Will Hemp-Derived THC Show Up on a Drug Test?

Yes. Hemp-derived THC products — including Delta-9 gummies, Delta-8 products, and THCa flower — can cause you to fail a standard drug test. The fact that these products are federally legal does not matter to the test.

Drug tests don't distinguish between THC from hemp and THC from marijuana. They detect THC-COOH, the metabolite your body produces after processing any form of THC. Whether that THC came from a legal hemp gummy or an illegal marijuana product is irrelevant to the chemistry.

If you have an upcoming drug test for employment, probation, sports, the military, or any other reason, you should avoid all THC-containing products well in advance.

The most common drug screening is a urine immunoassay, typically part of a standard 5-panel or 10-panel test. Here's what happens:

Step 1 — Screening. Your urine sample is tested for THC-COOH above a threshold, usually 50 ng/mL. This is a quick, inexpensive test designed to flag samples that need further analysis.

Step 2 — Confirmation. If the screening is positive, the sample is sent for GC-MS or LC-MS/MS (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry), which precisely identifies and quantifies specific metabolites. The confirmation threshold is typically 15 ng/mL.

Other test types include saliva tests (detecting recent use within 24 to 72 hours), hair follicle tests (detecting use within the past 90 days), and blood tests (used in impairment or accident investigations).

THC-COOH is fat-soluble, meaning it's stored in fatty tissue and released gradually over time. How long it remains detectable depends on several factors:

Infrequent use (once or twice): THC metabolites are typically undetectable in urine within 3 to 5 days.

Moderate use (a few times per week): Expect detection for 7 to 14 days.

Daily use: Metabolites can be detectable for 15 to 30 days or longer.

Heavy daily use over extended periods: Some individuals test positive for 45 to 90 days after stopping, particularly those with higher body fat percentages.

These are general ranges. Individual factors like metabolism, hydration, exercise habits, and body composition create significant variation. There's no precise calculator that can tell you exactly when you'll test clean.

Delta-8 THC: Will trigger a positive drug test. Delta-8 is metabolized into THC-COOH just like Delta-9, making it indistinguishable on standard tests.

THCa: When smoked or vaped, THCa converts to Delta-9 THC through decarboxylation. This THC is then metabolized normally and will show up on a drug test. Even unheated THCa may be converted to THC during digestion or by your body's metabolic processes.

CBD isolate: Pure CBD isolate (with 0.0% THC) should not trigger a positive test. However, full-spectrum CBD products contain trace amounts of THC — typically under 0.3% — which can accumulate with daily use and potentially cause a positive result, especially with high doses.

Broad-spectrum CBD: These products have THC removed but may contain trace amounts due to imperfect extraction. The risk is lower than full-spectrum but not zero.

The internet is full of "detox" products and tricks that claim to help you pass a drug test. Here's the reality:

Drinking excessive water may dilute your urine sample, but labs test for dilution (creatinine levels and specific gravity). A diluted sample is often flagged as suspicious and may require a retest.

Detox drinks and supplements have no scientifically proven ability to remove THC metabolites from your body faster than your natural metabolism. Some may temporarily mask metabolites in urine, but modern tests are designed to catch these tactics.

Exercise can release stored THC from fat cells, potentially increasing detectability in the short term. Exercising right before a test could actually raise your THC-COOH levels temporarily.

The only reliable way to pass a drug test is to abstain from all THC products with enough lead time for your body to naturally metabolize and excrete the stored THC-COOH.

If drug testing is part of your life — whether for work, legal obligations, or athletics — here are the practical steps:

Stop all THC products immediately if you know a test is coming. The earlier you stop, the better your chances.

Don't assume "legal" means "safe for testing." Legal status has no bearing on drug test results. A legal hemp gummy and an illegal marijuana edible produce the same metabolite.

Read labels carefully. Even products marketed as "CBD only" may contain trace THC if they're full-spectrum. Look for CBD isolate products if you need to minimize risk.

Know your testing timeline. If you're a daily user, give yourself at least 30 days. For occasional use, 7 to 14 days is a reasonable minimum, though individual results vary.

Consider at-home test strips. Inexpensive THC urine test strips (available at most pharmacies for a few dollars) can give you a preliminary indication of whether you'd pass at the standard 50 ng/mL threshold.