After use, cannabinoids reach the hair follicles via small blood vessels and from sebum and sweat surrounding the hair shaft. Drug tests for cannabis measure THC and its by-products or metabolites. These metabolites remain in your system long after weed’s effects have worn off. You can usually feel the effects of edibles within 30 to 60 minutes.
How Marijuana is Processed in the Body
- Call us at to learn more about our Florida substance abuse programs, ways to pay for rehab, and how we can help you find freedom from addiction today.
- Remember, however, that the best way to get weed out of your system is to stop smoking or ingesting it and wait it out.
- However, it took up to 18 days for THC-COOH to be eliminated from urine samples.
Drinking sufficient amounts of water may also help to remove THC metabolites through urine and bowel movements. Getting plenty of sleep can also help to avoid any decreases in metabolism. However, it may take 1–3 hours for effects to peak when cannabis is ingested. There isn’t much you can do to speed up the amount of time it takes for THC metabolites to leave your system. Since hair grows approximately 0.5 inches per month, a 1.5-inch hair segment taken close to the scalp can provide a timeline of cannabis use over the past 3 months.
Smoking Frequency and Marijuana THC Content
More potent cannabis, which is higher in THC, may also stay in your system for longer. Physical activity also lowers BMI and stimulates fat cells to release more THC. Working out helps detoxify the body, boosting the body’s rate of THC how long does it take weed to leave your system metabolization. Cannabis is detectable in the bloodstream within seconds of inhalation. How quickly you experience the effects of weed mostly depends on your method of use. Cleanses and teas may also change the amount of creatinine in the urine, which can affect a urine test.
Blood Tests
Urine and hair tests have a longer detection window from 1–90 days after the last use. Occasional users typically indulge in marijuana infrequently, which generally allows their bodies to clear THC more quickly. For these individuals, THC and its primary metabolite, THCCOOH, can often be detected in urine for about two weeks following use. However, detection may vary based on individual factors such as metabolism and frequency of intake.
Nicolas Rossetti, manager of clinical services of Mobile Health, told Healthline that cleanses and teas have diuretic properties that can lower your THC levels. Working memory is sort of like a mental sticky note – it’s what helps you remember a phone number just long enough to dial it. We use this type of memory countless times each day, from following a conversation to solving problems or remembering directions. The research team looked at brain scans from 1,003 young adults between ages 22 and 36.
Weight and Body Type
Around 77 percent of heavy users and 39 percent of light users had positive tests. No non-users had positive tests, showing that false positives in hair tests are rare. Some effects, such as memory or sleep problems, can last a few days. It’s usually detectable in bodily fluids for 1 to 30 days after last use.1 It may be detectable in the hair for several months.
General Health
One must remember that the repercussions of a positive drug test can be quite damaging. When the liver breaks down THC, it forms at least 80 different metabolites. One of these is THC-COOH, which is what drug tests primarily screen for. Because THC is broken down pretty quickly into molecules called metabolites, it is detectable in the blood for the shortest amount of time. This is good news if you are what is alcoholism undergoing a hematology screening, or if you need to clean your system rapidly. However, even with increasing acceptance of weed, it’s not legal everywhere, and even in places where it is, drug tests may be required for employment or other reasons.
What influences how long tests detect weed?
These therapies help you understand the thoughts and behaviors that drive your marijuana use and learn practical skills for making changes. Mindfulness-based approaches can also help you increase your self-awareness and make conscious choices about your relationship with marijuana. The cost of regularly using marijuana can add up significantly over time. Aside from buying marijuana, there are often related costs for paraphernalia, plus medical consultations or legal documentation in states where it’s regulated. Regular marijuana use can also affect your social life and relationships. Some people find their social circles naturally shift toward others who have similar patterns of substance use, while connections with other friends become more distant.