How Long Does Cannabis Stay in Your System?

It’s an age-old question. No matter if you are an experienced user or just starting with marijuana use, you may be wondering how long does cannabis stay in your system.

Cannabis is now being used by many people, whether for medical or recreational purposes. Most states in the United States have legalized the use of medical marijuana or cannabis, while other countries like Canada have fully approved cannabis for medical and recreational purposes. Thus, more people than ever are using cannabis for their therapeutic or other needs.

Personal use of marijuana could be a problem in places that still haven’t rolled out a complete legalization, but also in those places where it’s fully legal. For a lot of professions, employers demand mandatory drug testing to check if you are perhaps using any substances, including marijuana. 

As for how long does it stay in your system, most studies show that cannabis can stay and be detected in your body from one to 30 days. However, compounds like THC can still be traced in the hair for several months, even after cannabis has entirely left the system.

This would be still different for regular users, as frequent exposure usually means that cannabis can stay in the system for several months, with the longest duration recorded as more than 90 days. There are several tests that can show cannabis presence in the body. THC and its metabolites can be detected through samples of urine, blood, saliva, hair, and other bodily fluids. 

Cannabis Detection via Various Bodily Fluids

As mentioned, there are several ways to detect whether weed is still inside your system. Usually, a drug test would be done to achieve detection through measurement of metabolites in the sample taken. Those metabolites are the byproducts of weed, or more specifically THC. 

Urine testing

According to studies, weed/cannabis can be detected in your urine depending on the amount of weed/cannabis consumed, or as listed below: 

• Occasional users, three times a week: 3 days 
• Moderate users, four times a week: 5 to 7 days 
• Regular users, daily usage: 10 to 15 days
• Chronic heavy users, using weed several times every day: 30 days and more 

Urine testing is the most common testing method to detect cannabis in the body since cannabis metabolites are fat-soluble and tend to bind with fat molecules inside the body. These metabolites are then excreted in the urine. 

Blood testing

As for how long cannabis stays in your blood, that can vary greatly. Metabolites in the blood can be traced within one to two days after use, but in some cases THC presence in the system has been reported even after 25 days. The window of time in terms of detection may also depend on the amount and frequency of cannabis used. A blood test is one of the fastest ways of detection since weed can be detected in your bloodstream within seconds after inhaling. Smoked flower is rapidly distributed to the organs and body tissues, and metabolites can remain in the system for a couple of days. 

Saliva testing

Another way of detecting cannabis in your body system is via saliva testing. Cannabinoids can be detected in oral fluids within a certain period of time after consuming cannabis, as shown below: 

• Occasional users: 1 to 3 days
• Regular users: 1 to 29 days at the most

The ways in which weed can get detected in the saliva is through smoking or exposure to weed smoke. The metabolites can only be detected in the saliva if the weed being used has been smoked/inhaled or ingested.

Hair testing

The most precise way to detect long-term cannabis use is through hair testing. Hair follicles can hold the metabolites up to 90 days after consumption. The metabolites reach hair follicles via small blood vessels after consumption, and they remain in the hair. Testers can use a 1.5-inch (3.80 cm) segment of hair for drug testing as this is enough to show cannabis use for the past three months.

What Factors Are Affecting the Length of Time THC Stays in the Body?

Several factors can affect the duration of cannabis metabolites in the human system, either shortening or lengthening it. However, none of these factors depend on the amount of cannabis taken but rather on how each individual body processes cannabis. So, common factors affecting the length of stay of cannabis inside your body include: 

• Your age 
• Gender (women may metabolize marijuana a bit slower than men)
• Body Mass Index (BMI)

Then, there are other factors that should be considered, as follows:

• Amount of dose
• Frequency of use
• The potency of the product
• Route of administration (e.g., ingestion rather than smoking)

The most important factor from the second list is the potency of cannabis. If a certain product has a very high concentration of THC in it, weed is more likely to stay longer in the system. In terms of frequency, occasional users are supposed to process THC much faster than everyday smokers. But ultimately there are no fixed rules, and each human body is different. 

Can Anything Be Done to Remove THC Faster from Your System? 

If you’re looking for a universal solution or a detox program that can significantly speed up the process of removing weed from your system — things like that doesn’t quite exist. Or even if there is a program that can detox your body, it won’t work for everyone. Again, the question of how long weed or THC metabolites stay in the body depends on individual users and how long the body takes to process all byproducts from cannabis consumption. Exercise, healthy diet, and staying well hydrated can somewhat help in the process, but the effect is never immediate. Rather, flushing out THC from the system always takes place gradually.

In anticipation of drug testing, some cannabis users try to dilute their urine by drinking lots of water and liquids in the days before the test, alongside using herb supplements to mask the dilution process. You can always look for weed detox remedies and kits that can be found and purchased on the internet, but some of those things can also be scam. So, it’s good to be cautious and aware that not everything purchased online is reliable or promotes health. 

In conclusion, weed/cannabis can stay in your system from a single day up to 90 days, or even more. The slower your body metabolizes cannabis, the longer it will stay in your body. So, this is also a question of how physically active you are and whether you engage in sports and workout. There are always multiple factors to consider in terms of how long does cannabis stay in your system, and those factors are usually related to the ability of your body to process and remove THC metabolites that deposit in various parts of the body. 

There is little you can do to speed up this process artificially. Mostly because flushing out THC from your system is dependent on the body’s metabolism speed, its ability to digest any consumed products, and its ability to remove byproducts in the process. A health professional can assist you with recommendations and tips on how to detox your body and stay fit. 

If you are anticipating a test for drug screening at work, or if no use of any drug is a requirement to get the job or stay on the position, in that case it’s best to refrain from any weed consumption. If you need to take cannabis for medical reasons, check for workplace protections in the state where you live. 

Also read on Soft Secrets:

- THC Metabolite 11-OH-THC as Potent as THC, Shows Study

- NBA Removes Drug Testing for THC

- Weed Rules Deter Young People from Government Jobs

This article was last updated on November 6, 2024