wrongly applied and introduced to the body system, it could cause a failed drug test.