How Long Does Weed Stay In Your System? Longer Detection Times Than You May Have Thought

Truth be told, there is no single answer to the question of how long the pot you smoked will remain in your system.

Marijuana can be detected in your system anywhere from a few days to several months depending on a number of variables.

How often you smoke, your rate of metabolism and your weight all need to be considered. Not to mention the type of test you’re having, if passing a test is your main concern.

On this page I aim to answer the question “how long does weed stay in your system” the best way one can expect. This includes general estimations of detection time in urine, hair, saliva and blood, as well as factors that play a part in how long the THC remains. I’ll also include links to guides on how to pass drug tests by shortening this detection time.

But let’s start with some basics:

What Do Drug Tests Look For?

Drug testingTetrahydrocannabinol (or THC) is the chemical compound found in marijuana that is responsible for the ‘high’ you get when you smoke. Once ingested, the body breaks it down into about 80 different metabolites. It’s one of these metabolites, THC COOH, that drug tests usually screen for to determine if you are using (or have been). Saliva and blood tests however, look for the actual THC as opposed to its metabolites, and thus have a shorter detection span.

Unfortunately, THC COOH is extremely hydrophobic. This simply means that water doesn’t stick to it and dissolve it like it does with alcohol. Instead, it gets stored in other compounds, such as alkanes, oils and body fat. Although blood concentrations of THC drop rapidly after consumption, it is stored in organs like your lungs, heart, brain and liver for much longer. In fact, in can remain in the fatty tissues in your body for up to four weeks after consumption.

This means it can take a considerable amount of time before the compound is no longer detectable. And while THC COOH is the primary metabolite that drug tests look for, there are some other compounds that are also used to determine marijuana use.

How Quickly Is THC Flushed From Your System?

How long does weed stay in your system
How long does weed actually stay in your system? This depends on a lot of factors as you will learn below. If you’re running out of time due to a drug test though, there are still ways to get around that and speed up the process.

Your liver is responsible for cleaning your blood, which is why THC isn’t detectable in blood after at least three days. Studies show that within 5 days almost 80 – 90% of the THC is removed from the body. More than 65% is excreted in faeces and 20% in urine.

But regular users may still have detectable levels in their blood up to a month later. For very heavy users, this number can be several months.  If you’re facing a drug test, knowing how and when you’ll be tested will help.

Because the THC is taken up by the organs quickly, it is stored in the fatty tissues of your body for much longer. Over time the drug is still flushed from your organs, but it’s a much slower process. And if you’ve been smoking for a long time, you will have built up a significant amount of THC in your body. The longer you’ve been using weed, the longer it will take to completely clear it from your system.

Factors That Influence How Long Marijuana Stays In Your System

It doesn’t matter if you’re an infrequent user, or if you smoke marijuana every day. There are many factors that can affect how long the weed you smoke remains detectable in your system. Here’s what you need to take into consideration if you’re facing a drug test:

  • THC Concentration Levels: Naturally, the more you smoke the more THC you ingest and this will remain in your system for longer. But the potency of the marijuana is also important. Even a small amount of weed with a higher concentration of THC will result in the metabolites remaining detectable for a longer period.
  • Frequency and Duration: If you smoke regularly, or you’ve been smoking for many years it’s likely that you’ve built up a significant amount of THC in your system. Even if you haven’t been smoking for long, but have had a joint every day, you’ll have higher levels of the metabolite in your body.
  • Method of consumption: If you smoke marijuana, the level of THC in your blood will drop sharply within a few hours. If you ingest it, the immediate heightened levels could remain detectable for longer since it’s metabolized more slowly, although in the long term the duration it stays in your system will still be similar.

These are standard factors that apply to all marijuana users. Yet, there are some other factors that vary significantly between individuals:

Marijuana detox timeline factors
Below factors are responsible for the unpredictability of the time it takes to get your system clear after cannabis use. They are highly individual and could mean that you need twice (or half) the duration to get clean compared to someone else smoking the exact same amount.
  • Metabolism: Some people have a faster metabolism than others. This means their bodies are able to break down and flush the THC faster.
  • Body weight: Your body weight and percentage of fat can influence how long it takes to clear THC from your system. THC is stored in the fatty tissues, so if you have an above average percentage of body fat it will take longer for you to clear your system.
  • Other drugs and supplements: Some substances can slow down the metabolism while others may speed it up. If you’re using other prescription drugs or taking a health supplement, do some research on the ingredients. Your body is constantly metabolising substances from your body, not only THC.
  • Overall health: If you exercise, eat correctly and get enough sleep your body will function better. It will also be able to detoxify itself at a faster rate than if you aren’t taking proper care of yourself. Stress is another factor that has an effect on your metabolism. The more stressed you are, the less likely your body is functioning at its best.

