Did you know that roughly 18% of the population uses cannabis at least once per year? While increasing state legalization is certainly a factor, we can also thank new products like Delta 8 THC for this statistic.
For many people, Delta 8 represents a milder, more enjoyable experience than traditional cannabis. That being said, there are still a lot of misunderstandings surrounding the substance.
For example, does Delta 8 show up on a drug test? And how long does it stay in your system? If you want to learn the answer to these questions and more, then you’re in the right place.
In this guide, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about Delta 8 and drug tests. Let’s get started!
Difference Between Delta 8 and Delta 9
Most people are familiar with Delta 9 THC. It’s the chemical compound that gets you high when you smoke cannabis. Specifically, it can create feelings of euphoria, pleasure, and well-being.
In some cases, it can also produce negative feelings like brain fog, paranoia, and sedation. However, many people are not as familiar with Delta 8 THC, which is currently taking the cannabis industry by storm.
Delta 8 is an analog compound that occurs when Delta 9 THC degrades. From a chemical structure standpoint, the two compounds are almost identical.
The only real difference is that Delta 8 has a double bond found on the eight carbon chain, while Delta 9’s is found on the ninth carbon chain (hence the name).
However, it’s important to note that this minor difference can lead to some pretty big effect changes. Delta 8 does produce some feelings of intoxication.
But, they’re much milder when compared to Delta 9 THC. Many people report that they don’t feel paranoid when taking Delta 8.
It’s also been known to produce a slightly energetic feeling. Make sure to check out our guide to find out more about what a Delta 8 high feels like.
Is Delta 8 THC Legal?
Many people are surprised to learn that Delta 8 THC is legal. After all, doesn’t the product produce intoxicating effects like Delta 9 THC? While this is true, the product does remain legal thanks to a bit of a grey area in a recent piece of legislation.
Specifically, the Hemp Farming Act of 2018. This federal law is the bill that made CBD legal throughout the country. In addition to CBD, it also made all cannabinoids from the hemp plant legal.
This includes things like CBC, CBG, CBN, and Delta 8 THC. The only caveat is that any products made with hemp plants must contain less than .03% of Delta 9 THC.
Since this law doesn’t explicitly say that Delta 8 THC is illegal as well, it remains legal to sell and consume. However, that’s not true everywhere. Many states have started or passed legislation that restricts or outlaws Delta 8 THC.
Because of this, you should make sure to research the laws in the states where you’re living. That way, you know it’s all right (at least for the time being) to use the substance.
How Do Drug Tests Work?
Before we answer the question, “Does Delta 8 show up on a drug test?”, it’s important to first understand how drug tests work. Drug tests work by picking up on residual metabolites found in our bodies from the substances we consume.
When we consume a substance, whether it’s alcohol or cannabis, it’s eventually metabolized by our liver. After this, trace amounts of the substance can be found in:
- Urine
- Blood
- Saliva
- Hair
- Sweat
- Lungs
So, even though the effects of the cannabis product you’ve taken have worn off, trace amounts of it can still be found in your body. This is how employers or law enforcement agencies can easily find Delta 9 THC in your urine.
However, there’s an important caveat. These tests aren’t picking up Delta 9 THC in your pee. Instead, they’re picking up the metabolites that your body leaves behind after the liver has metabolized them.
This substance, known as THC-COOH, will stay in your system for weeks after you’ve used a cannabis product. If you’re a heavy user, then it might even take months to fully leave your system.
The problem is that THC dissolves into fat. So, it’s much harder for the body to get rid of the metabolites. But does this apply to Delta 8 THC? We’ll discuss this in the next section.
Does Delta 8 Show Up On a Drug Test?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is a resounding yes. This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise since earlier in the article, we talked about how similar Delta 8 and Delta 9 are.
Ultimately, Delta 8 is simply a less potent version of Delta 9. They both have intoxicating effects on users, which means that our bodies similarly process the two substances.
As we mentioned in the last section, the result of both Delta 8 and 9 after metabolization is THC-COOH. Sadly, the average drug test is not sophisticated to tell the difference between Delta 8 THC and Delta 9.
Given the differing legal status between the two substances, this is certainly a problem. Sadly, if an employer is making you take a drug test, then they likely don’t care about distinguishing between the two.
And the problem doesn’t end there. The reality is that these tests can’t even tell the difference between THC and other legal cannabinoids like CBC, CBG, and CBN.
That’s why it’s common to see individuals facing frequent drug tests to only use CBD isolates. If you’re facing a drug test after taking Delta 8 and you fail it, then there might be a solution.
You can ask your employer to retake the test with a gas chromatography test.
This is the only test that’s capable of looking for the specific metabolites that Delta 9 THC produces. But again, don’t be surprised if your employer doesn’t care about the difference.
How Long Does Delta 8 Stay In Your System?
Now that we know the answer to the question, “Does Delta 8 show up on a drug test?”, we can move on to some solutions. If you’re facing a drug test after taking Delta 8, then you’re probably wondering how long the substance will be testable in your system.
The specific time depends on a variety of factors. On the lower end, the substance might only be in your system for two days. On the upper end, it can remain in your system for months at a time.
It’s more common to see the Delta 8 THC remain in your system for a few weeks. But, ultimately, the amount of time depends on factors like:
- Your age
- Your weight
- Your hydration levels
- Your metabolism level
- The drug’s half-life
- Frequency of Delta 8 use
In the next section, we’ll go over some of the ways that you can speed up the passing of Delta 8 THC from your system. That way, you can potentially pass your drug test.
How Can You Pass a Drug Test On Delta 8 THC?
There are a lot of resources pushing potentially dangerous ways to flush any type of THC from your system. Instead of potentially hurting yourself we recommend two ways to speed up the metabolism of Delta 8 THC.
The first method is to drink a lot of water. This can help increase your metabolism and flush out the metabolites from your system to help you get a clean drug test.
The second method is by working out. This can cause you to burn off fat which is where the Delta 8 metabolites reside. That being said the easiest way is to just not take Delta 8 products.
Sometimes this is a luxury people don’t have when they’re faced with a surprise drug test. But, if you know that a drug test is coming up soon, then we recommend waiting until it’s over before consuming any more Delta 8.
Interested In Delta 8 Products? Shop At SW Distro
We hope this article helped you answer the question, Does Delta 8 show up on a drug test? If you’re interested in trying or selling Delta 8, then the most important thing is to find a dependable supplier.
All too often suppliers offer products with questionable origins. That’s not the case here at SW Distro. We create all of our brands in-house and include lab results for each of them.
So, whether you’re purchasing our Delta 8 THC products for retail or just wholesale you’ll know exactly where they come from.
Have any questions? Contact us today and we’ll help you find the right product for your needs.
