Are you a medical marijuana user who just got a job in his dream company? Well, that’s great! You surely aren’t gonna lose this opportunity, right?
But hey, what about the drug test? I mean cannabis has been legalized in many states across the US. But there are still many workplaces that have a very strict zero-tolerance policy regarding marijuana use.
Hey, we don’t judge people on why they consume cannabis. You may be using it recreationally. Or maybe you are using medical marijuana Riverside CA to treat your medical condition. But rules are rules. And we can’t change them.
So, what are you gonna do? Give up cannabis?
Well, to most cannabis consumers, this may seem like the only choice in such a situation. But still, letting THC out of your system on its own takes time. And what if you don’t have enough time?
The information given below may help you.
How Much THC is in Your Body?
To reach a destination, the first step is obviously finding out how much you need to travel. And the same is true in case of cannabis removal too. You need to know what exactly are you dealing with, i.e. how much cannabis is exactly in your body, as this will help you determine how much time it may take to get rid of it all.
There are a few factors that may help you get an estimate of how much THC or THC-COOH may be present inside your body. Let’s take a look at them.
- Frequency of Consumption
Well, this is pretty obvious. To determine how much THC may be in your body, you must consider how frequently you consume it. Are you a monthly, weakly, or daily consumer? Moreover, when you do consume, are you a single hit person, or do you prefer a full joint? It’s pretty much given that the more often you consume, the more THC will be in your body.
- Your Body Fat
Yes, your body fat also has a role to play in how much THC your body may have. When you consume cannabis, the THC gets stored inside the fat cells, regardless of how much or how frequently you consume. This means, the more fat your body will have, the higher the THC content will you carry.
- The Product You Are Consuming
The amount of THC in your body also depends on the type of product (flower or concentrate) you are consuming. Furthermore, the quality of the products also has a role in determining how much THC will be stored in your body.
- Your Health and Metabolism
It’s a fact that the healthier your body is, the better your chances are to thrive in almost any aspect of life. And here too, it is pretty much the same. As we read before, the THC is mostly stored in the fat cells of the body. So, obviously, the healthier a person is, the lesser are their chances of having THC in the body, as the fat is low. Furthermore, different people have different metabolism rates. And thus, their bodies break THC down at different speeds. Given this, simply maintaining a good lifestyle may also sometimes help you pass your drug test.
For How Long Does The THC Stay in Your System?
Generally speaking, the psychoactive component of the THC may stay active inside your body for around 1 to 2 days after you consume cannabis. But this is only if you are an infrequent user. If you consume marijuana on a regular basis, it may take even longer.
Now, that was all about the psychoactive compound. But what about the THC metabolites?
As per the experts, the average half-life of the metabolites of THC is 7 days. In other words, within 7 days, the amount of THC metabolites in your body reduces to almost half the amount. Having said that, we can assume that the approximate time it may take for the THC metabolites to completely get out of your system can be around 3 to 4 weeks. But again, it depends on your frequency of consumption, amount you consume and your body weight.
Types of Drug Tests
The problem with the drug tests for cannabis is that there are many different types of it. And each test has a different detection window. Another thing you need to be aware of is that most tests, including urine and hair, measure the presence and level of THC metabolites. While a blood test measures the THC itself.
Now, let’s see the different detection times for different types of drug tests.
Urine Test
The time for which the THC may be detectable in the urine depends upon how frequently you consume cannabis. For occasional users, this window may be of around 3 days. For moderate users, it may be anywhere between 5 days to a weak. If you are a daily consumer, THC may be detectable in your urine for up to 15 days. And for chronic users, it may even be more than 30 days.
Saliva Test
For occasional users, THC may be detectable for 1 to 3 days. And for chronic users, it may be up to 29 days.
Blood Test
As per the research, the THC can be detected in the blood within 1 to 2 days of the use. But in case you are a heavy user, this window can stretch up to 25 days.
Hair Test
The window for the THC detection is by far the longest in case of a hair test. In this case, the traces of THC may be found for up to 90 days.
By far, the most common marijuana drug test is urine screening. And if you are being tested for work, mostly the chances are that it will be a urine test.
How to Remove THC From The Body?
Stop Consuming Marijuana Altogether
Well, this is pretty much obvious that you must stop consuming cannabis if you want to pass your drug test. The target here is to remove every trace of THC from your system. And the sooner you’ll stop consuming, the easier will be the job.
Consume a lot of Water
When you are trying to flush something out of your system, nothing can be better than water. So, if you have a drug test coming up, drink as much water as possible for at least 24 to 48 hours prior to the test. This will help you flush the THC off your system by making you pee frequently. However, you must not overdo it, as it will make your urine too dilute. And this will potentially lead to a retest.
Consume Zinc
As per the research, zinc has the ability to adulterate the urine, which may help you produce false test results. Experts say that consuming zinc orally may make the detection of the THC in urine difficult. However, before you consume it, make sure you talk to your doctor regarding its potential side effects.
Detox Drinks
A detox drink has the ability to expel or mask the presence of THC in your urine. They mostly use substances that make you pee frequently so that the THC gets removed from your system. However, many detox drinks are quite expensive. And in case your budget doesn’t allow you to go for it, you may try something homemade, such as coffee or cranberry juice.
Activated Charcoal
The research shows that activated charcoal can bind to the THC metabolites. And this binding stops them from getting into the bloodstream again. This way, activated charcoal can help you speed up the elimination of THC from your system.
The research shows that consuming cannabis is very beneficial for your health. In fact, there are a lot of people who are using medical marijuana Riverside CA to manage some of their medical condition. However, there can be some instances where you may need to go through a drug test. And in that case, the above-given information can very beneficial to you.