Why does thc take so long

Alcohol is a physically addictive substance. Detoxing from alcohol without medical assistance is life-threatening. In this section, we explain how to detox safely. In this section, we outline a range of evidence-based addiction treatments. These treatments are available at residential or outpatient rehab clinics across the UK and abroad. Addiction is a disease of the mind and classified as an illness. In this section, we offer information about the most common forms of addiction affecting society in the UK.

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This article was written by Boris MacKey. Cannabis stays in your system for around 30 days and can be detected in your bodily fluids during this period. It can stay in your hair for even longer: hair tests can detect cannabis use for up to 90 days. But whether cannabis use shows up on a test depends on how much cannabis you used, and over what length of time.

Drug tests are more likely to pick up on heavy and frequent use. Working out how long cannabis stays in your system, and whether it will be picked up by a drug test, is not an exact science. In this article, we go through some of the factors which determine the length of time cannabis stays in your system. We also discuss different drug tests, how accurate they are, and how likely they are to pick up cannabis use.

The main drug tests include saliva tests, urine tests, hair tests, and blood tests. These tests measure tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, as well as other cannabinoids. According to one paper , cannabis can be detected in the blood for between 1 and 2 days. Cannabis enters the bloodstream very quickly, especially when it is smoked with edible cannabis it may take longer to do so. It is then metabolised, and the by-products of this reaction can stay in the bloodstream for a while.

One of the most common forms of drug test is the urine test. Some of these questionable techniques include the following. This method entails drinking a lot of water or liquids and urinating several times before the test, then taking vitamin B to add color back to the urine. Although this may lower the percentage of THC found in the urine by diluting it, it will not totally eliminate THC metabolites. Some people will also try to exercise before the test, but that can actually backfire, depending on the test, as it can release stored THC from fat into the blood, according to one study in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Some companies sell various substances and herbal teas that are allegedly capable of "cleaning" the body's system of traces of marijuana. There is little evidence that any of them actually work.

The catch is that most of them have to be used over an extended period of time, during which the body will naturally eliminate THC anyway. This involves adding something to the urine to contaminate the sample.

There are tales of using Visine, bleach, salt, or detergent to the urine sample, but these items are easily detected by the lab. All of them can be detected by the laboratory if a separate test is run for them. It is very difficult to physically overdose on marijuana because the lethal dose is so much higher than the effective dose. Very few marijuana overdoses have ever been reported.

If someone you know has taken too much marijuana, and that is the only thing they have taken, an overdose is highly unlikely, but that doesn't mean that marijuana is not harmful. Psychological distress is possible as is impairment of judgment, both of which can lead to hazardous behaviors that can harm yourself and someone else.

Although rare, people can experience THC toxicity when using marijuana in high doses, especially in the form of edibles. Symptoms can include:. If you or someone you love has a family history of mental illness, it is beneficial for you to consult your doctor before using marijuana.

The concept of "set and setting" is also important. Since people who have taken too much marijuana can experience sensory overload, minimizing overstimulating inputs in the environment can help them to relax. Some people are also more affected by marijuana than others. You may have a prescription for medical marijuana, or you may want to partake of weed or marijuana edibles in states where it is now legal for recreational use at the state level. There is a common perception that you cannot develop a physical dependence on marijuana, but this is not the case.

Psychological dependence is also a consideration. If you discontinue marijuana after regular or heavy use, you may experience symptoms of withdrawal. Signs of marijuana withdrawal include:. If you find that you can't handle symptoms of withdrawal without relapsing, you may be at risk for a substance use disorder. Do not be afraid to seek out professional support from a mental health professional. There are therapists who can help you understand your reasons for using.

They also can help you determine how cannabis use is impacting your life, and how to develop a plan to stop using if that ends up being the best choice for you.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Huestis MA. Human cannabinoid pharmacokinetics. Chem Biodivers. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Updated September A number of things could affect how intoxicated you get after smoking cannabis, said M-J Milloy, the Canopy Growth professor of cannabis science at the University of British Columbia, and research scientist at the B.

Centre on Substance Use. While smoking or vaping cannabis has a very quick effect, he said, it takes longer to feel an effect if you eat it — up to two hours after consuming. Exactly how long it remains, though, is still a matter of debate. An article on urine drug screening by the Mayo Clinic suggests that cannabis can be detected in urine for between three and 30 days.

The urine drug test that Milloy uses in his lab is supposed to detect cannabis use within the last 28 days, he said. Everything we know about the health effects of cannabis. Part of the variation comes from how frequently someone uses cannabis, Mann said. Eventually, all of the THC and its metabolites are expelled via urine and stool. There are other variables that play a role as well, including:. Metabolism slows down with age, so it may take longer for your body to break down and eliminate metabolites as you get older.

Women tend to have a higher proportion of body fat and may therefore hold on to THC for longer than men. Hormonal differences in men and women may also play a role. Because THC is stored in fatty tissue, excess body fat is associated with longer detection times.

Edibles are digested and metabolized more slowly than smoked marijuana, so the THC can linger in your system much longer when you opt for the brownie. Edibles also get you high for much longer. The more THC you consume, the longer it will be detectable in your system. Still, despite these variables, there are some average detection times that we can look to as ballpark figures. If you want to know whether or not an upcoming drug test will detect THC, try to find out what kind of test is being administered.

Consider that:. Urine tests are the most common because they are easy to administer and reasonably accurate.