Does Delta 8 Show Up on a Drug Test?

If you’ve had conversations with your friends about Delta 8 THC by now, you’ve heard of it at least once, and if you’re anything like the rest of us, you’ve probably come across Delta 8 while scrolling down your Facebook feed between those viral cat videos and funny TikTok challenges. The million-dollar question is: “Does Delta 8 show up on a drug test?” Let’s take a look at that so that the next time your employer throws a curveball your way, you know that it’s perfectly safe for you to lean back and enjoy your Delta-8 vibes instead.

• Delta 8 THC Shows Up on a Drug Test: Yes, Delta 8 is less potent than Delta 9, but both will be metabolized into similar compounds that the standard drug tests are programmed to detect.
  
  
•  Delta 8 Can Get You High: The high you get from Delta 8 is milder than the high you get from Delta 9 but still enjoyable and relaxing—think of it as the rollercoaster that never quite gets going, as opposed to Delta 9’s wild ride.
  
  
• The Legality of Delta 8 Is In flux. Delta 8 legality depends on the state: some allow it, some ban its sales, and some restrict it, so check the rules where you live before you buy. 

•  You Can Fail a Drug Test With Delta 8 and Full-Spectrum CBD: Though Delta 8 has a stronger kick than full-spectrum CBD, both contain THC and could cause you to fail a drug test if taken often enough.

Delta-8 THC has come up from the sidelines: the little cousin to its much more famous and popular cousin, Delta 9 THC. Delta-8 is enjoying its close-up these days by way of some, unfortunately, and conveniently grey jurisdiction, and it’s similar to Delta 9 THC, so in many ways, yes, it has most of the same effects, but delta-8 is slightly less potent in some ways. That is to say, this molecule is like delta-9’s relaxed friend. Delta-8 hangs low, maybe a little bit mellow, but still fun at the party. 

Delta 8 isn’t exactly directly derived from the Cannabis sativa plant either. No, it is chemically derived from CBD, which itself was legalized as hemp-derived after the Farm Bill passed in December 2018. This is where Delta 8 found itself in this strange legal limbo—because the Farm Bill didn’t directly address THC compounds made from something legal like CBD. Enter Delta 8, the legal loophole hero.

Now, just because Delta 8 comes from CBD, don’t get it confused with CBD’s little brother or sister. It interacts very differently with your body. Whereas CBD is kind of a chiller, bro, and wants everything to be cool and even-keeled, Delta 8 is a little more like Delta 9. Delta 8 binds mostly to your CB1 receptors (those are the ones that make you feel things) and not so much to the CB2 receptors. So, while Delta 8 is interacting with your ECS, it’s a lot more like Delta 9 than CBD.

How do they compare if they’re all so similar, especially to Delta 9? Before we get to the big reveal, like if Delta 8 shows up on a drug test, let’s consider how these two species of THC affect your body and where they deviate from each other. Trust us, with more and more states legalizing recreational marijuana and a move toward federal legalization, you’re going to want this information!

Though Delta 8 and Delta 9 might have the bodies of twins, when it comes to Delta 8 vs Delta 9, they might as well be cousins. The D8 one’s more mellow than the D9! They both can give you a similar intoxicating feeling, but the commonalities end there. How can that be? Everything comes down to one bond. Yep, a double bond, to be exact; a little bond at that, and a badass one at that, which is believed to be the reason for cannabis THC’s signature effects. Delta 8 and D9 come from two different strains of the Cannabis plant cured for the flowers or bud.

The farm bill’s legalization of cannabis strains containing less than 0.3 percent THC was the final step that enabled Delta 8 to truly pull away from Delta 9. After that, much slicker advertising campaigns and a more socialized consumer culture took over; this is where the hype began. Where Delta 9 can be extracted straight from the plant, Delta 8 was often manufactured for commerce from CBD, another cannabinoid, which left the farm bill freshly legal. Sometimes, you can get Delta-9 THC from hemp, too, but that’s another story.

The one crucial difference here—and the reason that Delta 8’s effects can be a little different from Delta 9’s is that a tiny double bond connects the two, and just because of that difference, Delta 8 and Delta 9 are affecting you differently, probably filling just enough of the same receptors in your brain and body to trip up a urine drug screen but fill that gap of a once-in-a-generation-luxury-hemp-compound with just enough of a buzz, if neither of these are your go-to intoxicants. But we’re digressing a bit. The big question here is, can your urine screen tell the difference between Delta 8 and Delta 9? Do you really need to wonder whether or not weed shows up on a drug test when you didn’t even know weed could come in eight variations on the theme? Hold on, let’s see.

So, are Delta 8 THC products legal in your state? It’s a little like trying to figure out the rules of a game for which no one has read the instruction manual. Delta 8 exists in this weird legal loophole, thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. According to the bill, it is lawful to have Delta 9 THC in cannabis strains and other goods if they contain less than 0.3 percent THC; it also mentions explicitly Delta 9 THC by name. But there was no mention of delta 8 THC specifically. Delta 8 tends to be derived from CBD, which is legal because it comes from hemp. So technically, it’s legal sort of. However, because of the 2018 Farm Bill, Delta 8 isn’t necessarily illegal at the federal level, so states don’t have much of a legal basis to criminalize its possession. However, just because it’s legal at the federal level doesn’t mean that every state is OK with it.

