You may wonder, “how long does weed stay in your system?” There’s no straight answer to this, but it depends on several factors, which we’ll look into later. Weed or cannabis usage leads to the presence of a by-product known as THC.
Cannabis is so popular that it’s used by roughly 4% of the world’s population, according to UN statistics from Drug-Free World. In the USA, more than 94 million individuals have used marijuana at least once in their lifetime, according to the same source.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated that marijuana is the most popular federally consumed illicit drug in the US. At this point, it’s a no-brainer to establish that cannabis/weed/marijuana is a very popular drug.
When and Why Do Employers Drug Test?
Certain employers carry out a mandatory drug screening on prospective hires just before giving them the job. In the case of existing employees, it can be done randomly or at scheduled intervals (quarterly or twice a year). It all depends on the employer. The only way to pass it without cheating – stay sober.
Employers do this to ascertain if their current or prospective employees are sound in mind and body. Organizations that typically carry out drug screening include those in the private security, transportation, government, construction, healthcare, defense, aerospace, education, and information technology industries.
Knowing how long does weed stay in your body is vital because it will help you know what to do if you have a pre-employment screening coming up.
Employers usually subject their prospective employees to a urine test as a prerequisite for a conditional offer of employment. This type of drug test is the most commonly used among employers as well as the only federally-mandated testing method.
Usually, private employers are under no federal mandate to subject their prospective or current employees to drug testing for THC or weed unless it’s an employer in any of the above-mentioned industries.
How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System?
This depends on whether it’s your urine, blood, hair, or saliva, because each of these places has varying detection periods, some much longer than others. Blood has the shortest detection time, while hair testing has the longest period. Let’s see the detection periods for each area or drug test.
- For blood, the general window ranges from 3 hours to 2 days.
- Saliva drug test detection time ranges from 1-3 days.
- For urine, the general window ranges from 3-7 days.
- The hair analysis detection time ranges from 30-90 days.
See the table below for an illustration of how long does marijuana stay in your system.
| User Type | Frequency Of Use | Detection Period For Urine | Detection Period For Blood | Detection Period For Saliva | Detection Period For Hair |
| Light Users | Once weekly | Three days max | 3 hours | 24 hours | 30 days |
| Moderate Users | 3-4 times weekly | Seven days max | About 24 hours | About two days | More than 30 days |
| Heavy/Frequent Users | At least once daily | At least 30 days | Two days | Three days | 90 days |
What Factors Affect How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System?
- THC Dosage: This refers to the quantity of THC in your body. It directly correlates with the frequency of use but doesn’t mean the same thing. The more the dosage of THC in your system, the longer its detection time in the body. Less dosage may mean marijuana stays in your body for hours or days, while more may mean weeks or months in extreme cases.
- Frequency of Use: The more you smoke weed or cannabis, the longer its detection time in your body and vice versa. That’s why a light user has a shorter detection time than a moderate or heavy user. You can refer to the table above to see the varying detection periods for each frequency of use.
- Body Mass Index: Body mass index refers to one’s weight. A higher proportion of body fat is mostly responsible for a heavier weight and vice versa. Body fat is one of the favorite hiding places for THC metabolites. A higher body mass index (BMI) means a longer detection time and vice versa.
- Metabolic Rate: While some people have a slow metabolism, it can be much faster for others. Since the metabolism of the drug or substance in your body has a lot to do with its detection time in your body, the faster the metabolic rate, the shorter the detection time of the drug in your body.
How Long Does Weed Stay in Urine?
The detection window of marijuana in your system largely depends on how long it takes for THC to metabolize in your body. It takes weed or cannabis about twenty hours to be broken down into THC metabolites in your system. After this point, it must have left your bloodstream. On the other hand, the metabolites in your body fat stay for much longer, ranging from 10 days to 2 weeks.
On the flip side, asking “how long does delta 8 stay in your system” or the THC detection times in urine depend on the frequency of weed usage. The higher the frequency, the longer the detection time in your body. If you smoke often, you need a 10-day detox program.
For light cannabis users (once a week), the detection time won’t exceed three days. In the case of moderate users or smokers (3-4 times weekly), cannabis stays in their system for at least five days and may last up to a week. Heavy users (at least once daily) have a detection time of 30 days or more.
How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your Hair?
As we mentioned earlier, hair holds drug toxins for the longest period of time. If you’re a light weed smoker, expect THC metabolites to be in your scalp or hair follicles for as long as 30 days. On the other hand, if you’re a heavy user, the detection period will be nothing short of 90 days. This is just the scalp.
This is much shorter than the detection period of drug toxins in body hair. THC can stay in the armpit or pubic hair for up to a year. However, those “hairs” are never tested. It’s just the one on your scalp.
This is why the hair test is the most feared test. Drug toxins get to the scalp through the blood vessels, feeding the cells on your scalp and hair follicles.
How Long Does THC Stay In Saliva?
Behind blood, saliva is the body fluid with the briefest detection period for THC. When you ingest or smoke weed, THC can be detected in your saliva within minutes and remain in the fluid for 48 hours. This probably doesn’t seem like a big deal because saliva drug tests are not common, and the detection period is brief. However, it can be problematic if your drug screening falls within that period.
How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Bloodstream?
The detection period of weed or cannabis in your bloodstream depends on the metabolic rate. Individuals with a faster metabolic rate have a shorter detection time for weed in their blood and vice versa. This is because drug metabolites from weed leave the bloodstream once the drug is broken down or metabolized.
Another factor that determines how long weed stays in the bloodstream is the frequency of use and dosage. The more you consume or smoke weed, the more THC you’ll have in the body and the longer it will take for THC to remain detectable in the blood. However, the general detection period range falls between 3 hours and two days.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
How Long Does One Smoke Session Stay in the System?
A light or infrequent smoker has a detection period of 3 hours (for blood), one day (for saliva), three days (for urine), and 30 days (for hair).
Are Homemade Remedies Useful?
Well, yes, they are. However, they can’t be relied on if you have an upcoming drug test and you need to detox effectively in record time. Homemade remedies are best used when you have more than enough time to prepare for the drug test. For instance, if you have a month to prepare for the drug test, homemade remedies can be used. Most people resort to homemade solutions because they’re more budget-friendly.
Can I Accelerate My Metabolic Rate?
No, you can’t. You may just be harming your body in an attempt to do so. The best thing is to become familiar with your metabolic rate and work with it.
Can I Pass a Drug Test Without Taking Any Detox Supplements?
Yes, you can. Without taking any detox products, your body will still eliminate drug toxins, given enough time.
Conclusion
The THC drug test is one of the most common tests you’ll encounter as an employee or job applicant. It has also been the bane of many people’s existence because it has prevented them from landing their dream job. The best way to prevent this is to abstain from recreational drug use. The findings in this article will help you better understand the detection windows for THC in the system and estimate the time needed to prepare for a successful drug test.