With all these factors at play it’s easy to see why the amount of time it takes for the body to be clear of THC varies so much between individuals. Everything from how often and how much you smoke, to your general health and fitness can influence how long it takes for the drug to be flushed from the body. Even though levels of THC in the blood can fall within a few days of consuming marijuana, it remains in the fatty tissues. It takes much longer for the organs to release the metabolites into your system where they’re finally flushed from the body through your faeces and urine.

On top of this, drug tests look for evidence of marijuana use in different bodily fluids and even hair. Some drug tests are more sensitive than others and are able to detect smaller amounts of THC months after exposure. While some can determine whether a person is currently using, others can show whether marijuana has been consumed in the past.

Knowledge is power. Understanding how the different tests work and how sensitive they are will help you to pass them. THC remains detectable in blood, saliva, urine and hair for different lengths of time. What follows is a quick overview of each test and what you need to know about it.

Testing For THC: The Facts

It seems unfair that employers resort to testing prospective employees for drug use. Often, these tests are only an indication that someone has used marijuana in the past. It’s no indication of their current state of intoxication and doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they are fit for work. Unfortunately, this hasn’t stopped the practice of testing new and existing employees.

Since the time it takes to eliminate THC from the body can be unpredictable, you should abstain from smoking as soon as you are told about a drug test. Then, based on the type of test that will be administered, you can take the necessary steps to detoxify your body. It is essential that you don’t consume any marijuana during the detoxification process.

There are four main substances that can be tested to indicate marijuana usage. They include blood, saliva, urine and hair. Some are more popular than others because they are less expensive, but they vary in accuracy. They are used to determine the levels of the metabolite THC COOH present in the sample. This is usually recorded in the format of nanograms per millilitre (ng/ml).

Each test also has a specific ‘threshold’. Some are set at 50ng/ml while others might be as low as 20ng/ml. If you use marijuana regularly it will take much longer to pass a test with a threshold of 20ng/ml than one with a threshold of 50ng/ml. Here’s what you need to know about how long THC can be detected by the different tests.

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Urine?

Urine tests are one of the most popular and reliable tests for marijuana use. The threshold for urine tests is usually set at 50ng/ml. They are able to accurately determine whether an individual has used marijuana within 1 to 3 days. Metabolites can be detected in urine within 2 – 5 hours after smoking. The length of time it remains detectable will depend on the frequency of your usage.

A one-time user will generally test positive for one to seven days after consumption. Moderate users will likely have levels high enough to be detected after approximately 7 to 21 days afterwards. Frequent users will have to wait at least two to three weeks before they can pass a urine test. Unfortunately, heavy users can test positive for months due to the build-up of THC in their systems.

urine detection time

Of course, this can vary depending on the other factors mentioned earlier, but the fact remains that heavy users will have difficulty passing a urine test. However, infrequent and moderate users can lower the detectable levels of THC in their system by following a sensible detox program. The more THC you can flush from your system before the test, the more difficult it will be to detect.

You might be tempted to drink lots of water to dilute your urine as much as possible. But, if the sample is too weak, the lab may reject it. This will only make you look suspicious, although it might buy you more time before another test is administered.

You can read this page if you want to know your best options of passing a urine test. In the end it comes down to either detox or synthetic urine if you don’t have a lot of time at your disposal to wait it out by staying abstinent.

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Hair?

Although it can take up to five days after exposure for THC to show up in your hair, it remains detectable for months afterwards. While they’re not a popular choice for detecting recent use, they are used to determine historical use. Even if you haven’t touched a joint for months, the THC that remains in your hair and will give you away.

The most recent outgrowth of hair is used for testing—normally 1.5 inches. It takes hair on average 3 months to grow this far, so the time THC remains detectable in your hair will therefore be 3 months on the vast majority of hair follicle tests. If you have extremely short hair this may compromise the test. But, body hair can also be used. Unfortunately, body hair tends to grow at a slightly slower rate which means it can provide the tester with a longer detection window.hair detection time

Hair tests can detect an exceptionally small amount of THC, even as little as 1ng/ml. It is an extremely sensitive test that is excellent for proving a history of marijuana use. Because the metabolite is literally bound to your hair follicles, most shampoos and remedies will have little to no effect at all.

But it should be noted that THC does not always bind reliably to hair follicles. So hair testing may not be considered a reliable or accurate test for marijuana use. They can also be expensive, so most employers are unlikely to use them.

