Can Air Force use CBD oil?
CBD oil poses a risk to anyone serving in the air force, the military, or any job that requires routine drug testing. That’s because CBD oil CAN make you fail a drug test… But an important distinction is that “CBD” alone will not cause a failed test…
Why CBD Can Cause A Failed Drug Test…
The majority of CBD on the market contains THC. That is, unless it is specifically labeled as “zero THC”. The two types of oil that are THC-free are broad spectrum CBD and CBD isolate.
THC is a compound found in marijuana. Even though CBD oil comes from hemp, there are still small amounts of THC present in the plant. Hemp is a distant cousin of marijuana, which is why it has THC, and why it looks just like marijuana. The key difference is that if hemp has LESS THAN 0.3% THC, then it is NOT marijuana. Once the amount of THC is ABOVE 0.3%, the plant is too “hot”, and is considered marijuana.
THC is the substance in marijuana that gets people high. When there is less than 0.3%, you will NOT get high. Therefore, even though some CBD does contain THC, it will NOT make you high.
Drug tests look for THC. When you take a CBD oil that contains THC, you CAN test positive for marijuana. Many people do not, but the risk is still real.
When you take a zero THC CBD oil, the risk of testing positive for THC is removed. Although, due to advice from our legal team, we can NOT guarantee that you won’t fail a drug test taking Zero THC CBD. We leave this up to your discernment and logic.
CBD And The Air Force / Military
As of March, 2020, the military has prohibited the possession of CBD on military bases. This means family members, military personnel, and visitors can not bring products that contain CBD onto military bases. This includes CBD for pets, salves, and other ingestible forms of CBD.
Due to the unregulated nature of CBD, the Air Force suggests all military personnel, on or off military bases, to stay away from CBD oil. A 2017 study found that many oils labeled as “zero THC” in fact do contain THC. This is because CBD is unregulated, and it is easy for companies to “slip through the cracks”.
“It’s important for both uniformed and civilian Airmen to understand the risk these products pose to their careers,” Maj. Jason Gammons, Air Force Office of The Judge Advocate General spokesperson, said in an Air Force news release. “Products containing unregulated levels of THC can cause positive drug tests, resulting in the same disciplinary actions as if members had consumed marijuana.
The Air Force’s Legal headquarters published an article April 30 about CBD use. The publication states that the only CBD product approved for use by Airmen is Epidiolex, and airmen must possess a valid prescription prior to using this product. All other CBD products may trigger a positive THC result when airmen are drug tested, and should therefore not be used.
What About Air Force Personnel and Zero THC CBD?
If you’re a member of the Air Force and you are off the military base, can you still use CBD? It appears that the Air Force discourages members from taking CBD, due to the risks associated with testing positive for THC.
The Department of Defense has proclaimed that for now, CBD is off limits to military personnel, whether it is zero THC or not. This could change, as laws and regulations are in constant flux. In theory, if you consume a Zero THC CBD product, and you are off the military base, there would be no way that you could be “caught” consuming CBD. However, that is up to you to decide. It is a risk versus reward situation. Are the benefits of CBD worth the risk of consuming it?
We hope that laws will change soon, as CBD offers solutions to depression, PTSD, pain and other common problems military personnel face.
Family members and pets of Air Force personnel can safely consume CBD, as long as they are not on a military base.
