First, let me be clear about my intent. I am not posting this to persuade ANYONE to use or not use a product containing hemp oil. Nor am I claiming to be an authority on all things hemp. I am only sharing my opinion(s) which are based on my understanding ...which is based on my research. ***one more time...I am not telling anyone to ignore their own intuition when it comes to using hemp oil products, you must form your own opinions and act accordingly***
For years people have wondered if the use of Hemp Oil containing products would or could result in a positive drug test. For those working in industries where random drug tests are used to enforce a zero tolerance policy the possibility of testing positive for a restricted substance is reason enough to abstain from recreational drug use and the consumption or use of products that have the potential to result in positive test results ...because the risk is just too large. We have all heard stories about the employee who tested positive for opiates after eating a poppy seed muffin (opium is derived from poppy seeds) ...but can the same be said about hemp seed? Strictly speaking, the answer is no, eating hemp seeds/ hemp hearts can not result in a positive THC test result.
Why is it that eating poppy seeds has the potential to result in a positive opioid test but consuming hemp seed does not? Because Poppy seeds DO contain trace amounts of opioid compounds while Hemp seeds do not contain the THC compounds that are necessary to produce a positive test result. But, But But... no buts, hemp seed does not contain THC so eating them won't result in a positive test.
Why are people so fearful of hemp oil in skin care products then? While hemp seeds do not contain any THC the hemp plant itself does contain a small amount. The amount of THC contained in hemp plant material is less than 0.3% (the legal limit enforced by the US government), compared to the marijuana which contains anywhere from 5-30% THC. Since harvesting hemp seeds for the production of oil inevitably results in contamination from the plant material that contains trace amounts of THC, it stands to reason at least some of that contamination will remain in the oil collected from the seeds. Improved washing and refining techniques can reduce the amount of contamination but it is likely that a trace amount of THC remains in the oil collected. If it weren't for the contamination by plant material it would be possible to declare without a doubt that hemp oil has no potential to produce a positive THC metabolite test result. Because we can not say with absolute certainty the POTENTIAL does not exist many choose to interpret this as proof that is may be possible.
*note, hemp hearts are hemp seeds that have had the hull removed like a sunflower seed without its shell. Sunflower oil is produced by pressing whole sunflower seeds with hulls ...hemp oil is usually produced in the same way. so eating the seeds is not the same as consuming the oil.
Among those that took the stance that "it may be possible" is the US military. I don't know what their current stance is but as recently as 2013/2014 the military took the stance that ALL hemp oil skin products were prohibited. They seemed to acknowledge the fact that hemp oil products would not/could not result in the user getting "high" but they took the position that it might be possible to test positive for THC as a result of use therefor it was prohibited. Since 2013/2014 there have been various judgments against the US Military stating they could not ban a product simply because it contained hemp oil ...those law suits don't do anything to clarify the potential (or lack of) that hemp oil would or could result in a positive test result. ...As I said above, I have no idea where the military stands today. It seems their stance on hemp products (and a bunch of other health food supplements) changes daily depending on who is in charge and whether the groundhog saw its shadow 16 years ago.
Clear as mud?
My thought process is this.
A typical shaving soap formula might contain 1-3% hemp oil by weight of finished product. Assuming the oil was contaminated with the same percentage of THC as might be present in the plant (0.3%) the THC content in the soap might be as much as 0.003% to 0.009% THC (assuming ZERO degradation due to heat and lye exposure). At those levels the "potential" becomes quite small to me.
Now that Hemp oil has become more ubiquitous in skin care products I suspect there will be more studies done that prove whether it is possible to test positive or not. I am aware of several "studies" done that seem to prove regular use of hemp oil containing products (and the consumption of hemp seed and/or oil) does not result in positive test results but most are presented in a way that makes them appear anecdotal. On the flipside so to speak, I suspect there have been cases where someone has tested positive for THC and claims it was a false positive caused by hemp oil suntan lotion. Unlike poppy seed muffins I don't think there have been any studies proving it possible to test positive for THC after using a hemp oil skin product.
