Marijuana, also known as THC, weed or pot is troublesome drug. There is no exact length of time for how long marijuana stays in the body. There is no set time for how long it would still show up on a hair, saliva, blood or urine test. Numerous factors affect the length of time marijuana stays in the body (may vary between 30 and 120 days since the last time of smoking it). It isn’t a secret marijuana is used commonly, even though it is illegal in many areas of the USA. This is ironic, however, because it doesn’t cause overdose deaths like heroin and other drugs have. If you want to know more about the time frame of marijuana staying in one’s body, you need to know a bit about what it is, how people use it, how it gets abused and how it will affect the body.

[toc]

What Are Some Marijuana Test Rates?

For those who had smoked marijuana within the previous:

• 30 to 45 days might fail the urine THC drug test

• 60 to 75 days might fail a blood THC drug test

• Up to 90 days might fail a hair follicle THC drug test (that looks for the moderate to high levels)

However, due to the way each individual body processed and breaks down the marijuana, the THC levels and time frames could vary for the hair follicle, blood, urine or saliva tests.

~ Call Chapters Capistrano Today for more Information 949-276-2886 ~

What Are the Kinds of Drug Testing for Marijuana?

There are various types of drug testing done to see if someone still has marijuana still in their system.

• Urine testing is one that is most commonly used for marijuana testing. The urine test is usually testing for 9-carboxy-THC, not marijuana itself.

• Blood tests aren’t used as often for marijuana drug testing mainly because there is a smaller window when the marijuana can be detected. The blood test can’t usually turn up positive for marijuana unless it is completed only a few hours after the person smoked or ingested the drug. That is when the THC would still be flowing through one’s bloodstream. Additionally, blood tests won’t identify 9-carboxy-THC which is the compound produced by use of marijuana that lasts longer. The blood test might be used if a member of law enforcement thinks someone is driving while under the influence of this drug.

• The saliva tests will only show up positive a few hours after the last use as well and they can’t detect the metabolites after usage of marijuana either.

• Hair follicle tests may detect the metabolites after those have gone from one’s bloodstream to their hair follicles.

These are the tests done to see if marijuana is still in someone’s system. Law enforcement officers, employers, labs and others may use these tests for drug testing purposes.

What is the Length of Time in Which Marijuana Might Stay in One’s System?

Marijuana isn’t what stays in one’s body for a long time. That is part of why hemp and some marijuana products may not cause failure of drug testing for marijuana itself. The chemicals in marijuana are what stay in the body longer. THC, which is the main part of marijuana, is a chemical that causes the high and stays in one’s body longer.

While THC effect might start wearing down in a few hours of using marijuana, traces can stay in one’s body for many weeks. This happens because marijuana will continue through the bloodstream after going through the lungs. Then the THC will bond to one’s fat cells, where it will start breaking down with time. The time frame for this happening could vary based on different factors, including how much marijuana had been used, how it was used, how frequently it was used and the metabolism of the user.

Two major substances may come up in the drug tests that show marijuana had been used: 9-carboxy-THC (a byproduct of THC when metabolized) and THC. The 9-carboxy-THC may be detectable for longer time frames than the THC would. It should be known that marijuana could show up on a hair follicle, saliva, blood or urine test for 120 days or even more, depending on various factors, so don’t risk it if you may possibly be given a random drug test.

~ Need More Information? Call 949-276-2886 ~

What is THC/Marijuana?

Marijuana is considered a mind-altering drug that is made from sativa Cannabis plants. There are more than 400 chemicals in marijuana. The main chemical is said to be delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC which produces psychoactive properties. Marijuana is also known as dope, grass, weed, pot and some other names. It is illegal in various states as well. Every single year, it is estimated that millions of people smoke marijuana.

How Do People Use Marijuana?

There are many types of methods someone may use to ingest marijuana. The method may determine what length of time it may stay in one’s body. A common way to use marijuana is by hand rolling it which is known as smoking a joint. Some people will use a vaporizer, so they aren’t taking in as much of the smoke. Marijuana may also be cooked in with cookies, brownies and other edibles. Dabbing is another method some people use to ingest marijuana. This is when they use marijuana concentrate which is packed full of THC. If you have become addicted to marijuana through any of these methods, getting addiction treatment immediately may be your best option.

What Ways Might Marijuana Affect the User?

When someone smokes marijuana, it goes through the user’s lungs and then into their bloodstream. When it reaches the user’s bloodstream, the blood will carry those chemicals from the drug to the user’s brain and organs. If someone drinks or eats marijuana, their body may take longer to start absorbing those chemicals. However, that still generally happens in under one hour. Marijuana does affect the user’s brain by stimulating areas of the user’s brain which have receptors and that leads to them getting high. In addition to the high, they may experience mood changes, changes in their senses, impaired movements, difficulty solving problems and issues with their decision making skills. Potential job loss is another risk of using marijuana, since someone who is using could fail the drug test.

What Factors Affect the Length of Time Marijuana May Stay in the User’s Hair, Blood or Urine?

There are various factors that might affect the length of time in which marijuana may stay in the user’s hair follicles, blood and urine. It isn’t the same for every user either.

The frequency that someone uses marijuana is one of these factors. If someone has used this drug for years or they use it very regularly, they have a higher chance of the THC being built up in their body. That means it would stay in their system for longer, even after their last use, than it would for someone with less frequent marijuana use.

Another factor to consider is the THC concentration levels. While not everyone knows this, marijuana doesn’t always have the same potency of THC. If someone is using marijuana with a stronger potency, this may stay in their system for a longer time frame.

The method in which someone uses marijuana is another factor in how long it may stay in their system. If someone has smoked marijuana, generally, their levels of THC may drop between hours and days after their last use. With that being said, it could still show up on a blood or urine drug test for around 45 days or even more. If someone ingests marijuana, it metabolizes slower which means it may be detected longer after the last use.

The metabolism rate of the user is another factor which should be considered. Every person has their own metabolism rate and that affects how long it would take for THC would be broken down in their system.

The user’s weight and general health are other factors to consider in how long marijuana would stay in their system. Since THC is the primary marijuana ingredient and that gets stored in the user’s body fat, someone who weighs less, may be cleared of the THC quicker than someone who weighs more. For example, someone who weighs 110 lbs may be able to pass a drug test days after they last used the drug. On the other hand, someone who weighs 180 lbs may not be able to pass a drug test for weeks after their last use. If someone exercises, eats well and they have good sleeping habits, the THC may clear out of their system quicker as well.

The use of supplements or different drugs can affect how long marijuana stay in one’s system too. There are some drugs which might change someone’s rate of metabolism, which means it would also affect how long it would take to remove THC from their system

The truth is there is not one exact length of time for how long marijuana stays in the system. To prevent ever failing a drug test or becoming addicted to the drug, abstaining from marijuana completely would be the only option.

Want more information about how Chapters Capistrano can help? Feel free to call 949-276-2886 and one of our addiction specialists will help get the information and help you need.