Will You Fail a Drug Test with Delta 10 THC?

Medically reviewed by Alexander Tabibi, MD
May 5, 2021
Delta 10 Drug Test
Delta 10 Drug Test

It seems like there is always a new cannabinoid that’s hitting the market, and understandably, it can be challenging for hemp enthusiasts to keep up. With each new cannabinoid is a list of exciting properties that it can offer our body, which are all appealing in their own distinctive way.

However, some cannabinoids have certain risks regarding how they can affect us personally and professionally, as they can interfere with standard drug testing that employers might use. We will be talking about delta-10 THC, which, like delta-8 THC, offers mild psychoactive properties in a unique but purely fantastic way, and discover: will delta 10 test positive

How Long Does Delta 10 Stay in Your System?

So, does delta 10 show on drug tests? To understand this, we are about to get familiar with drug testing in the US. Standard urine tests provided by employers are testing for marijuana usage, among other drugs, primarily because marijuana is a federally illegal substance that can subject a person to criminal charges. On top of that, employers fear that workers high on marijuana will not be able to do their job efficiently due to it being intoxicating.

Speaking of the psychoactive effects, it is the delta-9 THC compound in marijuana that produces these, so drug tests are designed to identify that a person has recently consumed tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). And they do this by looking not for THC but the enzyme that’s released by our bodies specifically to break down THC, which is called THC-COOH.

THC-COOH is inevitably released into the body when we consume marijuana and can be found in the urine. Scientists, though, have good reason to believe that all forms of THC trigger the release of this enzyme because delta-9, delta-8, and delta-10 THC all share enough characteristics in common, with similar molecular makeups. Therefore, answering the question: will delta 10 fail a drug test? – we must say that most likely, it will cause THC-COOH might appear in a urine sample.

Another question is: how long does delta 10 stay in your system? This depends on how you have been using it. Inhaling methods make your body clear out itself from THC much faster than taking edibles. You might consider this when having regular testing at work.

How Long Does Delta 10 Stay in Your Urine?

Expanding on that, 9 out of 10 employers use urine tests to test their employees because they are superior to a professional environment and cost-effective. Results come back the very same day while being highly accurate. They can detect up to a couple of weeks of THC usage.

So, how long does delta 10 stay in your urine? Delta 10, as we know, is milder than delta 9, so concentrations of THC-COOH in the urine would probably be lower than if a person were using delta-9 THC. Still, a positive test is a positive test, meaning that any level of the enzyme could put your professional life at risk.

What are the Different Types of Drug Tests?

We have been talking about urine tests so far because that’s the primary type of test used by employers. However, there are other forms of delta 10 drug test available, such as the following:

  • Saliva Tests. Fairly accurate, but they only detect tetrahydrocannabinol usage for up to 10 hours. In other words, if an employer wants to pass a test, they can simply not use THC that day. Therefore, employers do not rely on them as they do not give a clear picture of a person’s true THC consumption.
  • Hair Tests. Search for indication of drug use for up to 90 days before the test was taken, as the THC compound can appear in hair strands. It can pick up on past drug usage, although a person may not have used any drugs in some time.
  • Blood Tests. Are only helpful if a person is actually high while the test is taken because THC levels in the blood are only present when a person is intoxicated. Therefore, this test is all but useless to employers, as employees can easily not use drugs when the test is being administered.
  • Perspiration Tests. Requires a person to keep an adhesive patch on their skin for two weeks; the sample or sweat that accumulates in the patch can show levels of THC and other drugs. However, these are highly invasive drug tests that are very costly and take a long time for the results to come back.

No matter which test is used, when asking, “Can you fail a drug test from delta 10?” the answer will be positive, unfortunately.

How Can Your Delta 10 THC Usage Influence Test Results?

Will you fail a drug test with delta 10? Ultimately, using delta 10 can result in a failed test. There are certain factors, though, about your usage, i.e., delivery method, that can increase or decrease the chances of testing positive, and these are important to know if you are someone who has used delta-10 despite having an upcoming drug test.

In general, the most important thing to remember when taking delta-10 THC is to space out your usage. Delta-10 has a very short half-life, sometimes less than 24 hours, so it is crucial that you do not use it every day. And, if you are using delta-10 every day, you are likely to fail a drug test. If you are someone who is reducing the amount of delta-10 in your system, it can take up to several weeks in some cases for it to fully clear out of your body. So, if you hope to pass a drug test, it is of high importance to stop taking delta-10 THC before the test. If you have doubts, it is always best to play it safe and stop using delta-10 THC two-three days before your test.

Factor #1: When You Last Used Delta 10

In almost all cases, THC-COOH completely clears out of the system after three weeks past the last date of usage. This means that if you have not used tetrahydrocannabinol at all in the past three weeks, you have an incredibly good chance of passing the test.

Factor #2: The Frequency of Your Usage

More frequent usage means increased levels of THC-COOH in your body. There is a vast difference between being a daily user and an infrequent dabbler. For instance, if you have only used delta-10 once in the last month, you might be okay. But if you are someone using delta-10 every day, it may take longer to fully clear it from the body. 

Factor #3: Delivery Method You Use

Certain delivery methods require more time for the THC-COOH to break down the THC. Therefore, specific ways can maintain this enzyme in the body for a longer time than others. Edibles seem to cause the enzyme to last the longest in the body, while inhalable products like vapes and flowers allow the enzyme to clear relatively quickly. So, if you are regularly taking delta-10 THC, it is important to take this into consideration when there is a possibility of a drug test.

Factor #4: Your Metabolism

Our metabolisms are unique, and some of us break down compounds more slowly than others. The more slowly your body breaks down THC, the longer THC-COOH will be in your system, and the more likely you will fail a test due to past usage. This is why some people use methods to speed up their metabolism before a drug test, such as taking certain supplements or working out.

Factor #5: Potency of Your Delta 10 Product

Of course, the potency of your delta-10 can influence your drug test results; the higher the dosage, the longer time is needed to process THC and more THC-COOH to break down.

What We Know So Far Overall

Although delta-10 THC is federally legal thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, some states apply their own regulations and restrictions to hemp-derived products. It can still interfere with a drug test, and unfortunately, your employer will almost definitely not care what exactly you were using delta-10, delta-9, or something else. The stigma around cannabis-derived products still exists, and it may influence your life not the best way.  Basically, when looking for an answer to “Does delta 10 show up on a drug test?” the answer will be positive, and if you have a scheduled test coming up, it is essential that you try to avoid using delta-10 until after it is passed.