How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your System?

The metabolites from THC can stay in your body longer than the effects might. In many cases, tests can detect cannabis for several months or even years after the last use, depending on the type of test. 

About THC

THC is the ingredient in cannabis that makes you feel high. Many jobs require you to take a drug test as part of the application process, including testing for THC. The euphoric effects of cannabis will last for only a few hours after you inhale it. But THC might be in your system for several weeks after you take it, meaning that you can easily fail a drug test.

Why THC Can Be Detected for So Long?

THC will only be in your bloodstream for a short period. Within a few hours, the THC will be broken down and modified to many metabolic by-products. The level of THC will drop after a few days, but THC consumption and the use of weed can be detected in your system when the test looks at the THC by-products.

Both the by-products and THC are soluble in lipids. This means that they will accumulate in your body’s fat reserves and be released slowly. Eventually, your body will expel the by-products. The amount of time that cannabis by-products will stay in your body will depend on your calorie intake and the amount of marijuana that you have consumed.

THC and the Blood

Some cannabis tests will test your blood. Your body can metabolize THC very quickly, and it will only stay in the blood for a few hours to a couple of days. If you use cannabis heavily, THC can stay in your blood for as long as a week after you finish taking it. However, a blood test for cannabis is rare. It is usually only done as a part of a follow-up after a potentially false positive.

THC and Saliva

Some cannabis and THC tests will look at your saliva. THC will usually be in your saliva about an hour after you first use it. Then, it will remain until you fully swallow it. This will usually take around one to two days after you use cannabis. 

Bruising your teeth, eating fatty foods, using mouthwash, and brushing your teeth can help get rid of the THC from your saliva faster. There are saliva tests being developed to look for cannabis use in drivers, but these might not yet be accurate enough for use.

THC in Urine

If you have to undergo drug tests, you will most likely have a urine test done. This is because they do not cost a lot and are easy to use. It is easier to detect the THC’s by-products in your urine, which means that even if you have taken cannabis weeks ago, it might still show up. But there are a few factors that will determine the length of time that cannabis can be detected.

If you have only taken cannabis once, then the by-products from THC will be in the urine for around five to eight days. But if you take it about two to four times each week, it might be in your urine around 11 to 18 days after you last took it.

If you take cannabis five to six days each week, you might fail a test around a month to 48 days after last taking it. And if you use marijuana every day, then a urine test can find THC around 50 to 65 days after you last took it.

A urine test might be used at work using a test strip. Or a sample might go to a third-party lab to be tested. The test looks not for THC but for THC-COOH, which is a non-psychoactive metabolite of THC.

Cannabis Detox Drinks

A detox drink is one way that some people choose to get cannabis out of their systems. When you take a cleansing drink for cannabis, it will mask the effects that the drug has on your body. This is not the same thing as actually detoxing your body. There are several methods of detoxing, none of which are a quick fix. 

On the other hand, you can take a detox drink and then have a few hours where you are more likely to pass the drug test. Think of it as diluting your body. During this time, none of the concerning or harmful parts of the weed will show up on the test. It is important for you to remember that these drinks do not just work when it comes to cannabis. They are also useful for any number of other substances. Some people assume incorrectly that these drinks only work for certain kinds of substances. But your body will react the same no matter what kind of substance it is. 

No matter whether your test is unsupervised or supervised, a detox drink is a great way of passing the drug test quickly. Like many other products out there, some are better than others when it comes to covering up the unpleasant effects. Often, people who use this method think that it will be a problem to take a supervised test, but no one will know that you drank it. Just make sure that you will drink it in a reasonable time before you have the test, so it has a chance to start working with your body.

Closing Thoughts 

Depending on the kind of test you will take, there is a range of time that cannabis might stay in your system. But the only way to pass a drug test is to completely avoid taking weed. Remember that many tests differ in how sensitive they are. 

Whether the THC can be detected will vary depending on the person, and it depends on your usage. If you have enough time before your drug test to get the cannabis out of your system, you can usually flush out the THC and pass your drug test.