Those who use cannabis often will know that while it is enjoyable to consume, getting it out of your system can be a real task. We would even go so far as to say that most people using cannabis are not aware of its exact effects and how it can impact their bodily functions. This is true for both the short-term and the long-term effects of THC.
Cannabis does not have effects that are as intense or psychoactive as some other recreational drugs. However, that does not mean that ridding your body of its influence will be easy.
In this article, we will take you through the specifics of how cannabis affects your body and how you can get it out using a few store-bought products and some natural solutions. So, let us get started.
Is It Likely For Cannabis To Stay In Your Body For Too Long?
Generally speaking, yes, cannabis can stay in your body for far longer than you would expect or want it to. More often than not, those people who are preparing to face a drug test ponder over how and when the cannabis they consumed will leave their system. While cannabis can stay in your body for weeks, it does not always do so.
Several factors influence how your body reacts to cannabis and how long it retains its effects. After all, not everyone is built the same, so it makes perfect sense that not everyone’s body stays under the influence of cannabis for the same period. Below, we will explore the effects of cannabis and some of the main factors that affect how long it can stay in your body.
Those who wish to get this drug out of their system as soon as possible first need to understand how it works, which is why we will elaborate on its effects.
What Are the Common Effects Of Cannabis?
The most common effect of cannabis usage is the feeling of being ‘high.’ This is often referred to as heightened sensory perception and a strange elation. However, while users are acutely aware of how cannabis makes them feel, they do not always understand that it is the delta-9 component contained in it that gives it its psychoactive effects.
Once the delta-9 — or THC — finds its way into your body, it begins to take effect, and the feeling emerges gradually and can stay for hours. This feeling is what makes cannabis such a desirable and popular recreational drug, and it is also why so many cannabis products are favored by those who wish to soothe their stress or anxiety.
Cannabis is not only associated with making users feel high, but it is also associated with helping users relax and sleep better. This could explain why most people prefer consuming cannabis in the evening or at night rather than during the earlier part of the day. Many people even report this drug helps fuel their creative juices and helps them focus on creating pieces of art.
What seems to be clear from reports from people who have used cannabis for years is that its effects seem to be overwhelmingly positive. THC is known to have had a good impact on those who consume it regularly in more ways than one. In addition, most of those who use it report experiencing little to no side effects, making it more desirable and contributing towards its popularity.
However, as is the case with all drugs, some do not prefer to use cannabis, and some users report heightened feelings of anxiety after they use cannabis. In a small number of cases, such users found they eventually developed a tolerance for it and started experiencing its more positive effects. However, this is not always the case.
Those who do not suffer from anxiety, and, therefore, have not experienced the aforementioned effects, report heightened feelings of being nervous or on edge instead. Either way, cannabis did not seem to have had a desirable effect on them and, therefore, did not prompt continued use. However, this is quite rare, and most people either enjoy its positive effects from the get-go or grow accustomed to its negative effects until they transition into something better.
However, the feelings of being high and experiencing a drop in anxiety levels are some of the more common and superficial benefits associated with THC usage. Some users claim to use cannabis because of its more profound effects, like soothing pain. Those who do not want to rely on traditional medication to relieve their pain often turn to cannabis products to either make it more bearable or eliminate it — at least for a while.
Some studies have even shown the link between cannabis usage and better general health. If these studies are to be believed, improved mental health due to cannabis usage that helps them release stress can be associated with better physical health as well. However, one must remember not everyone experiences cannabis in the same way, and one man’s treasure may be another’s curse.
The ‘curse’ here refers to cannabis addiction, of course. While it is not exactly easy to get hooked on cannabis, addiction is a problem, especially among those who have no prior experience using THC. In addition, withdrawal can sometimes cause breakdowns or hallucinations, among other side effects.
So, as you can see, cannabis can have both positive and negative effects, depending on several factors. Let us explore these factors in detail below.