There are ways though (although few) that are considered effective in beating the hair test, by being able to access and open up the hair follicles. Find out more by reading this guide.

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Blood?

Blood tests aren’t as popular as urine tests because they can be difficult to administer. However, they remain an accurate test for active consumption. They are also used by law enforcement to determine whether someone has been driving under the influence of marijuana or other drugs.

blood

In general, THC is taken up by the liver very quickly and blood levels can drop significantly within a few hours of smoking. However, if you’re ingesting marijuana orally, it can take a much longer time for the levels to drop. Of course, if you’re a heavy user, even your blood levels will be higher than a once-off or infrequent user.

To pass a blood test, an infrequent user would need 2 – 5 days before ensuring a negative result. And a heavy user would generally need about 10 days tops to be clear of THC in the blood. There are also ways to detox your blood.

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Saliva?

Saliva tests are fairly new and not considered as reliable as some of the other tests. There is a small window of detection with this test as only minimal amounts of the drug are excreted through saliva.

Saliva detection time

Generally it is capable of determining whether an individual has consumed marijuana within the last 2 to 3 hours. After 2-4 days of abstaining an occassional smoker should generally be able to pass most saliva tests, although heavier users may need a week or up to 10 days of abstinence to be on the safe side.

There are products that can make sure you pass the saliva test though, and you can find out more about that in this guide. If it’s an important test, that can be very useful to eliminate most of the risk of failing.

Conclusion

Cannabis tends to remain in the body longer than other drugs because of its accumulative effort. Most drugs are quickly absorbed and flushed within hours, but because the metabolites from marijuana are very fat soluble they remain in the fatty tissues and are slowly released over a period of time. If you want to detoxify your system, be sure to give it plenty of time and don’t try to rush the process. If time is not on your side and you have a drug test coming up however.. For the most effective ways to detox from THC, make sure you check out the home page!

88 thoughts on “How Long Does Weed Stay In Your System? Longer Detection Times Than You May Have Thought”

  1. Im a heavy user (3yrs/several times a day) and Ive reached this new level by getting divorced. Anyway…I have a test in about 21 days. Whats best for me? E

    1. Imo, hands down synthetic urine would be best here, granted it’s an unsupervised test. To expect to detox from that amount in 3 weeks would be a bit too optimistic I think. It’s possible for some with a lot of detox efforts, combining good detox products and natural methods, but for most people it still isn’t. If urine substitution wasn’nt an option, I’d go all in detox and then if testing positive still on a home test before the real one, go for over-dilution, which in most cases although not ideal, is better than a straight fail.

    2. Hello I am what you would call a heavy user I am applying for a job that has supervised urine testing i have been clean for a month now the job interview will be 2 more months away I would smoke about half a gram everyday on average for about a couple years now I’m 6″4 215 pounds but with a high metabolism rate over the last 2or 3 months I have gained about 20 to 30 pounds of fat I am drinking plenty of fluids and been sweating pretty good lately do you think I should be clean in 2 more months? Or might possibly take a little longer?

      1. Hi Ray. 3 months is usually enough time for heavy smokers to get under the cut-off limit, not always though. Imo your best bet would be to focus on natural detox methods as you’re doing, and get some home drug test kits to check if you’re clean a while before the test. If not, you can then look into some detox products such as Toxin Rid to combine with the natural detoxing (see home page) and that should do the trick, especially since you’ll already have such a lon time of abstinence behind you.

  2. Stress Reliever

    Havent smoked in about a year. Rough week at work, smoked 7 days straight. I’m a heavy dude, about 420 lbs. What kind of timeline am I looking at ?

    1. That’s always very hard to estimate accurately with so many different factors mattering. Also depends on things such as how much you smoked each time (a puff, a joint, more), your individual body’s detox capabilities, your detox efforts and lifestyle (exercise, drinking a lot and eating healthy, effective detox products etc). I’d say anywhere from 2 weeks to a month as a general guess. Always good to use some cheap home test kits to track whether you’re clean or not.

      1. I took three hits on May 5th I don’t smoke often it’s been 15 days I passed the cup test but they send it to a lab do they do deeper testing and do you think I will be ok?

        1. With just 3 hits and not a heavy/frequent user, those 15 days should be enough to pass, as evident by passing the cup test. I think you’re ok. Some tests will always be sent to the lab. Definitely possible they test deeper in the sense that they test for stuff to confirm it’s genuine urine and that it isn’t spiked/tampered with etc. Sometimes if something is suspicious I’ve also heard some labs can test for a lower cut-off at the lab such as 20ng/ml instead of 50ng/ml, but not for tests that will be sent to the lab no matter what.

