How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your System?

how long does marijuana stays in your system.

how long does marijuana stays in your system.

 

When asking “How long does marijuana stay in your system?” the answer depends on a number of factors. Detection times may vary depending on the dose of marijuana and the testing method. Read on to learn how long marijuana stays in your urine, blood, saliva, and hair.  

 

What are Marijuana Tests and Why Might You Need Them?

Marijuana can impair your focus, memory, and performance. Thus, your employer, or sometimes, the police, may require you to get tested for it. Drug tests help detect THC or marijuana metabolites (tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid; THC-COOH). 

How long does marijuana stay in your system correlates with the detection window. The detection window is the period between drug use and a positive test result. This definition can also include the period between the first positive and second positive tests. 

Several factors affect how long marijuana (cannabis) stays in your system. These include:

  • Body fat percentage: THC, the main compound in marijuana, stays longer in a fat person than a skinny person. THC stands for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol 
  • Genetics: Some people excrete THC more rapidly than others
  • Method and frequency of use: Frequent users retain THC for more extended periods than infrequent users
  • Type of the testing method (urine, blood, saliva, or hair)
  • Concomitant use of other drugs that affect liver enzymes
  • The strength of marijuana and its form of use

 

A Quick Overview of Marijuana Addiction, Use, and Trends in the United States 

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and CDC, 

  • Marijuana is the third most frequently used addictive substance in the U.S., after tobacco and alcohol. 
  • Marijuana-involved ED visits increased by 21% from 2009 to 2011. 
  • Each month, there are about 22.2 million active users.
  • Adult marijuana use was highest in the District of Columbia (27.42%) and lowest in South Dakota (11.13%) between 2018 and 2019. 
  • About 10% of the users eventually develop marijuana addiction. 
  • Studies have linked chronic or frequent use to a higher risk of psychosis or schizophrenia in some users.

 

Tests used to determine how long does marijuana stay in your system can check your:

  • Urine
  • Blood 
  • Saliva (oral fluids)
  • Hair

 

The results can vary depending on:

  • The pattern of marijuana use (frequency and duration of use)
  • Sample collection time (some tests cannot detect recent use)
  • Method of testing 

 

Marijuana Urine Testing

This is the confirmatory test for marijuana. It does not detect THC, as THC is rapidly removed through the urine. Instead, it measures the amount of THC-COOH. THC-COOH is detectable in urine within 60 minutes to 4 hours after you use marijuana and shows how long does marijuana stay in your system.

marijuana urine testing

Having THC-COOH in the urine can mean two things. 

  1. Marijuana use within the last three days (for infrequent users)
  2. Use in the previous 30 days (for long-term heavy users) 

 

The detection windows for marijuana (THC-COOH) in urine samples are:

  • Three days following single-use
  • Five days if you use it four times a week 
  • Ten days if you use it every day
  • Thirty days if you have been using it daily for several months

Pros

  • Urine contains high amounts of metabolites 
  • A well-established and non-invasive testing method 
  • Point-of-care tests are available. 

Cons

  • The detection window is short or intermediate
  • Risk of sample adulteration
  • You may find it difficult to collect urine if you have something called “shy bladder” syndrome.

 

Marijuana Blood Testing

In the blood sample, THC typically becomes detectable within 0.5 to 2 hours after use. The detection window for THC ranges from 2 to 8 hours. Likewise, the detection window for THCCOOH is 7 to 51 hours. 

 

Pros

  • Useful for detecting recent use 
  • Well-established laboratory test method 

Cons

  • Higher cost 
  • Narrow detection window 
  • An invasive procedure that may increase the risk of infection 
  • It may not be suitable for you if you have not palpable veins 

 

Marijuana Hair Testing

Marijuana hair testing generally gets used as a complementary test for urine, blood, and saliva analysis. It is because THC is fat-soluble, and the concentration in hair of how long does marijuana stay in your system is extremely low. 

marijuana hair testing

In general, one cm of hair segment from the root gives the amount of THC used in the last 30 days. THC can take up to 15 days to reach the hair shaft and is detectable for up to 90 days. 

 

Pros

  • Longest window of detection
  • May help assess changes in drug use over time 
  • Non-invasive procedure 

 

Cons 

  • Not suitable for assessing recent use (Use within the last 7–10 days is not detectable)
  • Costly and time-consuming procedure
  • Only a few labs provide hair testing 
  • Point-of-care tests are not available 
  • Single-use may not show up 
  • Hair color may affect the results 
  • Close contact with a marijuana user may transfer THC-COOH to your hair, increasing the likelihood of a false-positive result.