How Long Is It Before You Feel the Effects of Cannabis Fade?
Everyone experiences cannabis differently, and, therefore, it is no surprise it can affect some people longer than it can affect others. While it is not easy to keep track of when and how the THC you consumed begins working on your system, it may be useful to try to pinpoint the exact time you start feeling strange or unusual after consumption.
How long it takes the effects of cannabis to fade from your system depends mainly on how you consume it. While, initially, most people preferred smoking cannabis, the THC market is now flooded with cannabis products that are edible and easy to digest, thereby releasing its effects.
Once you smoke cannabis, it makes its way into your bloodstream almost immediately, thereby allowing you to experience its effects quicker than other consumption methods. You would only need to wait a few minutes to start feeling a little differently when you smoke cannabis. Since this is something more experienced users enjoy rather than novices, the latter generally begin their THC journey with edible products.
After you smoke it, you can expect to feel the effects of cannabis active in your body for about a couple of hours. Somewhere around the three-hour mark, its effects begin to fade, and you will go back to normal, likely feeling a little more relaxed than you did before you smoked it. However, this is a shorter period compared to how long cannabis can stay in your body when consumed orally.
If you choose to consume THC in food or drink, you will likely experience its effects after hours (or at least 30 minutes) — once your body can digest it properly. This is why new users favor edibles, as they do not want cannabis to hit them. Instead, they want its effects to creep up on them so they can grow accustomed to how it feels over time.
Not only do you experience the effects of cannabis hours after you consume it with food or drink, but you may also feel them fading more gradually than you did with smoking it. This is the main reason why it is never a good idea to have a drug test right after you ate cannabis edibles.
There is no definitive answer to how long exactly cannabis can stay in your system, though. The frequency of usage and other factors play a significant role in determining how long it can take cannabis to fade from your body as well. Therefore, you should not rely on this factor alone and take the others into account along with it to ensure you are well prepared to flush it out of your system as quickly as you need to.
Regularity of Usage
Regularity of usage is one of the most influential factors determining how long cannabis can stay in your body. The length of time here depends on how you consumed cannabis. Those who consume THC in the form of food or drink can experience its effects for longer than those who smoke it.
Those who have barely begun their adventures with cannabis usage can expect it to stay in their system for anywhere between three and four days. Considering this is a recreational drug, this is quite a reasonable period in which you can hope to flush out the traces of THC from your system. The three-day mark is to be expected when smoking cannabis, not consuming it orally.
Oral consumption can cause it to stay in your system for about a week. This time frame not only applies to first-time users but also to those who do not use cannabis very regularly, with long intervals in between each use. Therefore, if you are new to the world of cannabis, you can see why it probably is not wise to schedule a drug test for the same week in which you have consumed cannabis for the first time.
Those who are advanced users and consume cannabis fairly regularly can expect it to stay in their body for about a week, even when smoked. The more frequently you use cannabis, the longer you can expect it to stay in your body, in other words. The most regular cannabis users smoke it every second day, which is roughly four times a week.
The longest cannabis stays in the bloodstream is in the bodies of those who are addicted to it. Such users subject themselves to its effects every day, sometimes even several times a day. For addicted users, when cannabis is consumed orally, it can stick around in their system for nearly 30 days, even if not consumed at all during this period.
So, as you can see, the regularity of cannabis usage cannot be undermined as one of the main factors contributing to how long it stays in your body.
The Strength of the THC
Also known as the potency of THC, the strength of the cannabis product you consumed can affect the duration for which it lingers in your body. While this factor seems to confuse a lot of people, it is not very difficult to figure out the potency of a cannabis product. You only need to log on to the website of any THC brand you wish to purchase from and take a look at the product pages carefully.
On each product page, you will see details regarding the flavors, potency, and ingredients of the products. People consider the potency of the THC products they use because it can dictate how they fare on a drug test. The more potent a cannabis product, the more likely it is to register on a drug test. Remember, it is not always the quantity of cannabis you have had that matters, but the potency.