  3. i havent smoked in months so i was def clean of any THC… i smoked last tuesday so its been 5 days so far… not sure if I have a test this thurs or not. That would be 9 days since last smoked. Havent smoked for months before that and only took 2 bong hits of high quality weed. Any clue on how long it would take ot get out and if i should be good by thursday?

    1. I’d say most people would be clean after those 9 days when it’s just a one time use as in your case. Never a bad idea to get a cheap home test to confrim though, so you’re not in for an unpleasant surprise. Not talking about the $15-30 but rather the packs on Amazon (heard dollarstore got as well) where price per test when buying 5-10 amounts to like $1 a piece.

  4. i am 16 with a fast metabolism i haven’t smoked in about five months but i smoked 2 bowls of normal level stuff and took two very small dabs, i am 5’1″ and 114lbs how long do you think it’ll take to get out and what can i do to speed up the process i have 9 days to get it out of my system for a piss test

    1. A bit short on time there perhaps but sounds to me like it’s possible to get clean naturally in that time, since you’re not a regualar user. Just make sure to confirm with a home test kit before the actual test. To speed it up check out the home page for detox methods. Fastest way is combining effective products with normal detox habits of exercise, drinking a lot etc, although good detox products are costly. So if cost is an issue, go heavy on the natural stuff instead, and perhaps keep a good synthetic urine as backup plan if your home test still shows you’re positive.

      1. I’m 17 and I weigh about the same and I have a drug test in 10 days please tell me how I can get it out if my system I smoked 2 days ago

        1. Depends too much on how much you’ve been smoking in general. If it was just a one time thing for example, 10 days may very well be enough on its own although adding some natural detox habits of exercise and plenty of fluid. For heavier smokers synthetic urine is a decent consideration for short notice tests.

  5. I smoke weed for the past month but its just a little bit of amount. And havent smoke for this month its been 21 days…
    How long THC stay in my system?

    1. Depends a lot on how much exactly you did smoke last month, and whether you been a heavy smoker before that, say 2 months ago (very heavy users can have THC stay in their system for 3 months or more after stopping). But if you only smoked a small amount last month, chances are you are already clean from it by now. A good tip is to get some cheap home tests kit if you need to get it confirmed or know for sure, I recommend a decent one on the home page.

  6. I smoked once or twice a week for the past year some weeks not at all I haven’t smoked in a month will I be able to pass a urine test

    1. Several factors play a part here I’d say, such as your individual body and metabolism, how active you are etc, but for most people I’d say they could pass by now (a month of abstinence) since once or twice a week isn’t that heavy. Would always recommend testing with a cheap home testing kit first though

  7. Im about the same as the last one, im 16 im about 5’0 and 115lbs. I’ve been smoking almost everyday (several times a day) for about 3 or 4 months now. Im a pretty active person I play sports and i go to the gym. I want to fully clear out my system so i can start applying for jobs soon. How long do you think it’ll take and is there any tips you have that’ll maybe help speed up the process?

    1. That’s pretty heavy smoking, so I’d imagine it can take anywhere from a month and up to 2-3 months, depending in detox efforts as well as individual factors. Keep track with cheap home testing kits (recommended some decent ones from Amazon on the homepage). More feasible would likely be a reliable brand of synthetic urine in your case, since most pre-employment tests are unsupervised. Then you could be applying for jobs whenever.

      1. I have been smoking everyday once or twice a day since the end of last summer, I have a test in about a month and a half. I have a fast metabolism, I’m very active I workout everyday. Will I be okay?

        1. It’s possible but sounds pretty risky, long time daily smokers can often take more than that to detox so you may wanna take precautions and detox actively. At the very least use a home test kit 2 or so weeks before and see what it says. If you don’t pass it, consider detoxing agressively with Toxin Rid or perhaps synthetic urine if it’s an unsupervised test

  8. I smoked once in my whole life whih was yesterday how long till THC leavs my system completly and cant not be traced

    1. Depends a little bit on how much you smoked, just a little taste, or a lot. But for most people, that should be gone in no longer than a week. That is, as far as passing a test is the main concern. It will be traceable for much longer than that in minute amounts, far below drug test cut-off limits.

  9. I’ve been smoking every night(atleast) for 6 months. The past 3 weeks I’ve been dabbing every night(atleast), sometimes during the day. I am 6ft 135lbs and only 5.7% body fat. Since I found out about an up coming drug test I stopped smoking, been drinking crazy amounts of water, in the sauna for atleast 25mins a day and working out twice a day. What are my chances to pass if I continue to do this 10 days straight? Tight on money, any recommendations help

    1. Being that heavy of a smoker, naturally detoxing (or by using products as well, for that matter) in 10 days really isn’t plausible. Best would most likely be synthetic urine, as long as your test isn’t supervised (I’m assuming we’re talking a urine test here, obviously).

