Truck Drivers and CBD: All You Need To Know

In the past few years, there have been many products marketed that contain CBD or “cannabidiol”. Can using them harm the truck driver? Let’s deal with it.

Benefits of CBD are controversial

CBD is used for a variety of medical purposes. It helps with muscle and joint pain, depression, migraines and other ailments typical of truck drivers.

CBD itself is a non-psychoactive compound.

Despite the health claims, CBD products have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is still no consensus in the medical community about the effects of CBD on the body.

Each state has its own laws on CBD products

You can find a lot of information that CBD is legal in all 50 states. This is not true.

Marijuana use is illegal in most of the country. Most states require commercial CBD derived products to contain no more than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

In the states like South Dakota, Nebraska, and Idaho, the use of marijuana in all forms is illegal.

In Iowa, only patients who qualify for the state’s medical-marijuana program can use CBD. However, even such patients should not eat foods with a THC content of more than 3%.

CBD may cause a positive drug test result

DOT warns truck drivers about the potential mislabeling of hemp-derived products that could contain illegal levels of marijuana. Even if the label claims “zero THC”, CBD can be found in the product anyway.

It is known that using CBD may cause a positive drug test result.

Remember that DOT requires testing for marijuana, but not CBD. However, the thoughtless usage of CBD products does not exempt truckers from liability.

That is why truck drivers should consider using CBD products carefully.