Cannabidiol (CBD) Oil: Will I Have Problems with My BON?

Published Aug 28, 2018

7 Articles; 119 Posts

Specializes in Medical Legal Consultant.

I have been thinking about getting a medical marijuana prescription for my chronic pain. But, recently, I've been reading about CBD and know that in some states, CBD oil is legal. Would I be able to use it as a Nurse in my state (if it's legal)? Do I have to worry about my Board of Nursing (BON), or worse ... failing a drug test?

Thanks for your question.

Marijuana is legal in 9 states for recreational purposes and in 30 states for medical purposes. If you live in a state where marijuana is legal, it is still illegal for nurses! It's illegal no matter where you are, even if you have a prescription. If you use and get drug tested, you will have a problem. Marijuana stays in your system for a long time because it is fat soluble and stored in fat cells.

The active ingredient in marijuana is THC. Only the male part of the hemp plant contains THC. The female part of the hemp plant does not contain THC.

If you get pure cannabidiol oil, which does not contain CBD, you should be OK and be able to pass a drug test. However, be very careful and be very sure that you are getting the pure oil just to ensure that your urine test won't turn up positive. "I don't know" is not a defense so make sure you are getting the pure oil which does not contain THC. In addition, these oils are not FDA approved so there is no testing to make sure it does not contain THC so be careful.

Many think that CBD products containing less than 0.3% THC would be classified as hemp under federal law and that it is legal to possess and distribute. That is not true and, in some states, it is still illegal to possess CBD oil. Again, make sure that the CBD you use contains absolutely no THC (0%) and that it is legal to possess and use in your state.