There are seven words no cannabis consumer ever wants to hear: You have to take a drug test.

 

Even though 37 states allow for medicinal or recreational marijuana use, in many states, employees can still be denied a job or fired for marijuana use off the clock. 

 

Before you panic, know that there is a way to be sure you’ll pass a drug test and other methods that make it much, much more likely that you will pass.

 

First, it’s important to understand the different methods of drug testing and to understand how long THC remains in the body. 

 

TYPES OF DRUG TESTS AND HOW THEY WORK

 

The types of drug tests that test for THC are urine tests, saliva tests, hair tests, and blood tests. Urine tests are by far the most common method used by employers since they’re convenient and affordable. 

 

When you smoke or ingest weed in some way, THC enters your fat cells, then is released in your bloodstream. Drug tests, no matter what method, can detect traces of THC or the byproducts the body breaks it down into. 

 

HOW LONG MARIJUANA STAYS IN YOUR SYSTEM

 

How long marijuana stays in your system depends on several factors:

 

How frequently you smoke or ingest it

How much you consume

The length of time since your last use

Your metabolism — a faster metabolism means marijuana will exit your body quicker

Your Body Mass Index

The amount of THC in the marijuana

 

The way you consume marijuana also matters. Edibles take longer for the body to break down than if you were to smoke or vape. 

 

To understand how long weed can stay in your system, think about whether you’re an infrequent, regular, or chronic user. You’re an infrequent user if you partake less than twice a week, a regular user if you smoke or consume weed several times a week, and a chronic user if you use daily. 

 

THC can be detected in urine for one to three days for infrequent users, seven to 21 days for regular users, and 30 days or more for chronic users.

 

Blood tests usually detect marijuana for only one or two days after the last use. Saliva tests can detect THC for up to 24 hours after last consumption for infrequent users, and up to 30 hours for regular and chronic users. Hair follicle testing can detect THC for up to 90 days after last use for most people. 

 

If you consume cannabis, whether or not you will pass a drug test depends on how much time you have. 

 

STOP DOING DRUGS

 

The best way to pass a drug test? Stop consuming cannabis. We know — it’s obvious that not doing drugs will allow you to pass a drug test — but it’s worth mentioning since it’s the only sure-fire way to pass.

 

Realistically, you might not always have enough time to get THC out of your system leading up to the test. Some employers administer random drug tests, but if you do know you have one coming up, stop consuming cannabis as soon as possible. 

 

DRINK LOTS OF FLUIDS

 

Drinking lots of liquids can help dilute the concentration of drugs in a urine sample to be below detection.

 

If you drink a lot of water, your test could be ruled inconclusive, since your urine would essentially be water. Though this doesn’t mean you passed, it also doesn’t mean you’ve failed and could buy you more time to get THC out of your system before a retest. 

 

This isn’t a foolproof method, but it is more likely to work if you take B vitamins, like B12 and B2, on the day of the test. These vitamins will make your urine appear yellow, which can help hide the fact that you just chugged a bunch of water beforehand. 

 

DON’T WORKOUT BEFOREHAND

 

If you were looking for an excuse to not hit the gym, this is it. You’re welcome. 

 

While some people claim exercising can help you pass a drug test, that isn’t true. Exercising won’t help you pass a drug test. If anything, that method can backfire and can actually result in THC levels in the bloodstream spiking. That spike won’t last long, but to be safe, it’s still best to not exercise right before a drug test. 

 

PASS THE TEST? TIME TO HIT THE DISPENSARY!

 

Wait until you’ve gotten test results back before you consume cannabis again. 

 

Once you have passed your drug test, though, what better way to celebrate than heading to the dispensary? Our knowledgeable cannsultants at Prosper are here to help you find the perfect cannabis product for you.