

This happens within minutes if cannabis is smoked and in about 1-1.5 hours if it is consumed via oral ingestion. Upon consumption, THC in cannabis is absorbed into the bloodstream. In order to understand how drug tests work, you first need to know about the process by which THC metabolizes in the body. Unfortunately, hair tests are also notoriously inaccurate, occasionally giving false positives to individuals who have been exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke.Ī 4-centimeter sample of hair cut at the scalp will detect cannabis exposure for up to 90 days in frequent and occasional users alike. This is because cannabis reaches hair follicles through small blood vessels and remains there well after consumption-even for very infrequent users. Hair follicle drug tests have the longest detection window of the most common test types. Saliva tests can detect THC over the following time periods:

These tests are designed to detect cannabis metabolites that stick to saliva after cannabis has been smoked or ingested. They are done by placing a swab between the lower cheek and gum to gather up a sample of oral fluid. Thanks to being cheap and easy to administer, saliva tests are common in many workplaces. With that in mind, here are the detection windows you can expect for urine tests: This is due to their long detection window, attributed to the way that cannabis metabolites bind to fat molecules in the body before they’re excreted through urine, as well as their relative inexpensiveness. Urine drug tests are the most common method of THC detection. On the off-chance that you are given a blood test, however, you should know that THC is detectable for the following amounts of time after consumption: For that reason, blood tests are not something you are likely to encounter. Bloodīlood tests have the narrowest detection window of the most common drug tests and are incredibly expensive, which makes them too impractical and inefficient for most situations.

The most common types of cannabis tests you’ll encounter are blood, urine, saliva, and hair.

How Long Can THC Be Detected in Your System?
