Getting into the CBD hobby can be confusing at first because of the hundreds of terms commonly used to describe products – CBD, CBG, CBN, THC, hemp, cannabis… the list goes on. However, one particularly confusing product is hemp seed oil, often mistaken for hemp oil or CBD oil.
In this article, we’ll clarify everything you need to know about hemp seed oil and set the record straight on whether or not hemp seed oil contains tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC.
What is Hemp Seed Oil?
Thanks to the Food and Drug Administration recently greenlighting hemp-based treatments, hemp seed oil has become an increasingly popular product. Hemp seed oil is a form of concentrate made from the seeds of the hemp plant (also known as cannabis sativa).
It is primarily used for its health benefits as it contains a range of nutrients, fatty acids, and healthy hemp-based plant compounds.
Hemp Seed Oil Vs. CBD Oil: What’s The Difference?
Before we dive deeper, it’s important to understand the difference between hemp seed oil and CBD oil. CBD oil is a form of concentrate made from the hemp or cannabis plant. To be more precise, it is made primarily from flowers and sometimes leaves and stalks of the hemp plant.
In its purest form, CBD oil should not contain any THC, this type of CBD oil is called pure isolate CBD. However, there are other forms as well: Full Spectrum CBD oils and Broad Spectrum CBD oils, both of which will likely contain some THC.
Depending on the specific product, CBD oil can be used for a wide variety of cases, from cooking to using it to create your own vape concentrates.
Does Hemp Seed Oil Contain THC? (And if So, What Percent?)
Unlike other hemp-derived products, hemp seed oil is rarely used for recreational purposes as it does not contain any CBD or THC (in most cases). This means that hemp seed oil does not have any psychoactive properties and consuming it (through whatever means) does not lead to a feeling of euphoria or a high.
That said, most pure isolate hemp seed oil will be advertised as 99% pure which means there may be very slight levels of THC in them (usually not enough to cause a noticeable effect).
Will Hemp Seed Oil Lotion Show Up on Drug Test?
Using hemp seed oil as a topical (for instance) lotion should not show up on a drug test as most routine drug tests do not check for CBD.
This means ingesting hemp seed oil through other forms should also not show up in a drug test.
That said, there are different types of drug tests, and one that specifically tests for prescription drugs and opioids may detect CBD/THC in the blood if the test is conducted within 5-10 hours of ingestion.
Related: How Long Does It Take For Delta 8 To Leave Your System?
Does Hemp Seed Oil Contain Other Cannabinoids?
Now that we have established that hemp seed oil does not contain any THC, the only question remaining is whether or not hemp seed oil contains other cannabinoids.
Scientifically speaking, hemp seeds contain no cannabinoids on the inside. In fact, they are primarily made up of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, gamma-linolenic acid, and antioxidants which make them great candidates for alternative therapy for better cardiovascular health.
However, the outside surface of hemp seeds can contain different cannabinoids depending on the plant strain. If these seeds are properly cleaned before extraction, they should not contain any cannabinoids. That said, trace amounts of THC can slip through.
This is why purchasing your hemp-derived from reputable sources is so important. For instance, here at Smoky Mountain, we only use US-grown hemp that is thoroughly inspected, cleaned, and then tested by a third-party laboratory. The results of each batch can be found on our Certificates of Analysis page.