  10. Last time I smoked would’ve been 33 days ago… Before that I would be lucky to smoke on a monthly basis. I’m having a test in a month. Metabolism is fairly average and I exercise daily but I’m on antibiotics and meds for a nasty chest infection… Do u think I’ll come clean by then?

    1. If I am understanding you correctly Mariana, you haven’t smoker for a month but when you did do so it was no more than once monthly anyway. In this case, you should be clean already since weeks back and shouldn’t have anything to worry about as long as you stay abstinent until the test.

  11. I’m 16,5’9, 155, and my metabolism is normal I had 3 hits of weed and it’s been 57 days I have a drug test next week will I pass?

    1. Yeah, if 3 hits is all you took, it will be long gone from your system by now (as far as detecting it with a test is concerned at least).

  12. I’ve been smoking weed every weekend for a few months now but nothing during the week while I’m at work – which is heavy physical work btw.

    I’ve been off it for 9 days straight, have changed my diet completely, drinking plenty of fluids, been to the sauna and did some running too.
    My type of work means I’m physical all day long – in itself a workout
    On Sunday ( 7 days without weed ) I was still positive – I bought some test kits off the internet.
    My proper test will be right on 16 days since I stopped using – think I’ll be clear by then ?

    Thanks

    1. Really hard to say tbh, but it’s good that you’re using home test kits to track your progress. Definitely possible you’ll be lean in time, but just can’t know with certainty. If not clean in time at least you’ll know form home testing and can then consider synthetic urine or diluting.

  13. Hi,

    I had a surprise drug test exactly 21 days from last smoking weed. It was my first time and was 3 hits from the joint. What is the likely hood of me testing negative/positive for THC on the urine test?

    I’m Male, 5’6, 166 lbs. I worked out daily, eat healthy and drunk lots of water before the test because I was on a 10-day Detox body cleanse. I also took an at home drug test the day after the official test, and it was negative. Still unsure.

    1. Hi Dee,
      You’d almost certainly be clean naturally be then. A few hits if you’re a very infrequent user is undectable on a test within a week for most people.

  14. I’m a 25 year old woman, weighing 150 pounds with around 25% body fat. I’ve smoked about half a gram of weed almost every night for the last two years. Last week I quit smoking because I want to apply for a job that I know will test but I wanted to apply once I know that I’ll be in the clear. How long do you think that it will take me to pass a urine test?

    1. Hey Bianca, being a long time daily smoker, with high body fat on top of it, I’d say it will definitely take some time. We’re all different so can never know exact time, but going from what it usually takes, it could be anywhere from 2 to 3 months to get clean naturally, likely closer to 3 than 1,5. With proper detox efforts, maybe slightly longer than a month. Again, this can all vary, so this is more like average numbers. But since it’s for a job, it seems your best solution here would be synthetic urine if you feel it will take too long to get clean. Substitution would allow you to apply at any time granted it’s a urine test we’re talking about (the most common by far). You can check out my article on synthetic urine for all you need to know about it.

  15. I’m didn’t consider myself a heavy smoker but I usually smoke at night to sleep 4-5 times a day. There are weeks where I don’t smoke at all. I considered that frequent. Not sure. Anyway I’ve stopped smoking 35 days ago, been drinking almost a gallon of water every day, and started drinking these cranberry pills. I’ve also been eating very healthy for those 35 days. Recently started working out too. I’m about 200 lbs. my question is I’ve been tracking my progress for the whole time I’ve been clean. There are times recently when I take the test and I see a sold line and a very faint one, then times when it gets even lighter almost not there and now recently I tested my self and got 2 solid lines but when tested myself a few hours later the test showed a solid line and a light faint line again. Is the amount of water or the cranberry pills messing with the test. I stopped drinking so much water and the pills and it went back to a solid line and a faint line. So I’m not sure what that means if the diluting is just hiding the toxins and I don’t want to take the risk because if I fail drug test I loose out on the job.

    1. Hey Carolina, great question and I’ve actually been planning to make a post some time about this, i.e. the dos and don’ts when using home testing kits. Fairly simple, altohugh not many think about it. But the home testing kit is much like the real one and works the same when it comes to diluted urine (except home tests generally don’t test for it). So if you test yourself while detoxing and having drunk a lot of water prior, it’s highly likely it will give you a false negative due to over-dilution. So, don’t drink any more than you normally would before taking a home test to make it more accurate. And always read the test instructions carefully, because often times the faintness of the line is irrelevant and it’s a pass either way as long as it’s there.

