Although CBD may be legal in your jurisdiction and allowed at your workplace, it can cost you your job. Understanding whether CBD in the workplace is acceptable is essential to navigating the professional realm.CBD products are everywhere and in different forms--chocolates, gummies, oils, lotions, beverages, concentrates, and even smokable buds. Depending on the regulations in your jurisdiction, you can find these options in grocery stores, farmers' markets, cannabis dispensaries, convenience stores, and e-shops. Especially in areas like Albany dispensary and others, the popularity and accessibility of these products have increased manifold.As the compound and its infused products gain widespread acceptance across the US and the world at large, there are rising questions about its acceptance in work environments.
- Is CBD accepted in the US work environment?
- Can I possibly get fired at work for using CBD?
- Can it ruin my drug screening?
For employees currently using CBD or about to explore the compound for one or more of its potential benefits, this article explores:
- What the US laws say about CBD in the workplace
- A real-life example of an employee who got laid off after administering a CBD-infused OTC
- How to play it safe with your CBD doses as an employee
CBD and THC in the U.S.
While CBD in the workplace isn't always acceptable, CBD has arguably become the most accepted cannabinoid across the United States. One of CBD's biggest breakthroughs was the famous 2018 Farm Bill which decriminalized hemp-sourced CBD extract--with not more than .3% THC, a concentration too petite to get you stoned.Another big win was earlier in the same year, 2018, when a CBD-infused drug, Epidiolex, eventually got the FDA's nod as the first ever and most effective pharmaceutical prescription drug for two severe forms of epileptic seizures in kids--Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut.So, while CBD products are legal and have gained widespread acceptance, particularly in modern healthcare, THC, CBD's close relative, is still classified as a Schedule I substance. According to the Controlled Substance Act, items listed as Schedule 1 substances are considered harmful, have high addiction risk, and zero medical value.This explains why although THC and CBD are the most abundant compounds in weed, CBD is particularly favored by US federal and state laws and medicine.In fact, THC is the chief 'villain' most dope screenings target, and based on your jurisdiction and organization's drug use policy, this psychoactive compound can easily ruin your employment opportunities.Your safest bet may be CBD isolate--CBD-only extract that contains as high as 99+% CBD concentration, without THC and other extra bodies. Quality isolates are safe and widely accepted in work environments.
Why Do CBD Consumers Fail Drug Tests?
Though it is largely federally accepted, using CBD in the workplace can cause users to fail drug tests. These failed tests are mostly caused by misleading labels of phony products.For clarity, CBD comes in three major forms:
- Full-spectrum CBD
- Broad-spectrum CBD
- CBD Isolate
Full-spectrum CBD products contain all compounds in cannabis, including THC. Products labeled full-spectrum will likely get you in trouble at work. Completely avoid them if your workplace is a no-THC zone.Broad-spectrum CBD products should be safer--they may contain all other chemical elements in cannabis, except THC.CBD Isolate products are your safest bet and most recommended if you anticipate a drug test. As mentioned earlier, they contain only CBD and no other cannabis compounds.Sadly, many of these products with broad-spectrum CBD and CBD Isolate labels contain unreported amounts of THC, even when the labels claim "THC-free."Your supposed zero-THC, hemp-sourced CBD oil (as claimed by many labels) may actually contain significant levels of other hidden compounds that sneak into the product during extraction and are omitted from the ingredient list on the product label.If you fall victim to such products with misleading labels, over time, the trace amounts of THC in these solutions build up and lodge in your adipose tissue for a long time before being released into the bloodstream.How long drug tests detect these trace amounts of THC in the bloodstream after your last dose varies based on the amount of THC ingested, dosage frequency, and usage history.
Play It Safe While Using CBD in the Workplace
Trust your source--do not buy from vendors without industry reputation or track record. For those in New York, considering options like Albany dispensary could be a good start. By buying from trusted vendors, you're double sure of your product's quality and content.Request a Certificate of Analysis (CoA)--CoA is a third-party lab test result that reveals all the ingredients in a CBD product and individual concentrations. If you find any discrepancies between the COA and the claim on the product label, something may be fishy-check another product.Discuss with your doctorbefore dosing--Even with its increasing acceptability, CBD is still a drug with side effects and likely drug-drug interaction. So, more professional medical recommendations will come in handy.Inform your employers--If you'll be using CBD, ensure your hirers are well informed before you begin. This way, you'll be protected if anything comes up, as in Lehenky's case. It's always best to know the company's stance on cannabis use from day one. Also ask which compound is prohibited, if any.Whenever you can use CBD-infused topicals for your condition, prefer them over ingestible products, as external applications (even with THC) will not appear in your drug test.For instance, prefer CBD lotions over vaping CBD concentrates if you seek an efficient solution for your inflammation joint.Many employers uphold strict drug policies. While certain states have recently enacted laws preventing employers from penalizing employees who use cannabis outside of work, the case of Lehenky demonstrates that, on a federal level, employers can determine what's acceptable and what's not and take disciplinary actions against erring employees.If an employer discovers an employee uses a THC-containing product at the time of termination, based on their company policy, they are legally protected under the ADA to discipline, terminate, or decline to rehire that employee, regardless of the product's legality federally.