THC Drug Test & How Long Does Cannabis Stay in Your System?
At one time of another, you’ve likely found yourself wondering “how long do edibles stay in your system?” There comes a point in every canna-sseur’s life where the effects of cannabis on your body come to question. This couldn’t be more true for those of us consuming medical marijuana in states where recreational consumption is not legal. As research continues to build a convincing case on the positive effects of marijuana consumption, more and more people are becoming interested in exploring the plant and its numerous applications.
With all the curiosity, a common question can arise for those of us not living in a legal state; how long does marijuana stay in your system? Cannabis use is on the rise thanks to the recent recreational marijuana laws in Colorado and other states. We wanted to know, so we did a little research. Let it be known, we’re no experts on the human body – nor how quickly each individual rids their body of things flowing through their bloodstream – but…
Now we’ll teach you what we know and let you decide!
How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your System?
Many THC drug test studies have looked for answers to the question, how long cannabis stays in your system? The answer to this question greatly depends on your individual body type, how much water you consume and other variables that differ from person to person. What really matters is whether you’re smoking or eating your marijuana, and how much you consume.
Smoking marijuana has been found as the fastest way to show traces of THC in your system – It happens almost instantly after your first hit. However, they say subjects in a recent study, who were not considered regular marijuana smokers, had a significant drop in THC after the first 9 hours of smoking a 2 gram joint. Their levels quickly fell from a moderate count in the first 10 minutes of smoking to almost no trace of THC by the end of their high. Pretty interesting stuff, right?
What if you’re eating edibles?
How Long Do Edibles Stay in Your System?
With the recent boom in Cannabis edibles in Colorado, many consumers want to know how long do edibles stay in your system? How long do edibles stay in your system? Different factors affect edible consumption compared to other marijuana products that you ingest.
Oral ingestion of MMJ leads to a very different pattern of THC levels in our bodies. They actually were shown to have a much longer and stronger presence in our system. Participants given 20mg THC cookies were shown to have reached peak THC levels between 1 to 5 hours following consumption. Another interesting fact about consuming the plant is that THC levels were not impacted by the participant’s tolerance to smoking or eating marijuana. A few of the patients even showed traces of THC in their system 50 hours after their first bite.
You should also be aware of cannabis in your blood…
How Long Does Weed Stay in Your Blood?
The thing is, THC is actually being studied for the positive effects it has in our blood system. Many people are convinced it helps prevent cancer, and the spread of existing cancers in the body. Also, it helps as an alternative method to heal mental disorders, eating disorders and many other things people struggle with in life.
So, for how many days DOES marijuana stay in your system? Well, let’s take a look at it. A lot of people look at thirty days as the general rule of thumb but that is not a number that you can count on as being truly accurate. The answer to the question: “How long does weed stay in your system?” is … “It Depends.”
If you’re a regular weed smoker, you won’t pass a THC drug test…
Why Are THC Drug Tests Still Common?
Depending on what state you live in or what type of employment you have, you may find yourself subjected to a drug test. For marijuana users, this can pose a real problem. Knowing how long marijuana stays in your system is a must. But also understanding why marijuana is still common on standard drug tests may offer further insight into THC drug tests.
Do you wonder how long does cannabis stay in your system when compared to cocaine? That has to do with the science of how they test. Simply put, when you smoke marijuana, you are ingesting the cannabinoid known as THC. When your body starts processing the THC, a new chemical is formed. This is called THC-COOH, which, unfortunately for smokers, stays in our systems much longer than THC. Urine tests test for the new chemical, not the THC. There really is no such thing has a THC drug test when it comes to urine testing.
Not all drug tests are created equal…
What Factors Affect Your Marijuana Drug Test Result?
FIRST, what kind of test is it?
There are multiple drug detection tests available. Most often used is the standard urine test. This is going to show a clear screen before a blood or hair follicle test would. While 30 days will work in most scenarios for the urine test, a smart bet is to pick up an at-home drug test before the working screening and double check to be safe. One study found attempted to answer the question, how long does cannabis stay in your system, by testing chronic smokers. These smokers that had trace amounts of THC-COOH in their system for up to 77 days! That is quite a long time to go without for a job interview.
So, how long does weed stay in your blood?
According to, California NORML, chronic or regular users have a chance of a positive urine test for 7-100 days. When testing blood, this is only 2-7 days. One time users show 1-7 days in urine and 24 hours in the blood. This is because of the different ways that the tests are made. Physiological factors play a part in determining the length of time that marijuana stays in your system, including your metabolism.. Do you metabolize quickly or slowly?
But how long does weed stay in your hair?
When it comes to hair follicles, California NORML states that one-time users are unlikely to be flagged. Chronic or regular users, however, can have traces of weed in their hair follicles for months – or even years. The length of your hair also is a factor as if you have a history of smoking, the grown out parts of your hair likely still contain traces of THC.
SECOND, how much THC is in the weed you are smoking?
Stronger strains can last longer.
Are you not sure if you’re smoking THC? Are you using medicinal marijuana? What cannabis extraction methods were used to create the product you’re consuming? CBD strains, often used for medicinal purposes, offer numerous health benefits but do not have the “high” feeling that THC does. Your employer may not test for this type of cannabis use; however, many strains contain both CBD and THC.
THIRD, this one is very important, how much cannabis do you smoke?
If you have smoked once in your life on vacation in Colorado, you will be able to pass a drug screen much sooner than the seasoned connoisseur who smokes every day. The more often you smoke, the more the drug builds up in your system. Regular smokers will need quite a bit longer cannabis free before taking a drug test.
THE BOTTOM LINE – HOW LONG DO EDIBLES STAY IN YOUR SYSTEM
Based on what we can find, the amount of time THC stays in your system really depends on the individual. The real scoop? It’s pretty unlikely that everyone would have the same results. We’re all different and our systems all work at a different pace. We’d like to think that these studies are beginning to prove that not only is THC consumption a healthy alternative to medicating, it’s also being shown to improve your daily life.
This information is not to be used or combined in efforts to test negative to a test. The Spot 420 cannot be held liable for any negative personal impacts from decisions made based off this content.
