Can truck drivers use CBD oil without getting into trouble? It’s a valid question and below we’ll answer it in great detail. Stick with us!
If you’re a truck driver reading this, we don’t need to tell you that the profession can be a pretty stressful one. For starters, you have to control such a huge vehicle and remain alert while doing so. What’s more, is that you need to do this for several hours without a break.
For all these reasons, it is perfectly understandable if you feel the need to use CBD oil. After all, it is a health and wellness product with different benefits that could make truck driving easier.
However, using cannabidiol can be a bit complicated, considering that it comes from the marijuana plant.
Owing to its complicated nature, many truck drivers often ask, “can truck drivers use CBD oil?” In this article, we’ll break it down for you and help you understand the next step to take with your medicinal hemp. So,
Can Truck Drivers Use CBD Oil?
Well, the answer is that it’s complicated.
Technically speaking, you can use cannabidiol oil for all the benefits that the compound offers you. However, it might not be in your best interest to do so for a reason.
They are:
1. CBD products aren’t perfectly regulated across the country yet
CBD (cannabidiol), sometimes referred to as medicinal hemp, is one of the different compounds within the marijuana plant. Unlike its popular counterpart, THC, the compound doesn’t get you high when you use it.
The scientific community keeps researching to find out its health benefits. But, so far, it’s been confirmed to be useful for several things, including mild discomfort and improving your health generally.
For this reason, alongside its legalization, many manufacturers have created variations of medicinal hemp. Ordinarily, this should be a good thing, especially when you consider that these oils could offer even more benefits, depending on what they’re combined with.
However, in reality, because the industry is still pretty new, it isn’t very well regulated yet. So, there’s the strong possibility that the manufacturers wouldn’t be as thorough with their manufacturing process as they should.
This could have any number of implications. The worst, by far, is that you could end up ingesting something that isn’t good for you.
We, however, cannot go without mentioning to you that there are a few ways around this. The first is that you could request third-party testing certifications before buying your medicinal hemp. Additionally, you could make sure that the brand is well-known for its excellent products.
Regardless, the problem of low-quality products stemming from insufficient regulation is still a very real possibility.
2. It could cause you to test positive for THC
This is very closely related to the implications of an improperly regulated industry. However, it is such a big problem that it only makes sense for it to stand on its own.
You see, the bill that legalized CBD in the United States made something very clear. It’s that you cannot have more than 0.3% THC in your CBD oil at any point in time. If you do, it’ll likely show up in a drug test, and that will come with all the consequences of testing positive for drugs.
Now, the problem is that your CBD manufacturer might insist that their product is THC-free. This could even be their major marketing campaign.
But, it’s still possible that the CBD contains more THC than it should. Under such circumstances, you could test positive and lose the opportunity to remain a truck driver. This is besides the possibility of getting a nasty DUI charge.
3. Different states have different laws
This part is pretty simple. At the federal level, cannabidiol is legal.
However, not all states feel too comfortable with the idea of CBD. In some states across the US, any form of CBD, regardless of the THC content, is illegal.
Getting caught with it could put you in some serious trouble.
Bottom Line: Can Truck Drivers Use CBD Oil?
We’ve already explained all the reasons it might not be the best idea to use CBD oil. There’s a fair chance that you could get mistaken for a THC user.
Alongside that, you might fall victim to various products of lesser qualities. The risks are a bit high, and they could affect your career if you make the wrong move.
So, if you must take this substance, you need to be sure that the benefits outweigh the risks. Alongside that, you must do everything you can to reduce these risks.
Sources:
- Joseph Maroon and Jeff Bost. Review of the neurological benefits of phytocannabinoids. Accessed March 4, 2021, at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5938896/.
- Zerrin Atakan. Cannabis, a complex plant: Different compounds and different effects on individuals. Accessed March 4, 2021, at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2045125312457586.