After all, in many cases, people consume a small amount of cannabis expecting its effects to fade quickly, not realizing that what they consumed was extremely potent. Therefore, new THC users need to be especially careful about the potency of the cannabis products they consume. Starting with high potencies can cause some nasty side effects among inexperienced users, even if these effects do not last very long.
The reason you can trust the potencies mentioned on the product pages of reputed THC brands is that third-party labs test their products. Since this testing is independently conducted, you can expect the results to be reliable and accurate, thereby giving you a clear idea of how potent each product is. The most potent products typically contain the most delta-9 THC, which is what gives them their potency in the first place.
Only the most advanced THC users opt for the products with the highest delta-9 concentrations. The more potent a cannabis product is, the more high or euphoric it can make a user feel. In other words, more potent products have more intense effects on those who consume them.
Therefore, if you have a drug test coming up, you should ideally not consume cannabis at all. But, if you must, then opt for products that are not very potent.
Another factor that can determine whether or not you will test positive for drug usage is the kind of drug test you are up against. As discussed above, it takes different amounts of time for different people to feel the effects of cannabis fading from their bodies, so it is always a good idea to take all of these factors into account before taking your test.
This will give you an idea of how long cannabis can take to be detected on the most common drug tests:
- Hair test or hair follicle test: This test is not very common, but it may be the most sophisticated test involved in checking THC consumption. The hair follicle test is one of the most effective drug tests, as it can determine whether you used cannabis up to three months before the test. Although these tests are quite effective, their results are not always considered reliable, which is why they are not used as much.
- Blood test: Blood tests are very common drug tests meant to detect THC usage. These tests generally pick up any THC usage between three hours and two days before the test.
- Urine test: This is one of the more reliable THC detection tests, which is why it is widely used. A urine test will ideally be able to determine cannabis usage for up to 48 days before the test.
- Saliva test: Also known as an oral test, this test is not very advanced and can only detect cannabis usage between one and three days.
While we have covered most of the factors associated with how long cannabis can stay in your body, covering all of them would be well beyond the scope of just one article. However, the aforementioned factors exert the most influence on how your body reacts to and retains the effects of cannabis. As you can imagine, other factors, such as the kind of lifestyle you follow, the medication you consume, and more, can also affect it.
Sometimes, even factors outside of your control, such as your height and age, can also determine how quickly you can expect to get rid of cannabis from your body. In other words, you can never be sure of how long cannabis will stay in your body, so it is always better to be safe than sorry regarding your cannabis usage before an impending drug test.
How Long After Cannabis Consumption Can You Hope To Pass A Drug Test?
Most people are concerned with how long they need to wait after using cannabis to take a drug test, mainly because they want to pass it. There are very few workplaces that permit their employees to work with them when experiencing the effects of recreational drugs, and for a good reason.
As we discussed in every section above, the period of time it will take cannabis to stay in your system cannot be pinned down by one factor alone. All of the aforementioned factors working in tandem dictate when you can safely take a drug test after you last consumed THC. Even if you are consuming a relatively less potent cannabis product, you should beware of it showing up on a drug test, because there is a likely chance it will.
The best route to take here is to steer clear of all cannabis products weeks or months before your scheduled drug test. Remember, you do not get a second chance if you fail one. So, if you are an experienced cannabis user, you may have to wait even longer before you can hope you pass your test. This is especially true for those who prefer cannabis edibles over joints.
Since THC that is digested sticks around in your body for longer than THC that is inhaled, you may want to lay off those edibles before a test. It may also be a good idea to find out what kind of drug test you will be taking well in advance so you can prepare for it accordingly.
Since hair follicle tests and urine tests can detect THC consumed months before the test, it makes sense to prepare for these the most. You may have to stay away from both smoking and orally consuming cannabis before either of these tests. While blood and saliva tests do not usually register THC consumed months prior, it would be advisable to avoid it at least a couple of weeks before these tests.
