Save 30% with code SQUARE·or save 40% with Subscribe & save

THC (Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol)

Also known as: delta-9 THC, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, tetrahydrocannabinol

Last reviewed:

What it is

THC is the compound that makes marijuana marijuana. It binds directly to CB1 receptors in the brain, which is what produces the high. CBD doesn't bind to those receptors the same way, which is why CBD isn't intoxicating. Both compounds come from the same plant species — the legal line between hemp and marijuana isn't botany, it's a number. The 2018 Farm Bill defined hemp as cannabis containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight. Above that line it's marijuana and federally controlled. Below it, it's an agricultural commodity.

So every full-spectrum hemp extract contains some THC. Ours does. It's a small enough amount that we've never had a customer report feeling intoxicated, and at normal tincture doses you shouldn't expect to — but "trace" is not "none," and that distinction matters most for one specific group of people: anyone who gets drug tested. Quest Diagnostics published a study of 14 people taking 1 mL of a full-spectrum oil three times a day for four weeks. That product tested at 0.23 mg/mL of delta-9 THC — well under the federal cap. Seven of the fourteen produced a positive urine test. Daily dosing accumulates THC metabolites, and a workplace screen has no way to tell hemp-derived THC from any other kind. If you're tested, buy the broad-spectrum bottle. That's the whole reason we make it.

One more thing worth knowing: the federal definition is being rewritten. P.L. 119-37 §781 replaces the delta-9-only, dry-weight test with a total-THC test and caps a finished product at 0.4 mg of total THC in the container as sold — not per serving, per bottle. That is a far tighter standard than 0.3% by weight, and it applies to ingested, inhaled, and topical products alike. It was scheduled to take effect November 12, 2026; in August 2026 Congress moved to push naturally-derived hemp THC to December 11, 2026, and as of this writing the extension is still working its way through. We're a family business, not a lobbying shop — we'll follow whatever the final rule says, and we'll tell you plainly what changes about our bottles when we know. Our broad-spectrum and pet lines are already made THC-free.

Where it's in our line

FAQ

Will full-spectrum CBD get me high?

No. The THC in a legal hemp extract is present at trace levels, far below an intoxicating dose at normal tincture serving sizes. If a hemp product is getting someone high, either it's mislabeled or it isn't hemp.

How much THC is actually in a bottle of your full-spectrum oil?

It varies by batch, which is why we won't quote you a single number. Every batch is third-party tested and the cannabinoid panel — including delta-9 THC — is on that batch's COA. Match the batch number on your bottle to the report.

Can full-spectrum CBD make me fail a drug test?

Yes, and this is the honest answer most brands soften. Standard screens look for THC metabolites, not CBD, and they can't distinguish hemp-derived THC from any other source. Daily full-spectrum dosing accumulates those metabolites over weeks. In one Quest Diagnostics study of a full-spectrum oil taken three times daily for four weeks, half the participants tested positive. If you're subject to testing, use our broad-spectrum bottle.

Does "THC-free" mean literally zero?

It means non-detect at the lab's limit of detection — which is the strongest claim any honest CBD company can make. No brand can promise a molecule count of zero. What we can promise is that the THC removal step is real and the results are on the COA.

Is delta-8 THC the same thing?

No. Delta-8 is a different isomer, usually converted in a lab from CBD rather than grown in the plant. We don't sell it and we don't put it in anything. Worth noting: a drug test can't tell delta-8 from delta-9, so delta-8 products carry the same testing risk.

Why sell a full-spectrum product at all if the THC is a complication?

Because for people who aren't drug tested, the entourage effect is real — the full cannabinoid and terpene profile does something the isolated compounds don't. We'd rather make both bottles and tell you which one fits your situation than pick one and pretend the trade-off doesn't exist.

Other ingredients

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. botanCBD products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting any new wellness product, especially if you take prescription medications.