Fortunately hemp oil isn't something you can't live without so if you choose to avoid it you can do so without suffering any loss.
For years people have wondered if the use of Hemp Oil containing products would or could result in a positive drug test. For those working in industries where random drug tests are used to enforce a zero tolerance policy the possibility of testing positive for a restricted substance is reason enough to abstain from recreational drug use and the consumption or use of products that have the potential to result in positive test results ...because the risk is just too large. We have all heard stories about the employee who tested positive for opiates after eating a poppy seed muffin (opium is derived from poppy seeds) ...but can the same be said about hemp seed? Strictly speaking, the answer is no, eating hemp seeds/ hemp hearts can not result in a positive THC test result.
Why is it that eating poppy seeds has the potential to result in a positive opioid test but consuming hemp seed does not? Because Poppy seeds DO contain trace amounts of opioid compounds while Hemp seeds do not contain the THC compounds that are necessary to produce a positive test result. But, But But... no buts, hemp seed does not contain THC so eating them won't result in a positive test.
Why are people so fearful of hemp oil in skin care products then? While hemp seeds do not contain any THC the hemp plant itself does contain a small amount. The amount of THC contained in hemp plant material is less than 0.3% (the legal limit enforced by the US government), compared to the marijuana which contains anywhere from 5-30% THC. Since harvesting hemp seeds for the production of oil inevitably results in contamination from the plant material that contains trace amounts of THC, it stands to reason at least some of that contamination will remain in the oil collected from the seeds. Improved washing and refining techniques can reduce the amount of contamination but it is likely that a trace amount of THC remains in the oil collected. If it weren't for the contamination by plant material it would be possible to declare without a doubt that hemp oil has no potential to produce a positive THC metabolite test result. Because we can not say with absolute certainty the POTENTIAL does not exist many choose to interpret this as proof that is may be possible.
*note, hemp hearts are hemp seeds that have had the hull removed like a sunflower seed without its shell. Sunflower oil is produced by pressing whole sunflower seeds with hulls ...hemp oil is usually produced in the same way. so eating the seeds is not the same as consuming the oil.
Among those that took the stance that "it may be possible" is the US military. I don't know what their current stance is but as recently as 2013/2014 the military took the stance that ALL hemp oil skin products were prohibited. They seemed to acknowledge the fact that hemp oil products would not/could not result in the user getting "high" but they took the position that it might be possible to test positive for THC as a result of use therefor it was prohibited. Since 2013/2014 there have been various judgments against the US Military stating they could not ban a product simply because it contained hemp oil ...those law suits don't do anything to clarify the potential (or lack of) that hemp oil would or could result in a positive test result. ...As I said above, I have no idea where the military stands today. It seems their stance on hemp products (and a bunch of other health food supplements) changes daily depending on who is in charge and whether the groundhog saw its shadow 16 years ago.
Clear as mud?
My thought process is this.
A typical shaving soap formula might contain 1-3% hemp oil by weight of finished product. Assuming the oil was contaminated with the same percentage of THC as might be present in the plant (0.3%) the THC content in the soap might be as much as 0.003% to 0.009% THC (assuming ZERO degradation due to heat and lye exposure). At those levels the "potential" becomes quite small to me.
Now that Hemp oil has become more ubiquitous in skin care products I suspect there will be more studies done that prove whether it is possible to test positive or not. I am aware of several "studies" done that seem to prove regular use of hemp oil containing products (and the consumption of hemp seed and/or oil) does not result in positive test results but most are presented in a way that makes them appear anecdotal. On the flipside so to speak, I suspect there have been cases where someone has tested positive for THC and claims it was a false positive caused by hemp oil suntan lotion. Unlike poppy seed muffins I don't think there have been any studies proving it possible to test positive for THC after using a hemp oil skin product.
Fortunately hemp oil isn't something you can't live without so if you choose to avoid it you can do so without suffering any loss.
