What Are Cannabinoids? THC, CBD & How Drug Tests See Them
Evidence-based answer reviewed against SAMHSA cutoffs and FDA assay documentation · Updated September 2026
Quick answer: Cannabinoids are the active compounds in cannabis — over 100 of them. THC is the psychoactive one; CBD is not. Drug tests target THC's metabolite (THC-COOH), which is why CBD alone rarely registers but full-spectrum products can.
The major cannabinoids
THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the intoxicating compound. CBD (cannabidiol) is non-intoxicating and widely available. CBG, CBN, CBC and THCV are minor cannabinoids with emerging research. Delta-8 THC is a hemp-derived isomer that is psychoactive and increasingly common in vapes and edibles.
What drug tests actually detect
Standard 5-panel and expanded panels screen for the THC-COOH metabolite, not THC itself. The screening antibody cross-reacts with delta-8 and other THC isomers — so hemp-derived delta-8 products can trigger a positive. CBD isolate (no THC) will not; full-spectrum CBD with trace THC occasionally will.
Cannabinoids and legality
Delta-9 THC above 0.3% is federally illegal (state laws vary); hemp-derived CBD and delta-8 occupy a gray zone. For testing purposes, the rule is simple: if a product contains any THC isomer, assume it can fail a screen, regardless of what the label claims.
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Sources & further reading
- SAMHSA — Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs (cutoffs, MRO process)
- DOT — 49 CFR Part 40 procedures for transportation workplace testing
- Brahm NC et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2008;83(1):66–76 — false-positive cross-reactivity reference
- FDA — drug-of-abuse test device labeling (detection window conventions)