 

Marijuana Saliva Testing

Among recreational or infrequent users, the THC detection window is a maximum of 24 hours. In chronic or frequent users, saliva testing may detect marijuana for up to 30 hours. 

saliva testing

 

Pros

  • Helpful in assessing recent use. THC becomes detectable within 10 minutes to 30 minutes after use
  • Non-invasive procedure
  • Point-of-care tests are available 

 

Cons

  • Marijuana levels in saliva may not correlate with blood concentrations 
  • The use of other drugs, such as stimulants, reduces saliva production 

 

FAQs

 

Can you metabolize marijuana faster with detox remedies?

There is no evidence that detox remedies can speed up marijuana metabolism. However, in most cases, it’s the amount you use that determines how fast marijuana leaves your system. 

 

What happens if an athlete tests positive for marijuana?

According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), an athlete who tests positive for marijuana get barred from competing for 365 days or more from the test date.

 

How long does marijuana stay in your system after just one hit?

Urine samples can contain detectable amounts of marijuana for up to 3 days in one-time users. 

 

Marijuana Addiction

This article was meant to be a resource to inform on the testing process of how long does marijuana stay in your system, and the process of how your body handles THC metabolites. If you’re trying to beat a marijuana test, there’s a good chance you have an addiction to marijuana. The truth is, while the drug may not be considered a “hard drug” or be illegal everywhere, it is still a drug and can potentially ruin your life. 

Just because marijuana is legal where you live doesn’t mean it can’t get you expelled from school, fired from a job, kicked off a sports team, or cause addiction. Chronic users who have been smoking marijuana for long lengths of time have reported problems sleeping, mental health issues, physical health issues, and even marijuana withdrawal when they can’t smoke. 

Since this drug is a form of substance abuse, like any other drug, there are support groups and resources to help overcome marijuana addiction.

Anchored Tides Recovery offers a number of options to help with marijuana addiction that focus on the whole person. Call us today and talk to one of our team about some treatments. 

Preparing Your Children for When You Go to Drug Addiction Rehab

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drug-addiction

Drug Addiction

Substance use disorder is a chronic disease that drives people to continuously use drugs despite being aware of the harm it is doing to their bodies and their lives. Millions of Americans battle drug addiction, and helping someone get rid of addiction has been an issue that drug addiction treatment centers and mental health professionals have been trying to solve for decades.   

Understanding Addiction

There is a misconception that people struggling with drug addiction do so because it’s a choice. No one plans to become an addict. External factors that drive drug abuse and lead to addictive behaviors include stress from work, family issues, financial pressure, feeling disengaged from life, and sometimes just curiosity about a particular substance. Anyone who uses drugs can develop addictive behaviors, no matter their age, culture, or economic status. When a person consumes drugs or alcohol, their brain produces large amounts of dopamine (a feel-good hormone), which triggers the brain’s reward system. After continuous drug use, the brain can no longer produce the usual dopamine amount on its own. This causes people to have difficulties enjoying pleasurable activities like spending time with friends or family when they are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol – stuck with their drug addiction.  

Is Addiction A Family Disease?

While some experts report that there can be a genetic predisposition to substance abuse, many factors contribute to someone’s addiction. Whether or not the cause lies in genetics, addiction is a family disease because it affects everyone in the family. This is especially true when there are children involved. Preparing-Your-Children-When-You-Go-to-Rehab Family members of people struggling with addiction endure a lot of emotional and sometimes financial hardship while dealing with a relative who is trapped in the cycle of addiction. Loved ones often report feeling guilty, responsible for the substance use, confused, angry, and sad. This can increase conflict and feelings of isolation for everyone involved.  Drug addiction is a severe problem, but there is a solution. In this case, treatment programs at a rehab center sets the foundation for a life of sobriety.  

What is Rehab?

Rehab is the process during which someone is treated for their addiction. This most often happens at an inpatient facility to minimize outside distractions and temptations. Rehab can last from 30 to 90 days, but the length of time is dependent on the individual and their needs. Since addiction is a health-related issue, most rehab programs accept insurance coverage. For people who have children and are considering treatment at an inpatient facility, making the decision is even more challenging. Additional arrangements need to be made to ensure the child is taken care of before the parent can start their treatment.  

Living Arrangements for Drug Addiction

First, you will need to determine where your child will stay while you are in treatment. If there is another parent or family member who can care for your child in their current living arrangement, make a detailed plan of how childcare will be provided and whether or not additional assistance is needed from friends or family members.  If your child is staying with a friend or family member, take time to look over their home and ensure that there is nothing there that will be unhealthy or additionally disruptive for your child. Ensuring that your child is well cared for without worry before entering treatment will allow you to better focus on your recovery. If you don’t have a community environment or support groups to help with childcare while you’re in rehab, look for rehab facilities that offer childcare or daycare. This, of course, will not work for children of all ages but may provide enough support for help.  

