Who doesn’t love a juicy, fruit-flavored THC gummy? Or perhaps a salty, savory cannabis-infused tortilla chip or cheese crunchies? Cannabis edibles are an excellent alternative to smoking and make snacking even more enjoyable. More and more people are opting for edibles these days, and the increase in use leads to a rise in queries like “how long do edibles stay in your system?”
If you enjoy munching on THC edibles but have reason to believe there is a drug test in your future, you are probably wondering if edibles show up in drug tests. The answer to that question has a few varying dependencies. Read on to learn more.
How Long Do Edibles Stay in Your System?
You might be surprised to learn that there are plenty of types of drug tests and they each detect THC for a varying period of time. When you eat THC edibles, they must pass through your digestive system before being assimilated by your organs and producing effects. This takes much longer than smoking cannabis, which provides a high within minutes. Yet, the high from eating cannabis edibles can take a total of two hours to reach its strongest results.
If you face a drug test, it’s helpful to know what kind you will be taking.
- Urine: THC metabolites are detectable in urine for up to 30 days after last use. You may only test positive for THC for as little as a few days for first-time or light users.
- Hair: Hair follicle testing is not very common, but it is very thorough. A hair follicle test can detect THC use for up to 90 days after last use. Again, this depends on the amount you’ve been consuming, and how regularly.
- Saliva: Saliva tests are often used to determine if someone is high on the spot. You can only detect THC via saliva for one to three days after the last time you consumed it.
- Blood: On average, THC is detectable in your blood for three to four days.
These are general rules for how long THC is detectable depending on the test type. Keep in mind that someone who uses cannabis products every single day will take significantly longer to detox than someone who only used cannabis one time, or partakes very sparingly.
Do Edibles Show Up in Drug Tests?
Yes, edibles will show up on a drug test. Standardized drug tests are looking for the presence of THC metabolites. This is what remains after our body has digested and used the active THC. These metabolites live in the body’s fat cells until they are burned up or excreted through our natural waste removal. There is no magic formula to determine how long each person’s body will detox from THC, but there are some guidelines to help you detox faster.
- Drink plenty of water. Hydration is essential to overall health and wellbeing but will also help you purge lingering metabolites every time you pee.
- Modify your diet if need be to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly fiber-rich foods that promote elimination. Avoid foods like red meat, gluten, sugar, and dairy. These types of foods can slow down natural detox times.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol if possible. Although caffeine is a natural diuretic, it also rapidly dehydrates the body. Alcohol is a non-nutrient that can interfere with the liver’s detox efforts.
- Get extra exercise and rest when tired. Fat-burning activities ramp up your metabolism so you can get rid of those pesky fat cells that are holding onto THC metabolites.
- Use a detox program. If you need to cleanse fast, use a trusted brand to help push the THC metabolites out and feel confident you will pass your test.
While it seems obvious, please avoid all cannabis products if your goal is to detox from THC completely. Even just a little bit can accumulate in your system, which is a no-no when preparing for a drug test.
Words to Remember
Yes, eating THC-infused edibles will cause you to fail a drug test if you have been eating them close to testing time. How much and how often you are eating cannabis edibles plays a significant role in how long edibles stay in your system. You can definitely support your system by following the above tips for detox.
If and when you resume eating THC edibles, remember that you’ve just taken a tolerance break. If your usual dose is 10 mg THC, you might want to start with 5 mg at first. Go slow and build your way back up to a comfortable dose for you.
FAQs
How long do edibles stay in your system?
The length of time THC is detectable in the body depends on the type of drug test. THC metabolites can be detectable in urine for up to 30 days, hair for up to 90 days, saliva for one to three days, and blood for three to four days.
Will edibles show up on a drug test?
Yes, edibles will show up on a drug test as standardized drug tests are looking for the presence of THC metabolites. These metabolites can are stored in the body’s fat cells until they are excreted through natural waste removal. The length of time THC is detectable in the body depends on the frequency and amount of consumption.
How can I detox from THC before a drug test?
To detox from THC before a drug test, you can drink plenty of water, change your diet to include more fruits and vegetables, avoid caffeine and alcohol, get extra exercise and rest, and use a detox program. It is important to avoid all cannabis products if the goal is to completely detox from THC. Additionally, if you resume eating THC edibles, remember to start with a lower dose and work your way up to a comfortable amount.