Did you know hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is a game-changing cannabinoid that’s reported as practically mirroring the effects of delta 9 THC? Well, now you do. While being federally legal and easy to access on the open hemp market, HHC promotes a gratifying high, and it’s unique in how it’s not technically a THC compound. Instead, being hydrogenated. Given its dazzling effects and properties, it’s no wonder why lots of people are lining up to give this compound a whirl, to see what it can do for them in their daily lives.
However, there’s one thing you do need to remember before taking any HHC product; finding out whether or not it can cause you to fail a drug test. You might be surprised by how certain cannabinoids in the hemp plant can affect a drug test. Why? Since many people don’t realize that you can fail from taking more than just marijuana.
Failing a Drug Test from HHC: Is It Even Possible?
What a lot of people don’t know is that the most commonly administered types of drug tests aren’t looking for actual marijuana, or even delta 9 THC in the body. No. What they’re looking for is a metabolite called THC-COOH. This metabolite is responsible for breaking down all THC cannabinoids. So, if you’ve recently consumed any of these cannabinoids, and THC-COOH is still present in the body in detectable levels, you’re gonna fail a drug test.
Now, here’s the thing – again, hexahydrocannabinol is a hydrogenated THC compound with structural differences from THC. This means that it’s less certain that HHC is metabolized by THC-COOH. So, we have to turn to anecdotal information. Some people have said that taking HHC had no impact on a drug test result. Others have stated though, they failed after taking the cannabinoid. Because we believe in being careful and responsible with cannabinoids, we’ll say that it’s best to err on the side of caution and assume that taking HHC can result in a positive drug test result.
What are the Most Common Drug Tests Used for Picking Up THC-COOH?
In the United States, places of employment and other organizations for instance utilize one or more of the following drug tests, as each has its own specific purpose and method for detecting THC-COOH.
- Urine Tests: About 90% of the drug tests used in the United States are urine tests. These are used for employment, by probation officers and used for at-home tests. They’re inexpensive, reliable and easy to use, and they have a fast turnaround rate. Can detect THC-COOH in a person’s urine for anywhere from 2 to about 60 days following their last dosage.
- Saliva Tests: Have a rapid turnaround rate and are easy to administer, as well as pretty reliable. However, they only show whether or not a person has used THC in the last 10 hours. Hence, not as practical for employment purposes. How come? Well, because a person can just abstain from usage for a day to pass the test. More commonly used by law enforcement, especially at traffic stops to determine if a person is driving while intoxicated.
- Hair Strand Tests: Aren’t commonly used due to having a long turnaround time, being expensive, and simply not the most reliable out there. For instance, a person’s results can be skewed if they dye their hair. And, a person’s hair must be at least 1.5 inches long to even take the test. These are most commonly used in autopsy reports in order to figure out if a person was intoxicated at the time of their death.
- Blood Tests: Most often administered at hospitals, because they only show if a person is presently intoxicated. To be intoxicated, a cannabinoid must be detected in the blood.
- Perspiration Tests: Involve the attachment of an adhesive patch to a person’s skin, where it’s left for 2 weeks to pick up trace amounts of a person’s sweat. Obviously, this is not the most practical type of drug test for most settings. It’s actually used most often in clinical trials.
What Will Influence the Likelihood of Failing a Drug Test?
So, let’s say that you’ve taken hexahydrocannabinol sometime recently, and you found out that you’re going to be drug-tested soon. You don’t necessarily need to worry and assume that you’re going to fail just yet. With that said, these are the primary factors that impact the likelihood of getting a failed drug test result.
Factor #1: The Last Time You Took HHC, and How Much
The nature of your previous HHC use has a lot to do with whether or not you’ll fail a test. One is timing. If it’s been several weeks since your last dosage, there’s a very strong chance that THC-COOH will be totally cleared from the body by now. It’s also the frequency at which you take the cannabinoid. Taking it daily is riskier than taking it, say, once a week. Basically, the more HHC has built up in the body, the longer it will take for all of it to metabolize, and so the longer THC-COOH will remain in the system in detectable levels until it’s all gone. Take these things into consideration when gauging your personal risk of failing a test.
Factor #2: How You Metabolize Cannabinoids
Each person’s body metabolizes compounds at a unique rate. Some of us are lucky in the sense that our body clears cannabinoids more quickly than others. There’s no way to know exactly how your metabolism works, but there are aspects of your health that seem to have an influence. If you’re ill, you may metabolize cannabinoids more slowly, putting you more at risk of failing. Other factors that play a role include diet, genetics, hormones, immune function and even your hydration and stress levels. Still, don’t assume that just because you’re healthy, your body will rid itself of HHC quickly.
Another thing that we do need to point out is that there is still no proven method for flushing HHC out of the system. People recommend drinking lots of water, drinking cranberry juice, taking zinc supplements and consuming detox supplements. However, none of these methods has been shown to actually influence drug test results, so we don’t recommend relying on any of them in order to pass.
Factor #3: A Product’s Strength/Potency Level
HHC products come in different milligram strength amounts per serving. The higher the milligram strength of your HHC doses, the more HHC will be in the body, and the longer it will take for THC-COOH to do its job.
Overall, There is a Good Chance That HHC Can Cause You to Fail a Drug Test
While it hasn’t yet been proven that hexahydrocannabinol metabolizes in the same way as THC compounds, we have heard from some individuals that the cannabinoid caused them to get a positive result. Because of this, we believe that it’s best to take the “safe” rather than “sorry” approach, and completely abstain from HHC, and other intoxicating cannabinoids, until your test is over. Plus, if you have taken HHC recently, luckily, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll fail, since as you can see, there are all kinds of unique aspects that can influence the result you get.
Below are some HHC products that you can purchase from Pure CBD Now:
- Koi HHC Vape Cartridges 1 Gram – Our HHC Vape Cartridges are manufactured with a carefully crafted blend of HHC with delta-8 THC and THC-O, as well as your choice of indica, sativa, or hybrid strain terpenes. Compatible with 510 threaded cartridges and normal batteries.
- iDELTA Premium – HHC Cartridge Full Gram – Premium HHC cart with no THC added. 6 flavors for you to choose from.
- iDELTA Premium – HHC Dab Syringe Full Gram – No THC added to this full gram dab syringe. You can choose from available flavors.
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