With occasional use, THC may be detectable for 1 to 3 days after use. With moderate use, it may take 7 to 21 days for THC to clear how long does cannabis stay in your system after quitting from the urine. Daily use, especially by those who have used marijuana over a long period, can test positive for up to 30 days or more. THC is detectable in urine for a much longer period than it is in blood.
False Positives and Secondhand Smoke
However, drinking lots of fluids can help dilute your urine, which may help you pass the test. Weed is typically only detectable for about 12 hours after intake in a rapid on-site saliva test. However, it may be detectable for up to 3 days after intake in a more sensitive lab saliva test. A person with a higher fat percentage will have a prolonged rate of excretion of THC because they have more fat cells holding on to THC and its metabolites. And for a regular user of edibles, the detox period stretches to 21 days.
Be Wary of “Quick Fix” Products
Drug tests such as urine and hair tests also have a longer duration of detection window. Larger amounts of cannabis result in higher levels of THC in the body, which in turn increases the amount of cannabis stored in the body’s fat cells. This means that those who use more cannabis in a single session may require more time to detox, not unlike the process of alcohol detox. Like alcohol in your system, cannabis is eliminated from the body faster if a person is hydrated and allows the body time to properly detox. Not only second hand cannabis smoke but also environmental conditions and certain medications and supplements can cause false positives during drug tests. Being aware of these factors is important for individuals who are subject to drug testing so they can minimize the chance of an unexpected positive result.
The higher the THC potency consumed, the longer it may stay in your system. Products like weed concentrates, edibles, or tinctures have elevated levels of THC detectable for extended periods. These screenings can detect THC metabolites for up to 90 days after consumption. However, the downside is that there is a high likelihood of false positive results for these tests because they rely on skin oil that transfers to the hair, making them less accurate. For the uninformed, hair follicle drug tests involve procuring a small sample from the person’s scalp before sending it to a lab for testing. Heavy cannabis users in the study tended to be male, with a lower educational and social economic status, and were more likely to be smokers and drink alcohol.
Smoking Frequency and Marijuana THC Content
THC from a single use can be detectable in urine tests for up to 3 days. When you stop using weed, THC can be detectable in your system for different lengths of time, depending on the type of test you take. Urine tests for up to 30 days, blood tests for up to 2 days, hair tests for up to 90 days, and saliva tests for about 24 hours. Frequency of use and metabolism will also determine how long weed stays in your system after you stop. This article will explain how your body processes THC, the detection windows for each test, and the factors that can lead to a positive drug test.
- All cannabis products, even those labeled as containing only CBD isolate, have a slight chance of leading to a positive marijuana test.
- Popular quick fix detox products typically guarantee rapid THC removal with no credible scientific research to support their effectiveness.
- Even if you follow all the directions to a T, you may still fail your test.
- We’ll go over two common methods of “flushing” THC and if they work.
- Give us a call today to verify your insurance coverage or to learn more about paying for addiction treatment.
- The reduction in brain activation for heavy users relative to non-users was approximately 14%,” he said.
- As your body processes cannabis, it turns the active ingredients in weed into inactive metabolites.
Drug Testing Methods & Weed
That range will depend on how much marijuana you use and for how long. Tests can detect THC in urine for up to 30 days in a heavy user who uses weed at least once per day. Used for short-term detection, saliva tests can detect THC in the system for up to 24 hours. Some tests can detect markers from certain cannabis edibles up to 44 hours after ingestion. A diet high in fat may prolong detection times as fat influences the storage and release of THC from fat cells.
- On the other hand, raw consumption of THCA may have a longer duration in your system since it doesn’t go through the decarboxylation process unless heated.
- They either cause unwanted side effects or don’t rid your body of THC fast enough.
- At Renaissance Recovery our goal is to provide evidence-based treatment to as many individuals as possible.
- Good ventilation can reduce the amount of THC detectable from such exposure and decrease the risk of false positives.
- Like other tests, hair follicle tests look for the presence of THC-COOH rather than THC itself.
- To better estimate how long weed stays in a 17-year-old’s system, you’ll need to consider how much cannabis they use, how often they use it, and their body weight.
There are different types of drug tests that can detect THC in your system. Each test has its own detection window, and how long weed stays in your system depends on the type of test used. Edible pot products are becoming more prevalent today, among both medical and recreational users, however they are still the less popular method of consumption. Unlike with smoking, it takes 1 to 5 hours after consuming edible marijuana for THC levels to reach their peak.
The rate of THC metabolism and removal from the body may be affected by hydration levels. The rate of THC elimination from the body is greatly affected by one’s metabolism and body composition. Since THC metabolites bind to fat, they will stay longer in individuals with more body fat. After use, THC levels can be found in blood for up to 2 days but more often within 12 hours. Heavy users may have detectable levels for a few hours beyond that. Any individual or company that intends to measure a person’s quantity of usage and wants a longer detection window may rely on hair tests.
“As cannabis use continues to grow globally, studying its effects on human health has become increasingly important. There are a number of factors that influence how your body processes and metabolizes weed and how long weed stays in your system. For example, weed that’s ingested may remain in your system slightly longer than weed that’s smoked. Note that some drug testing companies will reject overly diluted urine. If they do this, you will probably get a chance to re-test, which at the very least will give you some more time for your body to clear the marijuana metabolites.
If you have a faster metabolism, your body will likely process and eliminate THCA more quickly than someone with a slower metabolism. Factors such as age and overall health can also play a role, with younger individuals often metabolizing cannabinoids faster than older adults. When consumed, THCA remains in its inactive form unless exposed to heat. This process, known as decarboxylation, occurs when you smoke, vape, or cook cannabis. Through decarboxylation, THCA loses its carboxyl group, transforming into THC, the psychoactive compound.
This page outlines how marijuana works in the system and what influences how long it stays there. You will also learn how to get compassionate and evidence-based treatment. THC metabolites can remain in your system for as long as 30 days, particularly for chronic users. Stop smoking weed for a minimum of 30 days rather than trusting unproven products. In comparison, chronic users can continue testing positive for THC for as long as 70 days.