  16. I haven’t smoked in at least 6 months, but smoked a very small amount 2 days in a row. Maybe 0.2-0.25 grams total. Woul it be possible to pass a UA in 6 days? I have a fast metabolism and little fat? Would a slight dilution help?

    1. Yeah that should be possibly, at least with some detox efforts. It takes less than a week for some to get clean from a one time smoke, and since it was a small amount twice, I’d consider it the same way. A home test would be helpful to decide whether you need to dilute or not, although a same day detox drink as a safety net is always a best practice imo, and that works in part by diluting it efficiently.

  17. Hello,
    I stopped smoking weed in June and just recently smoked about 2/3 times from a joint (California weed). I didn’t smoke the whole joint myself but took several hits. Would I possibly be clean in about 2 weeks or 20 days? I have home test strips so I will do one of those in a few days to see where I stand. I work out 3x a week and sweat heavily. Any assistance would be appreciated.

    1. I’d say it depends on how heavy a smoker you were in june and prior. For very heavy smokers, it’s not uncommon to still have THC in your system 2 months later. If not heavy though, this past smoking shouldn’t be a problem. And in that case, 14-20 days is generally more than enough to get clean from just a few hits once. Great though that you got strips to confirm with, that’s a best practice.

  18. have a drug test in 21 days i smoke once or twice a month usually just a couple hits each time semi active 5’8 240 if i read it right it should be out within a week or 2?

    1. Yeah it should, especially when it’s just a couple of hits. It never hurts to put some effort into detoxing naturally by drinking some extra water and exercising a bit! We’re all different and you just never know with 100% certainty when it comes to detoxing from weed.

  19. I have been a heavy smoker for years but have taken at least two months off each year for the past three. I had been smoking daily for about the past 8 months. I have a oral swab test on the 31st, I will be 15 days clean then. Will i pass the oral swab test?

  20. I am a 41 year male that is an infrequent user – once every other year, perhaps. Around a week and a half ago I smoked occasionally over the period of about 36 to 48 hours, never more than four or five hits in a 24 hour window. The marijuana was several years old and not potent, nor was it stored in an air-tight container. At the time of my upcoming test it will have been 12 days since I smoked. I’d consider myself average metabolism and a heavy water drinker (I do not drink soft drinks or other sugary items).

    What are my odds of passing a urine test?

    1. I’d say for most people these 12 days would be enough to get clean from the small amount you used. Put some extra effort into natural detox to be on the safe side. As always it can be a good idea to get a cheap home test kit and confirm you’re clean if it’s an important test, so that if you aren’t you have time to take extra precautions.

  21. I took about 3 hits off a joint at a party about 16 days ago and had a surprise drug test today at work, do you think I should be fine? First time I’ve ever smoked. I’m 18, weigh 140.

  22. Hi,

    Used to be a heavy user, i an 6″1, 320lbs. I had quit and passed a doctor ordered drug test as now required for meds i am taking. I took a couple hits off a joint mid grade stuff july 15, then again on july 22nd. Since then i have not had any and am done. My question is because was clean for 5/6 months , smoke those couple times, as of today is now been 34 days 100% clean. Do u think i can pass a urine , blood and or hair test ( i get hair cut every 4 weeks) next cut 9/3

    Thank you

    1. Since you only smoked twice within the last 34 days, I’d say you’re good by now to pass most of the tests, with the exception of hair which could still turn out positive when you smoked within the last 3 months, especially when it was more than once. Not certain it wil ldetect it, but the risk is definitely there. The hair grows about an inch a month and the hair test generally looks at 1,5 inches from the scalp, so from there you can do the math :).

  23. I am an 18 year old male and I am 6 foot 2 and weigh 230 pounds. I smoked for the first time two days ago. I did not smoke a lot ( I’m not to familiar with what would be considered a lot in units but the people I was with told me it wasn’t much). I was wondering if I could pass the test for life insurance if my test was 18 days from the time I smoked. Additionally I was wondering if anything would show up on the hair test even if I only smoked once. I exercise daily and drink a lot of water. After I smoked I hiked about 3 miles immediately after. Any help would be appreciated.

    1. Hi Justin, generally 18 days is plenty of time to test clean if you only smoked once and not frequently, so most likely yes, unless the cut-off was lower on a life-insurance test, which I know nothing about. You cna always double-check with a home test kit. As for hair tests, they often miss 1 time use, but not always, so still a little risky imo.

