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Medical cannabis can have a profound effect on both body and mind.
Like a feeling of calm among people with anxiety. Sleep for insomnia sufferers. Or relief from chronic pain.
Depending on your prescription, dose and delivery method (e.g. cannabis flower, oil or vape cart), this effect may last for a few hours, or even a whole day.
But that’s not the end of the story.
Cannabis stays in your system for much longer. It can show up on a drug test for up to – and sometimes more than – 90 days.
And while medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018, knowing how long it can remain in your body, and factors that influence why, is important for many people.
Let’s explore how it works.
What Cannabis Drug Tests Are There, and What Are the Detection Windows?
Broadly speaking, cannabis drug tests screen for THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). This is one of the plant’s most common compounds, and the psychoactive element that causes a ‘high’ feeling of euphoria.
By binding to fat molecules, THC’s by-products (or metabolites) remain in the body long after the effect of cannabis has worn off.
Taking a prescription that’s high in CBD (cannabidiol – the non-psychoactive element in cannabis that’s linked to pain relief), can also mean a positive test.
As a rule, it’s best to assume that, if you’re consuming any form of medical cannabis, you’re going to test positive for THC.
Cannabis urine test
This is the most common screening method, and more than 50 nanograms of THC per millilitre of urine will yield a positive test.
That said, the detection window varies wildly, and is largely dictated by use.
For instance, if you take medical cannabis for the first time, THC will only be present in your urine for around three days. For moderate users (every other day, say), it will remain for up to a week. And for daily users, a fortnight.
Among patients who take medical cannabis several times a day, however, THC may still be detectable in urine one full month after last use.
Cannabis blood test
THC is only detectable in your blood for a small window, post-use: between two and 12 hours.
Pair this with the more invasive nature of the actual test (drawing blood with a needle, versus peeing in a cup), and it explains why these are used far less often.
Again, a person’s usage may greatly extend the detection window. For patients who use medical cannabis many times a day, THC can stay in the blood for up to a month.
Cannabis saliva test
Easy to test (a cotton swab in the mouth), but with a similar timeframe to blood – saliva tests are only really reliable for detecting same-day cannabis use.
As before, greater consumption makes for a bigger window. A 2020 study found THC in the spit of frequent users three days after the fact.
Cannabis hair test
Done by taking the most recent 1.5 inches of hair growth, then checking it for cannabinoids, follicle tests can detect THC for up to 90 days.
As hair grows roughly 0.5 inches a month, taking the segment closest to the scalp (which holds THC deposits from sweat or sebum) should, in theory, provide a roadmap of cannabis use.
But it’s far from a perfect science. Not everyone has 1.5 inches of hair. And there’s research to suggest that second-hand smoke, or cannabinoid transfer via touch and sweat, could see a non-user test positive.
What Else Can Affect How Long Cannabis Stays in Your System?
Everybody (and every body) is different. So, just like how two people can process the same meal differently, the same is true for cannabis metabolism.
As shown above, detection time is strongly linked to how much, of how often, you take medical cannabis. But it doesn’t stop there.
Body fat and metabolism
Given THC metabolites cling to fat molecules, a person’s body fat and metabolism can play a direct role in how long cannabis stays in their system. (In short: more fat, bigger detection window. Faster metabolism: smaller window.)
Method of consumption
A medical cannabis prescription can be carefully tailored to suit a patient’s health needs, with particular strains and delivery methods recommended for different conditions.
For example, a dry-herb vaporiser or vape cart is ideal for rapid symptom relief (for things like anxiety), whereas high-CBD oils can supply all-day management for chronic pain.
Yet there is not enough data to suggest that consumption method makes a meaningful difference in how long THC stays present in your system.
Potency of cannabis
It’s widely believed that high-strength cannabis (that features more THC) will stay in your system for longer than a low-strength alternative. This may be true, although context is key.
People taking high potency medical cannabis are more likely to be frequent users, treating a health issue several times a day. As noted above, this can also dictate how long THC stays detectable in the body, due to the cumulative build up of metabolites.
Is It Possible to Remove Cannabis from Your Body Faster?
Cannabis detoxification is a hotly debated topic.
Many believe that high intensity exercise can help fast-track the release of THC from the body, and others claim jump-starting your metabolism (with things like coffee, spicy food or fasting) will do the same.
In reality, while metabolism and body fat do influence how the body processes cannabis, research suggests that neither of the above proactive approaches make much of a difference to a cannabis drug test.
Put another way: there is no sure-fire way to hack your own biology.
Summary
- Medical cannabis helps patients of various health conditions get relief from their symptoms. The effect can last between a few hours and a whole day, yet THC stays in the system far longer.
- Depending on the test, THC by-products are present in the body for up to 90 days.
- A wide range of factors can shape exactly how long THC metabolites exist in the body – such as frequency of use, body fat, and metabolism – and there’s no proven way to speed up a detox.
For more information on this topic, or to find out more about a medical cannabis prescription, contact Alternaleaf today.