Can you drive on CBD Oil in Australia legally? CBD in drug tests and more

Introduction

Are you confused about whether or not you can take CBD oil and drive in Australia? We got behind the wheel and did some digging. We’ll demystify CBD’s effects on driving, and answer all your burning questions about CBD and roadside drug tests in Australia. So, keep reading to learn whether CBD will get you in trouble with the law if you drive after using it.

Is taking CBD oil and driving legal in Australia?

A lot of people have asked us this question. We’ve been looking into it, and we’ve found that the answer is yes!

CBD is not psychoactive and will not impair your cognitive ability. In fact, studies show that CBD can improve your memory, reduce anxiety, and even help with depression.

Furthermore, roadside drug tests do not test for CBD but rather illicit substances like marijuana. So if you have just taken some CBD oil for anxiety and are worried about getting pulled over by police, don’t be!

In every state and territory in Australia, driving under the influence of a controlled substance is prohibited. But CBD is not a controlled substance and is completely legal. Therefore, you are not breaking any laws by driving while taking CBD.

Can you drive with CBD Oil in your system? 

Researchers from the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney conducted a study comparing the effects of CBD, THC and placebo against a person’s driving impairment. 

The study had 26 participants who received combinations of CBD, THC and placebo before being assessed for driving impairment. They underwent road driving tests to measure their ability to maintain a constant speed and distance between vehicles, as well as their ability to respond to emergency situations and avoid collisions.

The results of the study showed no significant difference between the CBD group and the placebo group, meaning that CBD did not affect driving impairment at all. This is great news since cannabis has been associated with increased crash risk, but now we know that taking CBD before driving is completely safe. 

Does CBD oil show in a drug test in Australia?

If you’re worried about a drug test, the short answer is no. A drug test will only test for THC, which is an illicit substance, not CBD. We know that full spectrum CBD contains trace amounts of THC (<0.2%), but these low doses are still legally compliant.

There have been conversations of a false positive occurring with full spectrum CBD. However, this cannot be confirmed. Realistically, you’d have to be drinking bottles of full spectrum CBD everyday to test positive for THC—and even then it’s pretty unlikely that would happen! 

Regardless, if you are overly cautious or know you must take regular drug tests it is recommended you choose a Broad Spectrum CBD or CBD isolate since both these types of CBD have completely removed the presence of THC—and as we previously mentioned drug tests do not test for CBD but rather THC! So you will be 100% fine and have nothing to worry about!

But doesn’t CBD make you drowsy when you drive? 

The short answer is yes—but only if you take too much.

CBD has a sedative effect, but it’s not like taking Ambien or other prescription sleep aids. The sedative effect of CBD has been reported in CBD sleep studies, but this effect is considered very mild when compared to prescription sleep aids like Ambien.

A study analysing Ambien and driving impairment found that taking Ambien and driving was equivalent to having a blood alcohol level of between 0.06% and 0.11%. That’s over the legal limit! 

With this in mind, if you take CBD and feel drowsy while driving, it’s not recommended to drive while under its effects. However, the sedative effect of CBD is really only felt at very high dosages—and we’re talking about much higher than what most people would take for anxiety or pain relief purposes.

Conclusion: You can drive on CBD Oil in Australia

So there you have it! CBD is legal in Australia, and will not cause you to fail a drug test. However, you should always be aware of how your body is reacting to CBD and whether or not you are okay to drive. It’s important to be safe, but we hope this guide has helped clear things up for you.