  24. Alejandro Valdez

    How’s it going, today I’m about to smoke just one joint and the last time I smoked was about a year ago and before that, 3 years ago. I’m 5’8 About 150 lbs, will I be able to get clean in 13 days before a possible drug test?

    1. Hey Alejandro. Yeah, since it’s just a one time use, 13 days should be enough, do make sure to put some detox effort in though to minimize risk, and maybe a cheap home test kit to take before the real deal.

  25. I weigh 260 and I am 5ft 7 in. I took 5 hits off a joint 7 days ago. I don’t smoke at all. I drink a lot of water. Will I pass a urine test

    1. Usually a week is enough for a one-time use, but can’t know for certain so best in my opinion would still be to at least test with a home test kit in advance to make sure and if not clean take some precautions

  26. Hi, my husband just had a UA today for work. He use to be a heavy user and stopped 45 days ago. He smoked 1x about 2 weeks ago. What is the likelihood of him passing?

    1. Hi Krys, too hard to say with this info, depends on many, many factors. But for very heavy long time users, it usually takes longer than 45 days to get clean naturally, especially without serious detox efforts

  27. Hi! I just had to take a job random anti-drog urine test. From january to april i was fully sober, then from april to mid june i smoked 4 times a week(1-2 g /week) . From mid june to test date (5 octomber ) full sober. So thats 3 and a half months since i did not touch the M. I’ve tryed some drug screening cups like a month a go and the second thc line was a little fainted. What are my chances to test positive on this last test ? Thank you and excuse my english. Its not my first language.

    1. Hi Proloe, 3,5 months is generally enough time even for very heavy smokers so chances are lokking good. Keep in mind that fainted lines on home tests often means pass, so manke sure you read the instructions on how to interpret it carefully to avoid any misunderstandings as to whether or not you were actually clean! No problem at all :)

  28. Hi, I had been smoking marijuana for almost 3 months, atleast 3 times a week. I stopped for a straight month and have been exercising daily now. I smoked 1 joint today and I have a drug test in about 30 days from now. I’m 6ft 2 inches tall and weigh close to 190 pounds. Will i be able to pass the test?

    1. As always you can never know with complete certainty how long it will take tp get clean, so many individual factors, but I’d say this 1 joint is negligible and what matters is the 3 months prior. But 2 months can often be enough to get clean, depending a bit on the exact days/week and how much you smoke per occasion.. Personally I’d go with some Toxin Rid in this case (see home page) to be on the safe side, but with only natural detox, your chances still look pretty good. At the very least I suggest you get some home test kits and test before the real thing.

  29. I have smoked 3-4 times a week for the past couple of months, most of the time at night to sleep. I am 256 pound 5’5-6. Last time i smoked was last Thursday. I usually drink water or juice and juice, i do not eat a lot of fresh fruit or vegatables But nor do i eat alot of junk food. I mostly eat fish or turkey. I do walk my dog on a daily basis for about 20-30 mins, so I guess I’m semi active. What kind of time frame am I looking at to be low enough to pass a urine drug test?

    1. Hi Toni!
      Would depend on how much you smoke per occassion a lot as well, so very hard to say, but for 3-4 times/week smokers it could certainly take 1-2+ months without any detox efforts. With serious detox you could likely get it down to under a month though if it wasn’t super heavy per occasion. Do use a cheap home test kit to confirm you’re clean before taking a real one, and also if it’s a regular unsupervised pre-employment test, a good synthetic urine brand is another decent option.

  30. Hello , I’m 6’2 Maybe 150 pounds fast matabalism very active at work and home . I smoked for about a week an half , once or twice a day not a lot . I have 30 days till I have a pee test for work ,do you think I’ll be clean ? Also I drink a lot of water and green tea ..how long would it stay in my system?

    1. Hello Harvey, it does sounds like a month may be enough to get clean naturally, especially since you already have good detox habits in place etc. But can’t be sure here, so at the very least I’d get some cheap home test kits so if not clean in time you can take some precautions

  31. Good day, me and 2 of my friends are daily smokers we smoke about 5g a day have been for a couple of years now. we are lean and we gym daily as well with a large amount of water intake. how long do you reckon it wil take to test negative on a urine test.

    thank you in advance.

    1. Good day Pieter, that’s really hard to say. Although you have good habits in place to detox 5g/day is a whole lot. I’d guess at the very least 30 days but many factors at play so it is just that, a guess!