If you are still confused about how these tests work and how long you need to stay away from cannabis before your test, do not fret, as several reputed THC brands often make such information available to their customers. So, the brand you are planning to purchase from may mention how long you will need to wait for a drug test after you have used its product.
Even if this information is readily available to you, it is not wise to ignore the other determinants we have outlined in previous sections. After all, these factors exert an influence over how THC affects your body, regardless of the brand you choose to purchase from.
How To Reduce Cannabis Levels In Your Body: Best Methods Of Cannabis Detoxification
There is no one sure-shot method of eliminating cannabis from your body before a drug test, so no method is 100% reliable here. However, with the right products, you can successfully reduce the level of THC in your body, which could improve your chances of passing a drug test. You have to remember that no drug test can detect cannabis, as they all detect THC.
Therefore, you will need to figure out ways in which you can reduce the level of THC in your body, and several manufactured solutions could help you with this. These solutions have shown themselves to be effective and perfectly safe to use. Alternatively, if you would rather rely on natural solutions instead, you could always opt for the ones we have mentioned later on that are not as effective but work well all the same.
The manufactured solutions we mentioned above include anything from detox drinks to pills. Since these solutions themselves are made using natural ingredients, it is easy to see why they do not cause any nasty side effects among users. The more natural ingredients a detox solution contains, the higher the quality of the product.
In this section, we have listed some of the best cannabis or THC detox solutions we have come across over the years — both manufactured and homemade. Make sure you go through each of these solutions carefully to make a well-informed choice regarding which of them will suit your needs the best.
#1. Mega Clean by Detoxify – Detox Drink
This drink doubles up both as a solution to getting rid of THC and as a detox drink. In other words, you do not need to use it exclusively to cleanse your body of cannabis traces and of any toxins that may prevent you from maintaining optimal health. Those who have used this drink claim it has worked for them within just one day, which is impressive considering it contains all-natural ingredients.
Surprisingly for a detox drink, one of the main reasons this one is popular is that it is packed with flavor and works quite well as a refreshing beverage. Due to the powerful natural ingredients contained in this formula, it may purify some of the most important systems in your body, such as your circulatory and digestive systems. In doing so, it may help your internal organs stay clean, healthy, and perform all of their required functions.
Granted, this drink does not exactly come cheap. However, the hefty price tag seems somewhat justified because it is made using the highest-quality, natural ingredients and no synthetic preservatives. Overall, Mega Clean can help you flush out all unwanted traces of THC much quicker than your body could achieve naturally.
While this drink is effective enough by itself, you could even use it alongside Detoxify’s herbal supplement, which is known to speed up the THC flushing out process. Since both the drink and the supplement are made with only natural ingredients, using them both is unlikely to cause any side effects. Therefore, you can use them as and when you like. The main reason this drink is effective is that it contains Mata-Boost.
This can boost your overall health and eliminate toxic elements from your bloodstream in as little as one hour. Not only toxins, but this time frame applies to the THC in your blood as well, which is why it is so popular among those who wish to go THC-free. It is recommended you do not use any cannabis products for at least a couple of days before using this detox drink if you want the best results.
What we found to be the most impressive feature of this drink is how well it combines various natural ingredients to create a formula powerful enough to get rid of mild and heavy toxins. Even the flavors (Tropical Fruit and Wild Berry) are created using natural sources, which is what gives it its refreshing taste. In addition, all of those who have used this drink claimed it greatly improved their chances of passing a drug test, which is the main reason most people use detox drinks such as this one.
Considering its great flavor options and various detoxifying benefits, it is hardly surprising that this drink is one of the most popular ones currently available online. Each product contains one liter of detox drink and six free tablets of herbal supplement, which are not included if you purchase it alongside a detox program.
