The U.S. Department of Transportation is reminding school bus drivers and other commercial vehicle operators to “exercise caution” when considering using CBD oil because it could lead to a positive drug test result.
Much confusion centers on CBD oil. If derived from hemp, the product should contain no more than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that creates a high. But the THC levels could be higher than 0.3 percent, especially if sourced from marijuana, which then classifies the product as a Schedule I drug.
The Department of Transportation explained in a compliance notice released on Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not currently certify THC levels in CBD products. This means some CBD product labels are misleading about the quantity of THC concentration.
The FDA has issued several warning letters to companies because their products contained more CBD than was stated on the packaging. The FDA has also advised consumers to beware of purchasing any CBD product.
“It remains unacceptable for any safety-sensitive employee subject to the Department of Transportation’s drug testing regulations to use marijuana,” the agency said in its notice. “Since the use of CBD products could lead to a positive drug test result, Department of Transportation-regulated, safety-sensitive employees should exercise caution when considering whether to use CBD products.”
Last summer, drug and alcohol testing expert Gene’ Henderson told STN EXPO Reno attendees that continued use of CBD oil could eventually lead to a positive test because of how THC is stored in the body’s fat cells.
Related: School Bus Drivers: Use CBD Oil at Your Own Peril
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Related: 6-Year-Old Allowed to Ride School Bus With Cannabis-Based Medicine
