CBD may be everywhere, but the Navy is warning sailors and Marines not to indulge.
The 2018 Farm Bill loosened restrictions on hemp cultivation that have led to the proliferation of cannabidiol-based products, which some advocates claim relieve a host of ailments, including chronic pain, anxiety, and inflammation, as well as helping people sleep.
However, those claims about over-the-counter CBD products have yet to be proven. Those products are mostly not regulated or tested by the Food and Drug Administration, the Navy said in a service-wide message earlier this week. As a result, ingredients may be unknown and some products could contain higher concentrations of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which produces a high.
And that can lead to positive urinalysis.
“It can be impossible to determine where a CBD or hemp product was manufactured and what level of THC it may contain,” the Navy said in a news release. “Even trace amounts of THC can accumulate in the body and be detected in a urinalysis screening.”
Hemp plants contain CBD and THC. In order to be considered hemp, the plant may contain no more than 0.3% THC.
Navy policy restricting the use of hemp and marijuana products has not changed, but in light of recent federal legislation and a patchwork of state laws that have legalized various uses for civilians, the service is reminding personnel of its zero-tolerance, Chief of Naval Personnel spokesman Lt. j.g. Stuart Phillips said.
“There could be confusion among sailors because some of these products are legal for civilians in some states,” Phillips said.
In Virginia, registered patients may use medical marijuana extracts from state-approved dispensaries, but those are not yet open.
The prohibition doesn’t apply to service members with prescriptions or to the use of shampoos, conditioners, lotions or soaps containing CBD because there is no scientific evidence those products could cause a positive test for THC, Phillips said.
Failure to abide by the policy could result in administrative or disciplinary actions, including an other-than-honorable discharge. The Navy also reports illegal drug use to the FBI, Phillips said.
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