Because it isn’t federally regulated like CBD, one of the main reasons Delta 8 is so hit or miss when it comes to legality is that there aren’t specific parameters on what goes into Delta 8 Products that come with clean labels, and some of these products may slip Delta 9 THC into the mix. Since it’s not federally regulated, this cannabinoid slips through loopholes under state law where each state has its take on whether to allow sales of unregulated products like Delta 8. And yes, the rules can be arbitrary and lifeless.

We did some digging, sorted through the chaos, and came up with a pretty solid rundown of where Delta 8 is likely allowed, banned, or still being debated in your state. Here's what we found:

Since these states have approved Delta 8, you can obtain Delta 8 Carts, gummies, and other products without too much concern:

•  Alabama
•  Florida
•  Hawaii
•  Indiana
•  Kansas
•  Georgia
•  Kentucky
•  Louisiana
•  Maine
•  Massachusetts
•  Maryland
•  New Hampshire
•  Minnesota
•  Missouri
•  Nebraska
•  New Jersey
•  New Mexico
•  North Carolina
•  Ohio
•  Oregon
•  Oklahoma
•  Pennsylvania
•  South Carolina
•  Tennessee
•  South Dakota
•  Texas
•  Virginia
•  West Virginia
•  Wyoming
•  Wisconsin

This is where things get a little trickier. Delta 8 products are either restricted or outright banned in these states, making them difficult to obtain. If you are in one of these states, you might want to put off ordering that Delta 8 distillate.

•  Alaska
•  Arizona
•  California
•  Colorado
•  Connecticut
•  Delaware
•  Idaho
•  Iowa
•  Michigan
•  Mississippi
•  Montana
•  Nevada
•  New York
•  North Dakota
•  Rhode Island
•  Utah
•  Vermont
•  Washington

These states are similar to that of one friend who can not decide which restaurant to visit. They are still figuring out what to do with Delta 8, so the legal status may change:

•  Arkansas
•  Arizona
•  California
•  Illinois
•  Michigan
•  Mississippi
•  Oklahoma
•  Oregon

Before you start stockpiling Delta 8 Dabs or Delta 8 disposables, make sure you are safe where you live. It is best to stay up to date because the laws governing Delta 8 are subject to frequent changes. For the most recent information, if in doubt, just do an internet search or contact your local government.

Yes, Delta 8 THC can give you a buzz. But it’s not the same high that Delta 9 THC gives you. Just imagine you’re on a rollercoaster. The climbs and dips go everywhere: upside down, around circles, backward! And when you get off, you’re kind of shaky and a little freaked out, or maybe you’re just laughing because you can’t believe you’re alive. That’s Delta 9 THC. Now, pretend that you are on the kiddie coaster. You’re still having fun, but you’re holding on with your fingers and not your feet.

Still, you will feel it when you take Delta 8 softgels or hit a Delta 8 Cart, although not in the way you might think. You won’t be glued to the couch, reconsidering every decision you’ve ever made; you will just seem a little more relaxed, maybe a little giggly. Great for that Netflix and chill thing, but with none of that, am I still too high to be breathing? Panic.

Yes. The problem is Delta 8 is still THC, after all, and drug tests are not THIS great. Technically, all those Delta 8 delectables you’re crunching, from Delta 8 Gummies to Delta 8 Disposables, will eventually metabolize into the very same byproducts these tests are designed to catch.

The catch: most common drug tests look for THC metabolites. And that means Delta 8, which is federally legal, doesn’t get a pass on a drug test. The better to allow your body a bit of time to excrete THC if you have a test coming up. Imagine it as preparing for that family reunion at which you have to do your very best.

That’s where the real fun begins. If you’ve ever messed around with full-spectrum CBD, you might have noticed that it occasionally contains tiny traces that aren’t going to get you in quite the same way as Delta 8 does. 

Consider full-spectrum CBD the seltzer version to Delta 8’s craft IPA; full-spectrum CBD is for the chill-out without the buzz. Delta 8 is for the fun. They are, however, more like siblings than strangers because they both come from hemp plants.

In terms of drug testing, though, both can trip you up. Trace amounts of THC in full-spectrum CBD, like Delta 8, can be detected on a test if you have been using it frequently. So, whether you are using Delta 8 Live Resin or full-spectrum CBD, know that you are on the same page when it comes to drug tests.

So, you’ve had your Delta 8 fix, and now there’s a drug test looming. What can you do? Well, not much other than wait it out. Depending on how frequently you have used products like Delta 8 edibles or dabs, THC metabolites may remain in your body for a long time. 

Give yourself enough time to detox before any impending drug tests, just to be safe. There are no magic tricks or quick fixes here—just time and maybe a lot of water (hydration station, anyone?).

Delta 8 is the MVP of chill vibes, and this article might soon be your guide to a new schedule of MVPs for the off-season. But remember, if drug tests are on the table, you’re going to want to stay prepared. The legality of Delta 8 is in a clearer place, but drug tests are behind the curve in catching up. If you’re enjoying Delta 8 Distillate or trying Delta 8 Softgels for the first time, that’s just what happens when something’s awesome. The Hemp Collect is here with a bigger mission: to find the best Delta 8 product for your style. 

Do you have any more questions about Delta 8? Check out some of our other blog posts, or contact us to learn more. We’re always here to help you along the crazy journey of hemp products!