US Air Force bans Chobani because it contains hemp seeds and could lead to positive drug test

The Air Force has banned all hemp-based products since 1999

The only flavor banned is blueberry

The war on drugs has a new enemy, Greek yogurt.

The US Air Force has banned blueberry-flavored Chobani yogurt because it contains hemp seeds – which themselves contain THC, the active ingredient in marijuana – which could lead to positive results during drug testing.

Blueberry is the only Chobani flavour containing hemp seed, which a company spokesperson told the Air Force Times has about 10 grams worth.

Banned: This yogurt has been banned by the US Air Force for containing hemp seeds

‘The Air Force has not restricted military members from consuming Chobani Greek yogurt,’ Captain Adam Koudelka told the Times, adding that ‘only Chobani yogurt that contains hemp seed or hemp seed oil is prohibited, just as any product which contains or is derived from hemp seed or hemp seed oil is prohibited.

The Air Force banned hemp-derived products in 1999.

Hemp and hemp seed oil products have been banned because they can lead to violations of the military branch’s drug testing program, according to regulations.

‘Studies have shown that products made with hemp seed and hemp seed oil may contain varying levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active ingredient of marijuana which is detectable under the Air Force Drug Testing Program,’ states a regulation quoted by the Times. ‘The ingestion of products containing or products derived from hemp seed or hemp seed oil is prohibited.’

The yogurt comp[any spokesperson defended their product, telling the Times that ‘the THC level of the hemp seeds is less than 10 parts per million per 100 grams of hemp seeds, so the maximum amount of THC in the yogurt would be 1 part per million.’

With the Air Force threshold for a failing test coming in at 50 part of THC per billion per 100 grams, according to the Times, the yogurt should be safe.

‘Based upon the research we have conducted from the published literature available, the findings suggest that hemp food consumption is not likely to meet this threshold if THC levels in hemp oil and hulled seeds are maintained below 5 and 2 parts per million respectively.’