How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your System

The Straight Truth

Jennifer Marro
How long does marijuana stay in your system is on the minds of many people in our society now. From large corporations down to small businesses, many employers perform drug testing to ensure safety in the workplace. And because of the epidemic of drug use by teens, parents have also started drug testing at home. If you decide to smoke marijuana, there are consequences. So simply put, don't use drugs and you won't need to concern yourself about how-long-does-marijuana-stay-in-your-system.

Marijuana (which is also referred to as pot, grass or weed) is this nation's most frequently abused drug. Because of this, it is also tested for in the workplace the most often. Several things determine the length of its detection time, including the smoker's individual metabolic rate, which in turn determines how much THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) the body stores. This is why the answer to how long does marijuana stay in your system will always vary with each individual.

Generally, 3 to 90 days is the most widely used estimate for how long does marijuana stay in your system. Although more current studies have concluded that its detection time is far less than was once thought. In most people, the time that THC will still be able to be detected is between 3 to 30 days. But because of the widely varying rates of individual metabolism, this still means that even if someone smokes marijuana infrequently, how long does marijuana stay in your system can still present a problem.

The detection times included here are for the type of test which is most commonly administered - the urine-drug-test. A hair follicle drug test can also be performed, but because of its extra expense it is not often used. If you think you are going to be subjected to a hair drug test, you should be especially concerned about how long does marijuana stay in your system. Unlike the urine drug test, a hair test will uncover drug use from the prior 90 days, or even longer in some cases.

Another test method, the saliva drug test, is becoming more and more frequently used. Because it is much less expensive than a urine drug test, and because the results are available immediately, a saliva test is preferred by many employers. It is also less invasive than a urine test, which is especially important for parents who are home drug testing. For a saliva test, the answer to how long does marijuana stay in your system is usually about one day. So if marijuana is only used very occasionally by employees, many employers consider the saliva test to be more fair to their workforce. If you are a parent, however, you may not see this as an advantage.

THC is a fat soluble substance. What this means simply is that the human body stores it in the fat cells. Even among much more dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine, most drug toxins are no longer detectable after only a few days. THC can be detected for significantly longer. In the case of urine drug tests for THC, how long does marijuana stay in your system will depend on the percentage of body fat in the individual, and the amount of THC that has been stored there.

To answer the question, 'How long does marijuana stay in your system?' you must begin by looking at an individual's metabolism. Their rate of metabolism is somewhat indicated by the ratio of their body fat to body weight. In general, people with more extra weight have proportionately slower metabolisms, so that marijuana will tend to stay in their system much longer.

There are many different variables that come under consideration when trying to determine how long does marijuana stay in your system. It's much simpler to just avoid using drugs altogether, rather than risking detection by taking one of the many unreliable products that are touted for helping people to pass drug tests. Because if you do not use drugs, then the question of how long does marijuana stay in your system will never be a concern for you.

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Published by Jennifer Marro

I'm a freelance writer and Internet marketer with more hobbies and interests than I can count!   View profile

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