How long does weed stay in your system? It’s the age-old question everyone wants to know but doesn’t have a straightforward answer. Explanations as to how long THC can stay in your system vary widely, mainly because it is based on a number of factors. If you smoke weed and want to know what determines the amount of time cannabis stays in your system and what factors are in your control, then stay tuned.
Although the psychedelic effects of THC will wear off after a few hours, traces of tetrahydrocannabinol can linger in your system from days to several weeks. Generally, the average breakdown based on how much weed goes something like this:
A variety of factors are involved, but it mainly comes down to body fat/weight, physical activity, and hydration.
Body fat and body weight
Body fat stores many things, marijuana included. This means people with a higher fat percentage will naturally metabolize marijuana at a much slower rate than those with less body fat. There are no conclusive studies showing the exact amount of body fat percentage that THC holds onto; however, it’s worth noting that women generally have more body fat than men.
Physical Activity
Coinciding with body fat, the more physically active and fit you are - the less amount of time marijuana will stay in your system. When you are physically active, the perspiration your body produces acts as a natural detox and sweats out the toxins containing THC. The more you sweat, the quicker you’ll shed those cannabinoids! And this goes without saying, but body fat lowers with increased physical activity. You can hike, spice things up in the bedroom (did you know weed can help improve your sex life?), or do yoga high. Smoking weed followed by vinyasa flows is an excellent combo to make you sweat!
Hydration
This is essential when detoxing yourself of anything - you’ve got to stay hydrated! When you drink enough water, your body will naturally balance itself out. Not only will your skin be thanking you, but you’ll feel good overall. Drinking water will also help your digestive system, brain fog, and pretty much any other symptoms that hold you back from living your best life. Even if drinking water isn’t your thing, staying hydrated is truly one of the best ways to flush anything out of your system.
How can marijuana be detected and for how long?
THC detection can be done with saliva, hair follicle, urine or a blood sample. Each test varies in its level of detection and accuracy as follows:
If you know that you’ll be tested for marijuana, it’s safe to assume that you should not smoke for at least five days, but preferably one week prior to your test. The above information provides general windows of time that have worked for most people, but not everyone.
As mentioned before, your body fat, physical activity, and hydration level play a role in how long THC stays in your system. However, the biggest factor is your frequency of use. If you smoke weed every day (you’re not alone), it will be much harder to calculate the exact amount of time weed will stay in your system. The only way to figure this out would be to take a break from smoking and test yourself every few days or weeks until you test clean. Again, for chronic users, it could take months for weed to leave your system. For passive and first time users, it’s safe to say that THC should not linger around too long, because there simply isn’t enough in your system for it to stick around long-term.
Have you ever had to get rid of weed in your system and what worked for you? Share your advice, tips and tricks in the comments!