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#2. 5 Day Detox By Toxin Rid – Detox Pills
While detox drinks are wildly popular among those wishing to rid their body of cannabis traces, we would say supplements are a close second. This particular program combines the benefits of detox liquid, dietary fiber, and tablets. In essence, it is an effective program because it focuses on eliminating all kinds of toxins from your body, not just THC.
The tablets are meant to cleanse your bloodstream from any remnants of cannabis usage, while the detox drink may strengthen your internal organs and boost their functioning. Therefore, this program not only cleanses your system but also improves your general health as well. You would need to follow it for a total of five days before you can hope to see lasting results.
If you are anticipating a drug test anytime soon, following 5 Day Detox may help improve your chances of passing it. What you can be sure of is that it will get rid of THC faster than if you attempted to detox using homemade remedies. Considering this solution consists of natural ingredients that combine well together to purify your blood, you can use it as an overall detox solution, not just on the days you are trying to pass a drug test.
This formula is especially preferred by vegans since it does not contain any animal-based products. Artificial additives for flavoring, coloring, or preserving the drink and tablets are out as well, meaning you only get natural goodness from this program. The absence of artificial additives also means you can use this formula every time you need to without worrying about it negatively affecting your health in any way.
You can expect the tablets and drink to take effect roughly an hour after you consume them, which means they work quicker than most detox solutions currently available. In addition, this program comes with a money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the results you achieve with it. This only goes to show how much the brand believes in the effectiveness of its product, which speaks volumes for its quality.
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#3. Fresh Cranberry Juice – Natural Solution
Compared to the more sophisticated detox solutions we have outlined above, cranberry juice may seem like an afterthought. It is true that cranberry juice is not as effective as the detox solutions previously mentioned to flush out THC from your body. However, this does not mean it is not effective at all.
Those who use cannabis products fairly often will probably tell you that drinking approximately two liters of fresh cranberry juice can help the traces of cannabis out of your system. However, you would need to space out your glasses of this tasty beverage throughout the day rather than drinking the required two liters all at once, as you do not want to experience any nasty side effects.
Speaking of side effects, cranberry juice is a diuretic, so you may want to drink it only when you have easy access to a bathroom, as it will make you urinate frequently throughout the day.
#4. Apple Cider – Natural Solution
You could even use the fabled apple cider vinegar to boost your chances of clearing a drug test if you are anticipating one. Sadly, as is the case with all home remedies, this solution may not be as promising as using a structured detox program. However, apple cider vinegar should work just fine for those unwilling to splurge on such programs or for those who have a relatively small amount of THC in their system.
To use this solution, you need to remember to add double the water quantity for how much vinegar you will be using. The recommended amount of apple cider vinegar for THC users is about half of a cup, so add water to it accordingly. Even if this solution does not work on heavy toxins or a large amount of THC in your bloodstream, it has some great health benefits, including weight loss. So, it cannot hurt to give it a go.
#5. Fresh Lemon and Water – Natural Solution
Lemon and water is not a very powerful or effective solution, but it is known to have helped scores of people cleanse their bodies of cannabis traces over the years. Brimming with useful antioxidants, this solution has more than one health benefit, which is why it is popular among all of those wishing to follow a healthy lifestyle.
Simply add one tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice to about 400-500 ml of water to use this solution. Due to the mild acidity of this solution, you ideally should not drink it if you have a sensitive digestive system. If not, you can sip it throughout the day instead of plain water for a few days to see results.
Conclusion: How Long Does Cannabis Stay In Your System?
In conclusion, eliminating cannabis from your body can take a considerable amount of time and effort if you do not know where to start. However, our recommendation would be for you to start by understanding how cannabis affects your system and how long it is likely to stick around before you attempt to detox your body.
In the previous sections, we have covered all of this information and more, and we even recommended some of the best ways in which you can gradually get rid of THC from your bloodstream. Now, it is in your hands to follow the solution that suits your needs and gives you the kind of results you want.