School Schedule

Limiting disruptions in your child’s education and school schedule will help them adjust during the period you are in treatment. This includes arranging plans for drop-off, pick-up, and routine homework. You may also want to schedule a meeting with the principal, teacher, and guidance counselor to discuss your situation’s specifics. Screen Shot 2021 04 02 at 20.35.58  

Talking With Your Child

Healthcare professionals recommend explaining the situation to children in age-appropriate terms. Often, parents have the inclination to lie or hide the truth about where they’re going and why. This can lead to confusion for your child and later mistrust if they learn the truth from someone else. Talking with your child about why you are going, where you are going, and how long you will be gone is very important. It is difficult to explain a temporary absence, but it is important to take the right approach. Be honest and be prepared to answer questions your child might have. Being open with your children and letting them know they are not to blame or responsible can substantially influence how they adjust during this time. If your child is very young, then you will have to explain it simply by telling them that you are sick and need to go away to get better. If your child is older but still relatively young, you’ll want to keep the language simple and tell them only as much as they need to know. If they are an adolescent or teen, you may be able to have a more open and detailed discussion. Make sure that your child knows that drug addiction is not their fault.   Even after you come home, your recovery process is not finished. You have to show your child that you are doing everything you can to remain sober for yourself and your family. Getting help is one of the most important things you can do as a parent, and going to rehab will give you the tools to recover so that you can be your best. Are you a mother who is looking to help your daughter? Are you looking for an excellent outpatient treatment program designed specifically for women? Join our women-only addiction center Anchored Tides Recovery. Call us today at 1-866-524-6014 and get your loved one on the road to recovery.  

Understanding Addiction – Taking Care of Your Mental Health When a Loved One is Battling Addiction

taking-care-of-your-mental-health
taking-care-of-your-mental-health
Addiction is a chronic disease that affects all aspects of a person’s life, including their relationships, career, health, family dynamics, and psychological well-being. When a loved one struggles with the disease of addiction, you may find yourself struggling as well. Anchored Tides Recovery has 20+ years of experience of understanding addiction, an all-female staff, and an all-female client base. Many generations of women find their path to recovery with our treatment options. We have also learned some methods of coping with the challenges of loving someone who is struggling with addiction.    Here is some vital information to keep in mind to avoid losing your mind…  

Help Yourself First

It is natural to be ready and willing to do whatever it takes to help your loved one in their time of need, especially if you are a parent. Believe it or not, this is often detrimental to their process and does more harm than good. Trying to be the hero who saves the day can come at the cost of your relationships, finances, physical health, and sanity. The road to recovery is a long and personal process. When you try to involve yourself too much, it can have an adverse effect. You may end up pushing the person further away or even trigger drug abuse to cope. Accepting that a loved one has an alcohol or drug problem is extremely difficult. Until the person is ready to take the first step, you cannot do much to help them.   

Taking the First Step to Overcome Drug Addiction

For many people trapped in the vicious cycle of drug addiction, the most challenging step toward recovery is the very first one. They have to decide on their own that they want help. This concept is crucial to understand. You can not force a person to get help if they’re not ready to admit they have a problem. It can be very frustrating to be willing to do anything to help someone but have your efforts yield no results because that person isn’t ready to accept your help. For this reason, it’s essential just to make sure you’re focusing on your mental health problems and not enabling them further. People with an addictive behavior may feel uncertain about whether they’re ready to attend treatment facilities. You need to understanding addiction and know that strong emotions such as anger, shame, guilt, depression, and anxiety usually come along with the thought of needing help. Usually, a person needs to hit their own personal version of “rock bottom” before they even admit they need help. Hitting rock bottom is personal. For some users, this part of the journey may take a long time to happen or may not ever happen at all.  

Raising the Bottom

“Raising the Bottom” is a term that describes helping a person hit their version of rock bottom sooner. It requires a lot of discipline and strength, but many counselors agree that understanding addiction may be the best way to help someone who isn’t ready to admit they need help. Your role in raising the bottom is to stop any enabling behaviors and make it so their drug habit becomes inconvenient.    Here are some examples of “Raising the Bottom.”
  • Cutting them off financially.
  • If they’re using drugs in your house, tell them they can’t stay there anymore.
  • Call the authorities if you find them using drugs. 
  To many, this is considered “tough love,” which makes it difficult to do when you care about someone. It helps to change your mentality and keep in mind the long-term goals of raising the bottom. Making it harder for them to live comfortably with their choices does not mean you do not love them. The more difficult it is for them to live this lifestyle, the more likely it will be that they come around to the idea of accepting help.  

Is Addiction A Family Disease?

