You might be wondering how long cannabis stays in your system. How long does marijuana last in the urine? In extreme circumstances, how long will THC stay in your hair? Drug testing does not look for legal or illegal cannabis use; it solely looks for chemicals like THC.
Cannabis, popularly known as weed, can typically be found in human fluids for 1 to 30 days after the last usage. Like other narcotics, cannabis can sometimes be found in hair for several months, especially in those who use it frequently.
Presently, cannabis for medical and recreational purposes is undergoing reevaluation in Georgia. Depending on how much you use, marijuana can linger in your system and stay detectable in tests for a different amount of time. In general, bigger doses and more frequent use will result in longer detection times. The cannabis detection windows vary depending on how frequently and how much you consume or smoke. Longer detection times are typically correlated with greater dosages and frequent use.
Continue reading to learn more about what is tested, how long THC can stay in the system and other information that can help you understand how your body metabolizes THC.
Cannabis Appearing on Drug Tests
You won't fail a marijuana drug test if you consume hemp or other marijuana-based products since the non-THC components of marijuana do not linger in the body for an extended period. The majority of drug tests, however, are built expressly to find THC. The remaining 10%–20% of the overall dose of THC can persist for considerably longer than the other 80%–90%, which is typically eliminated within the first week. How long THC can be detected in a person's system depends on the testing technique utilized.
How Does the Body Process THC?
THC is converted by the liver into 11-hydroxy-THC and carboxy-THC or is absorbed into various human organs and tissues, including the brain, heart, and fat (metabolites). 20% of cannabis leaves the body through urine, and about 65% is eliminated through feces. The body stores the remainder.
THC kept in bodily tissues over time is eventually released back into the bloodstream and processed by the liver. THC can also be detected on a drug test days or weeks after an individual smokes marijuana because it accumulates in fatty tissues faster than it can be removed in chronic marijuana users.
How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your Body?
THC, a highly fat-soluble molecule, has a very lengthy half-life—the amount of time it takes the quantity of THC in the body to decline by half. How long residual THC levels can remain in the body varies depending on marijuana use. For people who smoked marijuana infrequently, one study discovered that the half-life was 1.3 days. With more regular use, a half-life of between 5 and 13 days was observed.
The sample used determines whether THC may be detected. Variable windows of detection:
For the Saliva test:
With a mouth swab, a rapid, non-invasive drug test is available. On the tongue or the inside of the cheek, a sponge or other absorbent pad is rubbed. Accordingly, THC is significantly absorbed in the mouth, increasing concentrations for several hours after consumption.
For Urine Test:
Urine samples are often the preferred technique of drug testing to detect marijuana usage since THC holds its maximum concentration for the longest time in urine.
For Hair Test:
The detection window for hair testing is long. The hair on the scalp can detect three months of marijuana use. A hair test is most accurate for identifying daily or nearly daily cannabis users but cannot identify modest cannabis usage. One study discovered that 39% of those who self-reported using marijuana lightly and 75% of those who used it heavily tested positive for THC in a hair sample.
For Blood Tests:
Because marijuana only stays in the system briefly, blood tests are rarely utilized to identify marijuana users. This is because while THC enters the bloodstream fast (within minutes of inhalation), its blood levels rapidly decline 3–4 hours after consumption.
What Factors Influence How Long Marijuana Stays in Your System?
There is no specified amount of time that weed can stay in the system; therefore, the time that weed stays in the system depends on various factors. For example, body mass index (BMI) and metabolic rate have less to do with the medicine itself and more to do with how people's bodies process and metabolize it.
Some elements are related to cannabis and how you use it. This covers the dosage, frequency, mode of administration, and potency of the cannabis you consume.
THC may linger in your system longer in marijuana, which is stronger and has a greater THC content. Also, swallowed marijuana can stay in your system a little longer than marijuana that is smoked. The time it takes for marijuana to leave your system tends to grow with higher doses and more frequent use.
Final Thought
Marijuana may persist in your system after your last use for several days to months. The drug test and other elements, such as how frequently you use marijuana, can affect the detection windows. You can't do anything to shorten the time it takes for THC metabolites to leave the body. Once THC has been ingested, it takes time for your body to break it down. Exercise, a good diet, and drinking enough water may help, but not significantly.
You can find kits and cures for cannabis detox. Many call for you to drink a lot of water to thin out your pee, followed by herbal supplements like creatine or vitamin B12 to cover up the thinness. These kits function inconsistently, and consuming much water quickly might be hazardous or even fatal.
Although the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in Georgia is still undergoing some reevaluation, Drug tests are standard practice in society. In several industries, it's frequently utilized to screen potential government personnel and guarantee public safety. Even though the stigma associated with cannabis use is gradually decreasing in Georgia, it's still crucial to understand how drug tests operate and how cannabis use could be discovered.
Applying for a Georgia medical marijuana card might help you protect yourself by ensuring your cannabis use is acknowledged as medical and shared with your employer. With a future or current employer, this can help you more effectively communicate the reality of your cannabis usage, whether for medical or recreational purposes.
Get Ready for Medical Marijuana in Georgia
If smoking is not for you, that's okay! There are plenty of alternate delivery methods including tinctures, lotions, edibles, vaping, and more!
Although there have been setbacks, medical marijuana will be coming to Georgia very soon! We hope 2023 will be the year that Georgia dispensaries finally open up to provide patients the relief they deserve.
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