How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System: Urine, Blood, Hair?

Police officers usually prefer saliva tests when conducting roadside tests for potential DUI violators, and healthcare providers also use them to monitor substance abuse patients. Using data from the Human Connectome Project, researchers examined participants’ brain function using fMRI scans while they performed various cognitive tasks. Heavy cannabis users consistently showed reduced brain activation during memory-related challenges, suggesting a lasting impact on cognitive processing. The team also found that people who had how long does cannabis stay in your system after quitting recently used cannabis (detected through drug testing) performed worse on memory and movement tasks. However, these short-term effects weren’t as statistically strong as the long-term impacts on memory.

Liver Processing

Exercising more helps because it removes excess fat, which THC binds with. A clean diet is an excellent supplement for fat loss and a healthier lifestyle. The fastest way to expel and eliminate THC from your body is to stop using it. Staying high longer may be challenging if you’re an experienced user because you’ve probably built a tolerance for it. However, some known practices for staying afloat longer might not be factual. Aside from frequency of use, dosage also matters as edibles with higher THC dosage take longer to get expelled from the body compared to low-dosed edibles.

• Additionally, techniques for coping with stress without substances can be effective as individuals learn healthier ways to manage stress.
• Links between cannabis dependence and mental health issues are well-documented.
• Typically, this comes in the form of blood, saliva, or urine tests.
• Although the THC, itself, may only be detected for a time by certain tests, other metabolites of weed can remain much longer.
• However, you should note that this is rarely effective, and screeners can often tell that you have made an attempt to cover your tracks.

Likewise, THC can remain in the blood for about seven days and in hair for up to 90 days. These consist of both active metabolites, which continue to impact the body, and inactive metabolites, which are later excreted. Factors affecting THC metabolism include liver health, which has a huge effect on the rate at which THC is metabolized, since a healthy liver will break down THC more quickly. Just as importantly, individual differences, including genetics, can dictate how this process happens. For example, some individuals naturally metabolize THC faster because of genetic differences causing them to have more active forms of liver enzymes. Knowing these individual factors may help you better understand how your body processes THC and what to expect from detox.

Avoid processed or high-fat foods, which can slow your body’s ability to flush THC. Staying hydrated is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support the detoxification process. Staying hydrated with water can help speed THC metabolite release through urination, so get in a minimum of 8-10 cups per day.

Saliva Test Detection Timeline

The research indicates that users may benefit from periods of abstinence before cognitively demanding tasks, though the optimal duration of such breaks remains unclear. When it comes to drug testing, the answer largely depends on the form of THCA you consume. Raw THCA itself is unlikely to show up on a standard drug test, as most tests are designed to detect THC metabolites—and THCA is not psychoactive in its natural state. However, if you consume cannabis that has been decarboxylated (for instance, by smoking or vaping), the resulting THC will be detectable in drug tests. The duration that THCA stays in your system is not straightforward, as it depends on multiple factors that vary from person to person.

Marijuana: Duration & Onset

However, the only test that reached statistical significance was working memory, such as remembering a shopping list or following verbal instructions. More frequent use of marijuana damages the brain’s working memory, which could lead to issues with safety, communications and work success, a new study found. This was a cross-sectional study, meaning it cannot definitively prove causation.

Smoking Habits

• But you should still stay away from edibles between one and three days from your test.
• When it comes to drug testing, the answer largely depends on the form of THCA you consume.
• Fruit pectin is a starch derived from the cell walls of produce; it’s often found in jams and preserves.
• Addiction to marijuana is frequently misunderstood, and there are still many people who believe that it isn’t possible for a person to become addicted to the substance.
• Since a drug test is looking for a particular concentration of metabolites, creating a lower concentration will help you pass.
• The best way to pass a drug test is to stop using weed well in advance.

However, the study does add scientific evidence to long-standing social beliefs about regular cannabis use, Boyd said in an email. Working memory acts as a mental sticky note—it helps you remember a phone number long enough to dial it or follow directions without constantly checking your GPS. This type of memory is crucial for everyday tasks, from holding conversations to problem-solving. First, does drinking water somehow increase the amount of THC metabolites you excrete?

If you are seriously concerned (and/or the thought of drug testing makes you anxious), your best bet is to hold off on consumption. Or at the very least, minimize your weed intake for the time being. After all, it’s impossible to know exactly how long weed will show up in your system. Weed stays in your bloodstream for a shorter period compared to other methods of testing. Typically, THC can be detected in the blood for 1 to 2 days after use, but with heavy or chronic use, it can be detectable for up to a week. Blood tests are usually used to detect recent use because THC leaves the bloodstream relatively quickly compared to urine or hair tests.

Additionally, it focused only on young adults and did not account for differences in cannabis potency or consumption methods. Working memory is sort of like a mental sticky note – it’s what helps you remember a phone number just long enough to dial it. We use this type of memory countless times each day, from following a conversation to solving problems or remembering directions. Their analysis found that the risk of psychosis declines following the cessation of cannabis use with the risk being less for those who have ceased use for longer. Whether you’re a medical or recreational user, we’ve got you covered. In terms of how long a marijuana high lasts, in general, a smoked or vaped high lasts 1-4 hours and a high from edibles lasts 4-10 hours.