Here are some reasons why addiction is considered a “family disease”:  
  1.  Addiction’s impact extends to the entire family. When one family member struggles with substance abuse, it can negatively affect everybody else who cares about them. Family and friends may get stuck in a cycle of trying to fix the person and then feel resentful when they see no results or see that their efforts are not appreciated.
  2. Mental health conditions, such as addiction, are hereditary. According to a study by the American Psychological Association (APA), more than half a person’s susceptibility to drugs and alcohol addiction is linked to genetics.
  3. Families play a large role in the drug rehabilitation process. Spouses, parents, children, siblings, and friends need to forgive past mistakes and be empathetic towards the current efforts. Empathy will help you to provide the love and support they need to make progress.
taking-care-of-your-mental-health

Be Patient and Understanding

The road to recovery can be a long and complicated process, both for the person in treatment and for the people around them. They may try and fail multiple times. They will have some good days and some bad days. Don’t assume that a good day means they’re “cured,” and try not to get frustrated if a string of bad days makes it seem like they will never recover. Just remember always to prioritize your own mental health no matter where they are in their recovery process. Don’t enable or do anything to help facilitate their drug use. You can not help someone who is not ready to accept help. You are not responsible for their sobriety, but you are responsible for your well-being.     Have you found your mental health being affected by a loved one who struggles with drug or alcohol addiction? You are not alone; We are here to help you. At Anchored Tides Recovery Center, we always recommend family members to take part in our family programs. Once the client has completed drug addiction treatment, we recommend the family continue working with support programs to better learn about relapse conditions and understanding addiction. Call us today to get started on the road to recovery and addiction-free life. We will educate you on what the process looks like to begin a drug addiction treatment and what is needed to support your loved ones.

Partial Hospitalization Programs: Who Are They For?

Women's-Outpatient-Program

If you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol and seeking treatment, you’re going to be faced with numerous options. Some you may have heard about before, and others can seem totally foreign. Addiction treatment is an investment (one you’re making in yourself), so it’s important to choose the right treatment for you. At Anchored Tides Recovery in Huntington Beach, California, we provide women with a safe environment to recover from addiction. One type of treatment we offer is called partial hospitalization. 

What Is a Partial Hospitalization Program?

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a type of intermediate addiction treatment option between inpatient and outpatient treatment. When attending PHP, you will come to our treatment facility daily and spend the day undergoing different addiction treatment therapies. At the end of the day, you return home and are free to do whatever you please in the evening. 

This type of addiction treatment can be completed after you complete inpatient treatment or as a stand-alone treatment. It’s a great option if you want to participate in intensive addiction therapy but can’t remove yourself from society for 30 or more days. 

Our partial hospitalization program at Anchored Tides Recovery includes a variety of therapies: 

  • Individual therapy
  • Group therapy
  • Dialectical behavior therapy
  • Adventure based therapy
  • Mindfulness & meditation
  • Trauma resiliency
  • Relapse prevention

Benefits of Partial Hospitalization Programs

There are many benefits to completing a partial hospitalization program for addiction treatment, one of the biggest being you don’t have to remove yourself from ‘normal life’ to receive treatment. A lot of recovering addicts find it helpful to completely go off the grid for a period of time in the beginning of their sobriety so they can focus solely on recovery. The downside is that it can sometimes be challenging to remerge into society. A partial hospitalization program offers the best of both worlds; our clients can spend their days focusing on sobriety 100%, and return to their life when the day ends. If you have pets, you’ll be able to tend to them in the evening, or even take night classes at a college and continue your education. While you’re getting sober, you will learn how to integrate sobriety into your everyday life. 

Partial hospitalization can also be used as a transitional tool for recovering addicts leaving inpatient treatment. Like we mentioned before, it can be difficult to go back to ‘everyday life’ after leaving inpatient treatment. By attending a PHP, you can slowly start to rebuild your life , like securing a safe place to live, or returning home to the place you lived before treatment. You’ll be able to spend your days working on your recovery and spend the evenings tending to personal needs, like cooking for yourself or going to the gym. 

Another benefit to partial hospitalization is it’s less costly than inpatient treatment. Because you live and receive treatment at an inpatient treatment facility, and eat all of your meals there, it tends to be the most expensive addiction treatment option. At Anchored Tides Recovery, we work with a number of insurance providers and also offer financing options to our clients. We want addiction treatment to be as accessible as possible for all women, and don’t want anyone to feel like they can’t get the help they deserve because they can’t afford it. 

Call Us Today

If you’re in the process of seeking addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one, congratulations for taking the necessary first step to a better life. A partial hospitalization program is for you if you’re looking to start your recovery journey, or completed inpatient treatment and are looking to continue treatment. At Anchored Tides Recovery, we provide addiction treatment for women and are a women ran facility. We offer partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment programs. Reach out to us for more information regarding our programs!