Key Takeaways
- Delta-9 THC can remain in the body for varying periods of time.
- THC is mostly eliminated from the body within 3-30 days in the urine, 48 hours in the blood, 1-3 days in the saliva, and 90 days in the hair.
- Different variables account for the retention period of THC in the body, including the frequency of use, body composition, water levels in the body, metabolic activity, and method of testing.
- By staying hydrated and getting exercise, it’s possible to move THC out of the body faster, although it only works to a certain point.
Whether THC molecules are allowed into the body through smoking, consuming edibles, or inhaling vapors, it’s important to understand how long delta-9 THC can remain in your system. This is especially the case for people who are regularly subjected to drug tests or who are simply observing their personal cannabis consumption patterns. There are several metabolites of delta-9 THC that extend to about five to ten days, and cleansing from the system will take even longer due to several factors, including delta-9 THC concentration, frequency of use, and method of intake. This article covers the duration delta-9 THC can remain in the body and explains the determinants of this time frame.
How Delta-9 THC Gets Into the System
When the body takes in delta-9 THC, it circulates throughout the blood system, after which the body metabolizes the THC into non-psychoactive components. The substances are deposited in the body fat and come out over certain periods of time. The rate of elimination differs based on the consumption method, amount of body fat, how often delta-9 THC is used, and other factors.
Duration of Delta-9 THC In The Body
The period of time delta-9 THC will show a positive result on a drug test will depend on the level of consumption and the type of technology used in the test. Here’s a general breakdown based on different drug tests:
Blood Tests
Blood tests can be performed to verify whether a person has used marijuana recently. The period of time delta-9 THC can be found in blood circulation in the body is quite small.
- Occasional Users (1-2 times per week): THC is traceable in the blood for 1-2 days after the drug is ingested.
- Frequent Users (3-4 times per week): For such people, THC is traceable for 3-7 days.
- Chronic Users (once busted every day or almost every day): THC can be found up to about 30 days after its last usage.
- Urine Tests
Urine tests are relatively quicker and easier in the detection of cannabinoids as compared to every other drug test. Therefore, THC is most commonly measured through a urine drug testing procedure. The detection period of the THC within the users' urine ranges widely based on the patterns of use:
- Occasional Users: There are chances of traces of THC with acute use for about three days.
- Frequent Users: The urine drug test for such users lasts for 10 -15 days.
- Chronic Users: THC may be detected in urine after heavy and prolonged use for as long as 30 days and even beyond.
Saliva Tests
Saliva tests are of a less intrusive nature, and they can be used to test for recently used cannabis. These tests have become popular for law enforcement officers who perform field tests for cannabis impairment. THC is only detectable in salivary fluids for the following periods with respect to the user:
Occasional Users: In this group, THC is detectable for 24-72 hours.Frequent Users: THC can be detected for about a week.
Chronic Users: In some cases, THC may be detectable even beyond a week.
Hair Tests
Unlike the other forms of testing, hair tests are able to determine the use of THC over a longer time. This is beneficial in ascertaining chronic or long-term THC use. THC metabolites are embedded in the follicles, and the more the hair grows, the more the THC level grows:
- All Users: Hair tests tend to test positive for cannabinoids up to 90 days following the last use of the drug. This method is however less widely used as it does not provide any information on short-term use but instead on past long-term use.
Methods of Consumption and Their Impact on THC Detection
There are two main ways of consuming THC:
- Smoking or Vaping: When smoking or vaping delta-9 THC, the compound is delivered through the lungs straight to the bloodstream, allowing for quick results within a matter of minutes. Blood levels of THC, however, peak and drop, quickly as the body begins to metabolize it.
- Edibles: With delta-9 THC-infused edibles, absorption takes longer because the psychoactive component must first be ingested and processed by the liver. Due to this procedure, the onset time for these effects can be significantly longer, taking effect between 30 minutes to 2 hours. Due to these factors, detection is likely to last longer as the absorption rate is slower.
Factors Determining the Duration Delta-9 THC Lingers In the Human Body
There are a number of considerations that can help determine how long delta-9 THC and its metabolites will be present in your body, such as:
- How Often You Consume it: The longer the period you indulge in cannabis, the longer it will take to clear THC from your system. People who smoke occasionally will not take as long as habitual smokers, whose bodies accumulate THC over the years.
- Level of Consumption: Cannabis which is more potent or edibles that have higher than normal levels of THC take longer. Excessive amounts of THC will naturally lead to an increased retention of the drugs in the body, hence prolonged detection times.
- Body Fat Percentage: THC is a fat-soluble compound and therefore, stored within the fat tissues of the body. People with a higher body fat composition usually have THC metabolites retained in the body for longer periods, thus prolonging the period it takes to eliminate THC from the body.
- Metabolism: A person with a faster metabolism is more likely to get rid of THC faster than a person with a slower metabolism.
- Hydration and Exercise: Proper hydration and physical exercise may help discharge the THC in a quicker period, especially for those who do cardio exercises aimed at decreasing fat within the body.
- Method of Consumption: The method of consumption is important in the way THC is absorbed and metabolized. Edibles, for example, normally last longer in the body than smoking or vaping which, in turn, prolongs the period of time THC remains in the body.
How to Speed Up the THC Elimination Process
If you are worried about THC staying in your system for too long, here are some suggestions that may help you to speed up the process of elimination:
- Stay Hydrated: This is specifically recommended because it makes body sweating and urination frequent.
- Exercise: Lean body mass has a positive correlation with the elimination of THC. In this case, exercises like cardio are advisable.
- Healthy Diet: In cases where plentiful THC exposure occurs, a range of foods with veggies, herbs, fibers, and detox-friendly foods (either plant-based or sea-based) plus teas can support the body’s own elimination processes.
- Avoid Further Use: The most common way to remove THС is the cessation of the use of cannabis.
Conclusion
Many factors affect how long delta-9 THC stays in your body. These include the frequency of use, metabolism, body fat percentage, and the method of consumption. Usage frequency can affect how fast THC is cleared from the body, where occasional users may clear it in days while chronic users may take weeks. Understanding these factors will help you gauge the appropriate levels of cannabis consumption without sabotaging drug tests in the future.
FAQs
How long can delta-9 THC remain active in the system?
The duration of delta-9 THC in the blood stream depends on usage. On average, THC can be in the body from 1 to 72 hours, in the urine for zero to 30 days, in the blood for up to 48 hours, in saliva for 1 to 3 days and in hair for up to 90 days.
What affects the amount of time delta-9 THC would remain in the body?
There are a number of factors that come into play as to how long THC stays in the system; these include the frequency and amount of THC consumed, personal metabolic rates, body fat, fluid intake, as well as the testing procedure.
How long is delta-9 THC detectable in urine?
For infrequent users, delta-9 THC remains in the urine anywhere from 3 to 7 days following consumption. However, for long-term or heavy users, delta-9 THC metabolites can be detected anywhere between 10 days to 30 days or longer, depending on the user's habits as well as metabolism.
How long does delta-9 THC last in the blood?
THC could be detected in the blood for about 1-2 days after use but for those who are chronic users, it may be detected up to a week in some instances.
How long delta-9 THC lasts in saliva?
Saliva tests are positive for THC within one to three days after ingestion.