If you’re asking the question, “Can you drive on CBD oil?” then, first of all, congratulations on being a responsible driver!
And, we’re happy to report that the answer is yes — with an asterisk. While CBD won’t make you feel intoxicated like alcohol or marijuana, there are a few things you should keep in mind just to be on the safe side.
Can you drive with CBD oil in your system?
CBD by itself is not intoxicating in any way. Even in a full-spectrum product, the levels of THC are so low that you won’t feel any mental fuzziness or trouble concentrating.
However, it’s always a good idea to try CBD on a day — or a weekend — where you don’t need to drive anywhere. That’s a good rule of thumb for any new supplement or medication you choose to take.
Here are a few reasons to be cautious.
1. CBD might make you feel a little drowsy.
One of the most common reasons people take CBD is to help them sleep. Any CBD product has the potential to make you feel relaxed and even drowsy, but this is especially true if you’ve taken a CBD product specifically meant for sleep. You won’t feel drugged or intoxicated, but you might feel too relaxed to pay adequate attention to the road. Until you know how your new CBD product affects you, it’s safer to avoid operating a vehicle.
Similarly, if you plan to increase your dose of a CBD product you’re already familiar with, treat it as if it’s new to you and give it a day or two before you decide to drive.
2. CBD can interact with some prescription medications that cause side effects that would make it unsafe to drive.
Have you ever wondered why some prescription drugs come with a label warning users not to eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while using the medication? That’s because the liver enzyme responsible for breaking down many medications is the same enzyme that breaks down grapefruit.
If you popped a prescription pill and swallowed it with a glass of grapefruit juice, your liver would have to contend with both substances at once. Since it has a limited amount of that important enzyme, the liver will process the drug more slowly than usual, and blood levels will remain elevated for longer.
If you would normally take a second dose of your medication twelve hours later, expecting the last dose to be out of your system, you may actually overdose because the liver hasn’t had time to fully process the first dose yet.
CBD uses the same liver enzyme as grapefruit, so it can have similar effects if you take it alongside another medication. It’s not that CBD or grapefruit are intoxicating on their own, it’s that they can intensify the effects of other medications you take at the same time. So, if your medication has side effects that make you feel sleepy or otherwise impaired, your usual dose could hit you harder than usual, and you might not be fit to drive.
Whether you plan to drive or not, use CBD cautiously if you’re on a prescription drug that warns against eating grapefruit.
3. Your CBD supplement might contain other ingredients.
Some CBD products meant for sleep have melatonin or other sleep-inducing ingredients added to their formulas. Additionally, many buyers accidentally purchase a product thinking it’s CBD, when actually it contains intoxicating compounds such as Delta-8 THC. And finally, some manufacturers fail to test their CBD products for contaminants before putting them on the market.
Any of these unexpected components could have intoxicating effects or cause more intense drowsiness than you intended.
Before you use a product — and especially if you plan to drive while using it — check the label to make sure the formula contains only pure, natural CBD. The ingredients can also include other cannabinoids in levels appropriate for a full-spectrum product.
When in doubt, look up the manufacturer’s test results on their website to make sure your product is pure and safe before you take it.
So, final answer: Does CBD impact your driving ability?
By itself, no. But to be safe, you’ll need to take these other factors into consideration before you hop behind the wheel.
Butler Hemp Co. proudly produces only safe, tested, and pure CBD products.
We want our customers to feel confident they’re getting high-quality CBD that will provide all the beneficial pain relief, relaxation, and anxiety-soothing effects they need without impacting performance in their daily lives. That’s why we not only double-test every single batch of products, we also maintain GMP certification and a policy of total transparency with our customers.
