Marijuana is a derivative of the cannabis plant, and it enters into your body system and alters the mood. After consuming marijuana, you may feel euphoria, a sign that it has entered into your body system. The excitement and effects of taking weed may fade, but the metabolites will remain in your system for some time. Hash is also an extract from the resins of the cannabis plant which is used widely.
THC is
the chemical that is mostly measured when screening for a drug test. It is
responsible for the feeling of high, and its presence in your body may make you
fail a drug test.
However, CBD does not have a euphoric effect. It is usually used for its medical properties. Many factors determine the duration of time that cannabinoids stay in your system.
Delta- 9 THC
Cannabis contains numerous chemicals, with the most active
one being cannabinoids. Delta- 9 tetrahydrocannabinol is a psychoactive
substance, which is thick, sticky, and easy to vaporize. It can dissolve into
fats and lipids, and when it gets into your body, it deposits in the liver,
adipose tissues, lungs, and spleen. Delta- 9 THC can get into the liver, which
further metabolizes it to form an inactive substance.
How Weed Affects Your System
When you vaporize or smoke quality weed, THC passes
through the lungs and find its way to the bloodstream. The blood carries the
THC directly to the heart, which pumps it throughout the body. It binds to the
central nervous system, CB1 receptors in the brain, immune system, and the CB2
receptors found in the spleen. It continues circulating in the body through the
circulatory system. It passes through the liver where it is broken down into chemical
metabolites called THC-COOH. It is these metabolites that indicate the presence
of cannabis in your body during a drug test. Usually Cannabis DNA test are done to check the presence of weed in your system.
When you ingest weed, THC enters into the bloodstream via
intestinal and stomach walls, and it travels directly to the liver. The body
later eliminates the metabolites through urine and feces.
Marijuana Detection Windows
There is a wide range of averages, and detection time depends on how often you consume marijuana. If it is the first time to take weed, it may take up to days. The detection window for someone who takes marijuana 3-4 times in a week is about 5-7 days. While for chronic marijuana users who consume it daily, it may stay in the system for 30 days. Detection windows also depend on the type of test that a person undertakes.
There are numerous factors that influence whether a test will detect marijuana in your body. Some of the factors are:
Route of entry– consuming the weed in the form of edibles can prolong the time it stays in your system.
Frequency of use– regular use of marijuana will lead to an accumulation of THC in your system. THC will take longer to clear from the system of a frequent user when compared to people who consume it occasionally.
Dosage– if you consume a high dose of cannabis, the body will
take longer before breaking it down.
Metabolic rate- if the body has a higher metabolic rate,
it will break down cannabis at a faster rate.
Level of
concentration– the level of marijuana
varies depending on the variety of cannabis plants. Consuming weed with high
THC potency will increase the time it stays before leaving your body.
Body fat– THC-COOH is soluble in
fats, making it stay for longer if your body has a lot of fats. Exercising will
help to burn fats and eliminate the weed metabolites from the body.
Genetics- Genetics plays a vital role in the duration that weed
takes before leaving your body. You can inherit certain enzymes like cytochrome
P450, which promotes faster elimination of THC through urine.
Detection of marijuana
THC and
other metabolites stay in your system for a different time. The detection of
THC depends on the test.
Weed and urine
Urine
screening is one of the reliable methods for weed drug testing. Most drug tests
that use urine for testing cannabis use a cutoff concentration to detect the
presence of THC metabolites in the sample. A level of THC-COOH 50ng/ml and
above suggests that the weed is still in the system.
A drug
test can detect marijuana in urine for up to 10 days, but heavy marijuana users
can test positive for 1 to 2 months.
Weed and saliva
Frequency
of consumption will determine the time that marijuana stays in your system. It
can take up to 3 days for occasional users, while it can remain in the system
of chronic users for 29 days.
Weed and hair
When you
consume marijuana, it enters into your body system, and it reaches the hair
strands. Weed can also get into your hair through physical contact. Therefore,
you can test positive for marijuana, even if you do not consume it.
Hair can
test positive for marijuana for 90 days from the time of exposure. Chronic weed
users can test positive for longer than light users.
Weed and blood
When you
inhale marijuana, THC passes through the lungs and finds its way to the
bloodstream. Upon ingesting marijuana, there is active absorption of THC
through the stomach walls finding its way to the blood. THC can only stay in
your bloodstream for 3-4 hours.
The level
of plasma THC concentration peaks after 3-8 minutes and it starts to fall
gradually after 30 minutes. THC-COOH, a THC metabolite can stay in the system
for up to 25 days.
Conclusion
Weed can
enter your system in various ways. Upon consumption of cannabis, you will feel
the effect for a short time, and they later fade away. However, that does not
mean that weed has cleared from your system, and it can still test positive
after some time.
Various factors affect the duration that weed metabolites
stay in your system. The frequency of cannabis use has a significant influence
on the time that it will remain in your body. When you consume weed through
vaping, it clears from the system faster and it is healthier than smoking. When
testing for THC in the system, you can use hair, blood, urine, and saliva.
While you stop taking weed, it will clear from your system, and it will lower
to non-detectable levels after some time.
The post How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System? appeared first on FairCannaCare.
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