Do you use marijuana? Are you desperately wanting to know how long THC remains in your bloodstream? Maybe scheduled for a job interview? To answer the question straight away, THC (the chief psychoactive compound in cannabis) could stay in the blood for anything between 3 and 30 days.

Marijuana -How long will THC Stays in Your Bloodstream?

How long is THC detectable via drug testing?

The frequency of use, the amount (of weed), and the number of years is the three most important factors that influence the period THC remains detectable. Those who use cannabis in different forms (sticks, supplements, and edibles), the detection window is 30 days. Heavy users, the period is 10-21 days; for chronic users, it is 7-10 days, and for infrequent users, it is three days.

Marijuana detection windows

Researches and studies have by and large indicated that THC could stay in your body (blood, urine, hairs, fat cells, etc) for a period ranging from 3-30 days. Investigations on the tentative period a drug test can identify weed in your system have demonstrated a wide variance. For instance, studies carried out in 2017 estimated a detection window of approximately 72 hours (3 days) for a single weed joint or stick.

Things that people should not do after using weed

  • Showing up for the test thirsty
  • Using agents for masking urine dilution
  • Reporting hungry

How marijuana affects your bloodstream?

The method you follow for taking cannabis or weed determines how the drug will affect your system. That said, if you smoke a joint or spliff (a marijuana cigarette), THC enters your bloodstream quite rapidly. Once THC infiltrates the circulatory system, it easily reaches your bodily organs, including the brain, liver, and kidney.

On the other hand, if you drink marijuana supplements or eat cannabis edibles, it’ll take a tad longer for THC to enter the bloodstream. So, it’ll take some time before you start feeling the effects. THC first enters the alveoli of your lungs, and from there, the compound reaches the bloodstream.

In the next few minutes, your heart will start beating at the rate of 90-130 beats per minute. The normal heart rate is 70-80 beats per minute. The sudden spurt in the heart rate could make you vulnerable to heart attack, especially if you suffer from a heart condition.

Toking heavily could cause the blood vessels in your eyes to dilate, making the eyes appear bloody.

Factors that influence how long marijuana remains detectable

Several factors influence the period or number of days marijuana remains in your body high enough for detection. Some of these factors include hydration levels, gender, metabolic rate, BMI (body mass index), use frequency, amount (dose), age, and so on. Testers study these attributes to determine how your system metabolizes and processes THC.

  • Gender –Men usually metabolize THC faster than women.
  • Hydration –Drinking too much water could dilute your urine, necessitating you to take the test again. Conversely, staying dehydrated could increase THC concentrations in your system.
  • Toking/Edibles/Vaping –The technique or manner in which you consume weed also has a considerable impact on the detection window.
  • BMI –The fat cells (adipose tissues) in your system happen to be the ideal sanctuary for THC (metabolites). So, it follows that if you’re obese or overweight, your body will struggle to metabolize and remove cannabis.
  • Metabolism –The faster your metabolism or metabolic rate, the quicker THC will be excreted out of your body. Metabolism tends to slow down as you grow older, and certain health issues could also adversely affect your metabolic rate.
  • Frequency of sessions- How often you toke, and the amount you ingest in every session could hugely impact how long weed stays in your body. Additionally, the period (in terms of years) for which you have been toking also has a bearing. If you’re a regular user, drug tests could be positive for up to 45 days counting from the day you stopped taking weed.

Heavy users could report positive for up to 90 days after they quit smoking or vaping.

If you want tips on how to clear test, click here.

What can you do to metabolize THC faster?

Nowadays, many companies, and employees require a random or standardized drug test. So, if you’re a heavy or routine user, the chances are that you might fail to clear the test, particularly if you’ve to appear for the same at short notice. That said, if you fail the analysis, you could lose your job or may not be selected for a new position.

You may find it difficult to land a job or could be fired from your current position even in a state that has legalized recreational/therapeutic use of marijuana. So what can you do to metabolize THC faster in your system?

Of course, the most reliable way is to abstain from toking altogether as well as avoid consuming any food item or supplement containing cannabis. Besides that, there’s not much for you to do for expediting the removal of THC from your body. Your biological system will take sufficient time to metabolize marijuana once it enters your body.

Drinking plenty of water every day, eating nutritious and healthy foods, and exercising regularly could help to a great extent. Alternatively, you can take advantage of THC detoxification kits, supplements, and other remedies that you can order online. These remedies call for drinking many glasses of water for diluting the urine.

After that, you’ll need to take herbal vitamins and supplements. Try vitamin B2, vitamin B-12, and creatinine for disguising or covering-up the dilution.

How blood tests measure THC?

Though your tester may ask you to deposit your saliva or urine samples, many laboratory technicians use hair or blood samples for THC detection. A laboratory technician injects a syringe into a vein for collecting the blood in a tube that he’ll test for detecting traces of weed. Like alcohol, blood samples are ideal for accurately detecting and determining THC concentration in your system.

Traffic and highway patrol officers could take your blood sample. They could ask you to show a drug evaluation test copy to ascertain whether you’re sober while driving. If the reading (of the blood test) indicates a presence of 2-5ng/ml THC in whole blood, you could be fined up to $1,000. You could also be slapped with a summary conviction. And if the reading exceeds 5ng/ml, you might indicted with a graver offense. You could pay a penalty of $1,000.