For weeks, the body may retain tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical in marijuana that makes people feel “high.”
The length of time that this chemical remains in the body or appears in a drug test is determined by several factors. These are some of them:
- how much body fat a person has
- how often they consume the drug
- how much someone smokes
- the sensitivity of the drug test
It may take up to a few days for alcohol or other drugs to totally leave the body. In comparison, marijuana lingers far longer. For many days after using cannabis, drug tests can detect tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, in urine, blood, and hair. Saliva tests can only detect THC for a short period of time because it is water-soluble. Because THC is a lipid soluble chemical, it binds to fat in the body and extends the length of time it takes someone to eliminate all traces of THC from their system. “Trusted Source.” This means that it bonds to fat in the body and increases the amount of time it takes individuals to completely remove THC from their systems.
Marijuana detection windows
A range of average times for detecting marijuana have been discovered through research. According to a 2017 study, a single marijuana cigarette has an expected detection period of around 3 days. The same study points out that window vary and are determined by how frequently a person smokes.
It showed:
- Tests may detect marijuana use for around 3 days for someone who is smoking it for the first time.
- The detection period for someone who habitually smokes marijuana three or four times per week is 5–7 days.
- Tests may show marijuana in the body for 30 days or more for individuals who smoke it once a day or more.
The type of test a person does also influences how many windows appear on the screen. The following are general estimates for various marijuana tests:
- Urine tests can detect marijuana in the urine for up to 30 days after usage.
- Saliva tests can detect marijuana for up to 24 hours after ingestion. Some saliva tests have detected cannabis for over 72 hours.
- Hair tests are the most sensitive THC testers, detecting it up to 90 days after use. These tests, however, examine the oil in skin that transfers to hair, and so they can sometimes produce a false positiveTrusted Source. A person who comes into touch with someone who has used marijuana may test positive on a hair test.
- THC can only be detected in blood for 3–4 hours using traditional tests.
How much do you have to smoke to fail a drug test?
THC is only detectable if the amount present in a cannabis cigarette is quite low. THC levels in marijuana cigarettes are variable, and drug tests can detect minor amounts of THC. However, little study has been done on how much smoking is required to fail a drug test.
According to studies, frequent marijuana users are more likely to fail drug tests than infrequent users. In the journal Clinical Chemistry, researchers tested smokers from a 2012 study who used cannabis with 6.8 percent THC in a single cigarette.
THC urine levels peaked 0.6 to 7.4 hours after smoking, according to research. THC was discovered in the urine of 100 percent of frequent smokers and 60–100 percent of infrequent users using a highly sensitive urine test.
According to a 2017 studyTrusted Source, hair samples from 136 marijuana users who reported moderate, little, or no usage of marijuana were tested. Researchers shaved hair into 1-centimeter pieces for the research and exposed them to up to a month’s worth of chemicals over several days.
According to study data, over two-thirds of heavy users and one-third of light users were found to have THC in their system. There were no nonusers with positive test results, implying that hair tests for marijuana are rarely false positives.
How Long Does It Take to Feel the Effects?
Marijuana’s effects can vary from person to person. Some individuals may feel euphoric and calm, whereas others may feel nervous and paranoid. Others say that they become “dopey” and lose interest in things or have difficulties comprehending ideas.
THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical in marijuana that makes you feel “high.” It enters the blood system rapidly after smoking marijuana.
When marijuana is consumed by mouth rather than smoked, it takes longer for it to enter the bloodstream, generally from 20 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on how much was consumed as well as physiological variables such as absorption and metabolism and excretion.
Depending on the strain, method of consumption, and quantity used, cannabis may have a variety of health effects. They are as follows:
- Dry mouth
- Swollen eyelids
- Bloodshot eyes
- Pleasurable body sensations
- Increased appetite (“the munchies”)
- Relaxation
- Stimulation
- Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch)
- Loss of coordination
- Trouble with thinking, memory, and problem-solving
- Increased heart rate
The cognitive effects of cannabis use last one to two hours, with some residual effects lasting up to 24 hours. It has been established that it lowers your driving performance by up to three hours, according to the National Highway Safety Administration.
The terpene profiles of a specific strain also play a role in the effects of marijuana. Citrus terpene profiles are more stimulating, which might be the aim or cause someone to become nervous.
It’s vital to understand that not all marijuana is created equal. Marijuana goods, unlike other prescription medications, aren’t regulated and may differ substantially in quality, composition, and dosage.
The amount of THC in your product can affect how quickly you feel its effects and what those effects are. Because THC interacts with alcohol, blood thinners, and anti-anxiety pills, it’s critical to talk about your cannabis usage with your doctor.
Factors that influence detection
The following are some of the major reasons that a test for marijuana might fail to reveal it:
Test sensitivity
Tests that are more sensitive can identify lower doses of cannabis. Blood, urine, hair, and saliva are all examples of tests that can be used to detect marijuana use.
THC dose
THC is the primary chemical target of marijuana drug tests. THC, not marijuana, is what they’re looking for. So how much THC a person ingests is the most significant aspect.
THC’s effects are cumulative. This means that a user who smokes several times over many days has consumed a greater THC dose than someone who only smokes once, and as a result they are more likely to test positive.
The potency of each dose of THC is also important. A person can’t accurately assess the strength of their cannabis without sensitive laboratory equipment. How “high” a person feels is also unreliable, because many other elements besides THC dosage might increase or diminish this sensation.
Body fat
People with higher body fat percentages may metabolize cannabis more slowly than individuals who have less body fat, according to studies. BMI is a measure of one’s weight and body fat composition. Because weight and therefore BMI rise with muscle mass, however, it isn’t the most accurate indicator of bodily fluid.
Sex
Females tend to have more body fat than males. This implies that female cannabis users metabolize the drug at a slower rate than male users.
Hydration
When you’re dehydrated, the level of THC in your system rises. While drinking a lot of water is unlikely to have an impact on a drug test, severe dehydration might.
Exercise
The body’s metabolism of THC is not significantly influenced by exercise. However, exercising just before a drug test can help you pass with flying colors.
A tiny experiment of 14 regular marijuana users was conducted by Trusted Source. 35 minutes of exercise on a stationary bike was evaluated in this study. THC concentrations increased significantly, suggesting that exercising right before a drug test might increase the chance of a positive test result according to the results.
According to the study’s authors, exercise may cause fat cells to release THC. People with a higher BMI had greater increases in THC levels, according to their data.
Metabolism
The body must eliminate THC and other metabolic chemicals that have links to THC in order to pass a drug test. People who have faster metabolisms generally eliminate THC more quickly than those who have slower metabolisms.
How to get marijuana out of the body faster
In the end, there are just two solutions for this: decreasing the amount of THC in marijuana and speeding up metabolism. Proper hydration can help prevent a drug test from revealing abnormally high THC levels. This implies that being dehydrated may boost the chances of getting a positive result for persons whose test results are close to good and bad.
There is no known means of increasing the metabolism. Exercise may improve the body’s ability to metabolize THC, but exercising too close to a test might also cause a false positive. The time elapsed since the previous exposure to the time of testing is critical.
Takeaway
The amount of time it takes an individual to metabolize marijuana and eliminate it from their bodies is impossible to forecast. Home tests can assist people in determining whether or not they have used cannabis recently.
Marijuana should be gone or have a very low concentration in 30 days for almost everyone. For occasional users, marijuana may dissolve from the body in 10 days or less.
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