While the intoxication effects of marijuana can last for up to 6 hours, it stays in your system for much longer (and, neither determining intoxication nor predicting how long it will last in your system is an exact science). First, it is essential to note that it is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that most people refer to when evaluating how long cannabis can stay in your system. Other compounds can also be detected, but drug tests look specifically at THC, the compound responsible for the euphoric effects of marijuana.
According to most experts, cannabis can remain in your system for anywhere from 1 to 30 days after last use and can be detectable in hair follicle drug testing for several months. That’s a wide range in the window of detection, and the range is because many things can affect the longevity of marijuana. Here are 6 factors that can influence how long cannabis stays in your system.
1. Amount of THC consumed
The more THC you consume, the longer it will take your body to break down and eventually eliminate it from your system. However, you also need to factor in the relative strength of what you are consuming and the type of marijuana you consume. For example, some forms of marijuana are stronger than others.
2. Genetics
Genetics can also play a role in how long marijuana stays in your system. Variants of some enzymes, for example, can accelerate the elimination of marijuana in some people. The concentration of these enzymes in your system is often an inherited trait.
3. Frequency of Use
The effects of marijuana can be cumulative, so the more you use it, the more it is apt to be detectable in your system. Overall duration and frequency of use can affect how long marijuana remains in your system, and chronic users retain marijuana in their systems for much longer than occasional users. Research suggests that detection windows for someone using marijuana for the first time are about 3 days. For those who consume marijuana daily or more often, the detection window can last as long as 30 days.
4. Body Fat
Body fat can also affect marijuana detection. THC is fat-soluble, which means it can bind to fat molecules and stay in the system longer. This means people with a body composition that features higher concentrations of body fat may metabolize marijuana more slowly. Age and gender may also be factors, although these, too, may be related to either body fat or metabolic rates.
5. Metabolism
Marijuana is eliminated from the body by normal bodily functions. An individual with a high metabolism will tend to eliminate marijuana and its active metabolite, THC, far more quickly than an individual with a slower metabolism. If you have a high metabolism, your detection window is likely to be far shorter.
6. Types of Drug Tests
The length of time that marijuana can be detected in the system is also dependent on the method used to detect it. For example, urine tests can detect marijuana for 3 to 30 days after use, but blood tests can only reliably test for 3 to 4 hours. Saliva tests can typically detect marijuana for only 24 hours after use, although some can detect the presence of marijuana within 72 hours after use. Hair tests are the most sensitive and can detect THC for up to 90 days after use.
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How Long Does An Edible Stay In Your System?
If you’re stressing over how long will an edible stay in your system, the first thing to understand is there really isn’t any exact science on the topic. It depends on the dose and type of edible, plus your own body’s chemistry and metabolism. Some bodies simply process cannabis faster than others.
To give a very general answer to the question of how long does an edible stay in your system, it’s safe to say the effects can last for anywhere from two to 24 hours. And the THC from a cannabis edible can remain in your blood, urine or saliva for 24 hours to three months. We realize those aren’t very satisfying or specific, so let’s dive into a little more detail.
How Long Do Different Types Of Edibles Stay In Your System?
As mentioned above, how long does an edible stay in your system and keep you high greatly depends on the type of edible you consume. Because different categories of edibles are metabolized in different ways by the body, some will cycle through more quickly than others. Before we jump in, it’s important to note that these time estimates can vary greatly person to person and are totally dependent on the dose.
- Weed brownies, cookies, gummy bears or any other food items are absorbed by the body through the digestive tract, also known as gastrointestinal absorption. These tend to take longer to set in (an hour to an hour and a half) than the other types of edibles on this list. On the other hand, they tend to stay in your system longer with prolonged effects, even up to eight hours in some cases.
- Marijuana tinctures, hard candies, lozenges or anything you keep in your mouth for a while are absorbed sublingually, also known as oral uptake. These tend to be the most fast-acting form of edibles, hitting your system within 15 to 20 minutes, maybe even less.
Consistent edible eaters can expect traces of edibles to stay in their system for anywhere from one month up to three. And if those are particularly potent edibles, you can expect that to lean towards the three-month end.