How Long Does Weed Stay In Your System (Urine, Blood & Hair)?
In case you’re wondering how long does weed stay in your system you must already know that weed’s presence in your body doesn’t end when the high wears off. Indeed, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the well-known chemical that gives us that ‘high’ feeling, can stay in your system for several days or even weeks.
Some factors that influence the question ‘how long does weed stay in your system?’ include test sensitivity, body fat, gender, hydration, metabolism, and usage.
Join us as we discover the ins and outs of how long it takes for weed to leave your system and all about it.
Why should you know how long marijuana can stay in your system?
Whether you’re ensuring you’re clean for your current job, a new job, university, or your upcoming travel plans, it’s best to stay on top of things. First, you need to know how long THC can stay in your system after you’ve consumed it.
You need to have a clean drug test for certain aspects of life, and failing this could be detrimental to your future. Luckily we have your back in knowing how long does it can take for marijuana to leave your system to ensure you pass your drug test.
How long does weed stay in your system?
THC is known as a lipid-soluble compound. It binds to the body’s fat molecules, which increases the time it takes for your body to metabolize it completely.
Tests can detect weed in your urine, salivary glands, blood, and hair. Each remains for a specific time after you last consumed THC.
So, how long does marijuana stay in your system?
How long does THC stay in urine?
When testing for THC, the classic pee-in-a-cup method is the most commonly used. How long marijuana will stay in your urine all depends on how frequently you consume it:
- Infrequent consumer (around three times per week): three days
- Moderate consumer (four times per week): five to seven days
- Persistent consumer (every day): 10 to 15 days
- Persistent heavy consumer (multiple times per day): more than 30 days
How long does THC stay in saliva glands?
Authorities can also detect marijuana through your saliva; this method is a staple for roadside testing, so how long does THC stay in saliva glands?
- Occasional consumer: one to three days
- Chronic consumer: one to 29 days
How long does THC stay in your blood?
Weed usually stays in your bloodstream for one to two days, yet there have been cases where it was detected up to 25 days later. Constant heavy use increases the timespan of how long it can take for weed to leave your system. Blood testing, however, is usually used to indicate more recent use of marijuana.
Related & recommended content: “Can you donate plasma if you smoke weed?”
How long does weed stay in your hair?
Surprisingly, your hair follicles could be the reason you fail a drug test up to 90 days after you consume weed!
The detection period depends on your hair length. Since the average human hair grows roughly 0.5 inches per month, a 1.5-inch hair section taken from your scalp can reveal a window of THC use for the previous three months.
Six factors that can affect how long it can take for weed to leave your system
Several factors affect how long weed could stay in your body. For example, your age, weight, or gender aren’t associated with the cannabis itself but with how your body metabolizes the marijuana.
Other factors are associated with the weed directly and how you use it, namely your doses and frequency. Higher, more frequent doses tend to increase the time of how long it could take weed to get out of your system.
Here are six factors that can affect how long it can take for weed to leave your system:
Test sensitivity
A variety of THC tests can be done, such as urine, hair, blood, or saliva tests, and each has different sensitivities. For example, more sensitive tests can recognize lower amounts of THC present.
Body fat
As mentioned before, fat molecules store THC; therefore, people with a higher body fat percentage metabolize weed slower than a person with less.
Body fat also plays a role in gender and how long weed is in your system for
Gender
Usually, women have more body fat than men, so a woman’s body would take longer to metabolize the THC after consuming marijuana.
Hydration
Dehydration increases the THC concentration in your body.
Hydration might just be your cheat code when passing a drug test. However, don’t rely on it too much as the hydration claim is very controversial in whether it works or not.
Metabolism
For a negative drug test, your body must first process and get rid of all the THC in your system. Some people have fast metabolisms, and others not.
Bodies with quicker metabolisms can remove THC at a faster rate than those with slower ones.
Frequency of usage
It’s impossible to predict how long weed will stay in your system because, as you’ve learned, there are a few factors that affect it.
Here is a ‘how long does marijuana stay in your system’ chart (remember these are estimations and can alter depending on one’s frequency of use and dosage).
| Usage | Estimate of detection time chart |
| One time only | Between 4-8 days |
| 2-4 times per month | 10-18 days |
| 2-4 times per week | 20-35 days |
| 5-6 times per week | 30-50 days |
| Everyday use | About 50-70 days after last use |
Things you can do to shorten how long it takes for weed to get out of your system
These things could be your cheat codes to how long it takes for weed to get out of your system.
However, these actions are controversial and could just be stoner myths, but rather give them a try than fail an upcoming drug test!
1. Detox pills
If you’re running out of time and your drug test is coming up in the next 5-15 days, detox pills are the perfect option.
Detox pills speed up the time your body metabolizes toxins, therefore reducing how long weed will stay in your system.
2. Conduct a natural marijuana detox
If you don’t want to buy and take detox pills, try THC detox the natural way.
Someone who stays healthy and in shape can get rid of THC in their body within 4-6 weeks by maintaining a nutritious diet, drinking lots of water, and exercising daily.
3. Try a home remedy
Lemon Juice and Water
Lemon juice is full of antioxidants like vitamin A and C, which eliminate toxins from the body.
To make this drink, mix one tablespoon of lemon juice into 500ml of water and sip throughout the day. Try to drink this mixture 6-7 times a day leading up to your drug test.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial properties that help your body rid itself of toxins and shorten how long it can take for weed to leave your system—It reduces traces of THC in your body.
To make this drink, mix eight ounces of distilled water with two tablespoons of unfiltered apple cider vinegar. To make this mixture taste a bit better, try adding a sweetener like honey.
Key takeaways about how long does weed stay in your body
It’s difficult to know precisely how long weed is in your system after you’ve consumed it. As you’ve learned, it varies from person to person and depends on the various factors mentioned.
One could try the detox route before an upcoming drug test but remember that it’s not something to rely on fully.
You can never learn too much. We recommend reading about what THC does to brain and body. Who knows, maybe you could discover your own detox method.