If you have smoked marijuana whether it was medical marijuana or recreational, then you may be wanting to know how long THC stays in your system.

Marijuana drug tests are relatively common and workplace drug tests may even be a condition of your employment. Marijuana users who consume marijuana on a regular basis may be interested in marijuana detox drinks and other ways to flush marijuana and eliminate THC from the system, including the fastest way to detox from THC in your system.

Medical marijuana users are legally allowed to smoke cannabis, you can apply for a letter of recommendation here, but may still be subject to workplace drug tests and must still consume within the confines of the law.

If you are suffering marijuana withdrawal you may also be keen to find ways to metabolize THC faster as well as other methods to manage and prevent withdrawal symptoms that will make the process easier.

The Difference Between CBD and THC

THC is not the only active substance that enters your system when you consume cannabis. Cannabis consumption also delivers CBD and the effects of cannabis are a result of both CBD and THC.

Molecularly CBD and THC are very similar, they both have 21 carbon, 30 hydrogen and 2 oxygen atoms, however, these atoms are arranged in a slightly different way which accounts for the different effects on your mind and body.

Different cannabis strains will have different levels of THC and CBD. Recreational weed may have a higher concentration of THC compared to medical cannabis as it is THC that causes most of the psychoactive effects commonly associated with smoked cannabis including the euphoria and high. Medical cannabis may have higher levels of CBD as this has many therapeutic benefits and cannabis edibles and oils are often available very low levels of THC or no THC at all and are extracted from the hemp plant.

There is also sometimes a difference in the legality of THC vs. CBD, CBD is seen as a more therapeutic compound as it has less of the side effects associated with recreational use.

Testing for marijuana generally test for THC rather than CBD although there are CBD tests available. However many CBD products contain trace elements of THC which could show up on marijuana drug tests testing for THC in your system.

Unlike THC there is relatively little research as to how long it takes to get CBD out of your system.

How Do You Get CBD Out of Your System?

Your body will naturally metabolize and excrete CBD, primarily through urine and sweat and this process starts as soon as it enters your body. You can support this process to get CBD out of your system in a number of ways.

Drink Water

First of all drink more water. When you drink water you help to cleanse the body removing toxins via your urine. If the goal is to pass urine drug tests then drinking extra water the day before your test as well as a couple of liters a few hours before your test can help.

You can combine water with a detox drink or diuretics to make you urinate more frequently and again speed up the detoxification process. However, be aware that drinking a lot of water can dilute your urine to the point where urine samples may be rejected.

Eat Fiber and Avoid Fatty Foods

Just like drinking water eating fiber is pretty sound advice whether or not you are trying to get CBD out of your system. Eating fiber helps to clean out the bowels supporting the detoxification process. Eating fatty foods can disrupt the process.

Exercise

Sweating is a great way to get toxins out of your body including CBD so upping your exercise will help to get CBD out of your system.

How to Get THC out of Your System

Cannabis users are likely to be more worried about detectable THC and its metabolites than CBD as most drug tests look for THC metabolites during the drug screening process. Detection times can vary depending on a number of factors including the type of drug test, the amount of THC in your system and the cutoff concentration.

Saliva, blood, urine and hair follicle tests all have a different detection window with blood tests giving positive results for a matter of hours while urine testing results could be positive for between 3 and 30 days after consumption. If you get given a hair test this could have detected marijuana smoked up to 3 months ago whereas saliva testing generally only gives a positive result for up to 72 hours.

As well as the sensitivity of the drug test heavy users generally test positive for longer periods of time than individuals who smoke weed only occasionally as THC and it’s metabolites build up in the body over time. For example, THC may show up in the oral fluid of chronic heavy users for almost a month.

If you are told you are going to get drug tested and are worried about testing results there are a number of things you can do to support your body to detox THC from your system, as well as a number of quick fixes that are unproven but maybe the fasted way to detox your body from THC.

Detox drinks, pills and even mouthwashes might be able to help you flush THC from your system and in turn, help you pass a drugs test. Diuretics are popular as they increase urination but however, they can dilute your urine too much. You can stop your urine from looking too pale by taking a good multivitamin which has b vitamins in it and supplementing with creatinine.

The only proven method and the most effective is to abstain from consuming marijuana, drink plenty of water, eat a high fiber low-fat diet and commit to plenty of exercises, although you should refrain from exercise in the 24 hours before your test as this can release stored THC metabolites back into the bloodstream.

Withdrawal Symptoms

If you are occasional user abstinence and a natural detox shouldn’t cause any issues. However heavy and chronic users including medicinal users may suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms can include nausea, stomach pains, tremors, restlessness, headaches, sweating and fever or chills as well as mental symptoms including insomnia, nervousness, irritability, aggression and depression. Medicinal users will also have to deal with the symptoms they use marijuana to treat including chronic pain.

You can do a number of things to reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms including drinking plenty of water and avoiding sugary or caffeinated drinks, eating healthily and avoiding junk foods, exercising and surrounding yourself with people to support you.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Substance abuse and mental health are also closely linked and there can be mental repercussions of rapid withdrawal. If you are worried about your mental health you should talk to your doctor or contact mental health services to help you detox.

Using Marijuana Medicinally

Cannabis is now legal in many states for both recreational and medicinal use but this doesn’t stop there from being situational where you may need to detox THC from your system. However, this can be a problem for those who use marijuana medicinally for relieving symptoms such as chronic pain, anxiety or nausea.

Having a doctors recommendation may help to justify your usage. You can apply for a doctors recommendation here.