  32. I Smoke prolly a little bit less then a O with my girlfriend and they where all blunts. That was about a month ago. I am 5-11 or 6ft and I’m 228lbs metabolism average slight fast. I exercise little to average but I still have 2 weeks till I get drug tested. Plus before that I drunk two detox drinks 2 weeks in the middle of December and then 2weeks at the end of December. And I was only smoking a lil before the first detox drink. Thinking about using Certo for a detox? Do you think I could naturally pass or no? Need good answers this is for college Sophie or anyone need something that works. Already took two for this place and failed both kuz the drinks didn’t work it says it was dilute on my last test so what should I do help?

    1. I drink a lot of water everyday to just in general because I always have and will so idk how much that changes the time frame?

    2. Sounds from your description like you’re not a heavy user and will have had at least 1 month of abstinence before your test. Most people would be in the clear to pass. But it never hurts to get a couple of home test kits to make sure and should you fail those soon before your test opt for more agressive detox with products or urine substitution if it’s unsupervised. Certo works similar to detox drinks and risk making it diluted as well. One detox drink before the test is a good practice but remember it adds up with what you drink already, so all the water you mention together with your drink probably over-diluted it on your prior attempt. Then again, a detox drink in itself can only help you pass if you were already very close to cut-off

  33. I am a 5’1 female who weighs 110 with a very fast metabolism. I’ve smoked pretty much everyday for the past 8 months and it’s been a week now completely clean. I’m going to start applying for jobs in a couple weeks so that means drug tests in about a month-2 months. I’ve been rigorously exercising and using the sauna and will probably do some detox drinks within the next couple of weeks. How long do you think it will take to test negative?

    1. With hard work and good detox products combined it sounds like your time frame is likely to have you free in time (usually not more than 5-6 weks for very heavy users with the right detox approach), but do use a home test kit to make sure before the real test, and keep synthetic urine in mind as an emergency solution

    1. Nope that should not be possible. Perhaps if you’re actually constantly exposed to second hand smoke so you end up getting the same amount over time as smoking yourself once or twice would, but I’m just theorizing here and it still seems a bit far-fetched

  34. I have been clean for 3 months. The past 6 days I have took only one or 2 hits a day. I recently found out I have a drug test in 8 days. Do u think I will be clean by then. I didn’t smoke at all yesterday so ibwill have 8 days clean. Is that enough time do u think?

    1. It seems you’re definitely on the borderline, so possibly, but hard to guarantee. At the very least get some home testing kits and if you don’t pass those, consider taking extra precautions, be it detox or urine substitution, there are top-notch resources on both topics on this site.

  35. I hadn’t smoked in almost a year. Then in June I smoked for a couple weeks up to July 7th being the last day. Over those 2 weeks I would smoke once a day at night about 3/4 hits of a blunt. A couple days I would smoke more from the blunt but only once a day and some days I wouldn’t smoke at all. I found out I was going to get a urine drug test so I immediately stopped on the 7th of July maybe even the 6th. I became vegan right around the time I stopped with the exception of eating eggs and only eating vegetables I eat an avocado a day and drinking only water a good amount everyday. I also take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar everyday and a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. I also started drinking a fiber drink. I started going poop a lot more often once I started that. I exercise almost daily 30 mins on treadmill and sometimes 10-20 mins in sauna after. I have lost 15 pounds since July 7th. I now weigh 180 and am 5’9 I took two first check home drug tests with first void in the morning on two separate days a couple days before my test and they showed a faint line being negative. I just took my real lab test yesterday being 37 days clean that will be sent to quest. Do I have anything to worry about?

    1. Hey Ashley, it sounds to me like 37 days clean coupled with your very solid detox habits should be enough to get clean from those two weeks of smoking nightly. Add to the fact that you tested negative already on your home testing kits, and I’d say yeah, not much to worry about. Feel free to update with how it went though either way!

  36. I also forgot to add I drank a good amount of water day of the test and used my 4th pee of the day mid stream on test.

    1. Depends on the type of test more than anything, but get some cheap home testing kits and then go from there, if not clean and it’s urine, you could always substitute

  37. I’m smoked marijuana for about 10 years I consider myself a heavy smoker 1/8 to 1/4 minimum a day

    I have been cleaning about 100 days I am 380 lb I do not believe I’m able to pass a drug test what are your thoughts on the situation

    1. It’s certainly not unheard of that heavy long time users aren’t clean after 100 days, especially if no special efforts are put into detox. I’m not saying you’re not though, probably more likely to be clean enough than not, just far from guaranteed. I’d get some at home testing strips to gauge the situation better, and then depending on when the test is either do some active detoxification or use fake urine to pass if that’s the type of test you’re up against

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