Call Us Now (844) 508-0979How Long Do Marijuana Edibles Stay in Your System?
Marijuana edibles are food products such as cookies, brownies, or candies that contain the cannabinoids THC and CBD. Edibles produce the same psychoactive effects as smoking marijuana, but they are easier on the lungs because users don’t have to smoke or vape them.
Like smoking marijuana, eating edibles can cause you to fail a drug test for THC. The amount of time marijuana edibles stay in your system varies greatly based on the dose you consumed, your metabolism, and whether or not you are a heavy marijuana user.
In general, edibles will remain in your system for 3-12 days.
How Long Do The Effects of Edibles Last?
While the effects of smoking marijuana occur within minutes of inhaling, the effects of edibles don’t set in for 30 minutes to two hours after consumption. This seems like a wide range, but that’s because it varies from one person to the next depending on their metabolism, weight, what they ate that day, and how long it has been since their last meal.
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical in edibles and marijuana that make you feel high. In low to moderate doses, it can produce enjoyable effects. But in high doses, THC can cause anxiety, paranoia, and panic. The problem with edibles is that some people get impatient when waiting for the effects to kick in. A person may wait an hour or more without feeling anything, decide to take another edible, then the effects of both all hit at once, producing adverse side effects.
Edibles can take a while to kick in and they can last a long time, as well. The effects of edibles can last for six to eight hours. In very high doses, edibles can last up to 12 hours. By contrast, the effects of smoking marijuana usually only last about two hours.
How Long Do Marijuana Edibles Stay in Your System?
The half-life of marijuana can vary greatly based on how it is used, the quality of the strain, how much of it is used, and the user’s tolerance level. Usually, marijuana stays in the system for 3-12 days. However, when people use marijuana, the liver breaks the drug down into metabolites. Delta-9 THC is converted into 11-hydroxy THC which can be detected in trace amounts in your body for several weeks or months.
Will Using Weed Edibles Result in a Failed Drug Test?
Edibles contain THC and nearly all standard drug tests screen for THC. As a result, edibles, as well as all other marijuana products, can make someone fail a drug test. The drug test cannot tell whether a person smoked marijuana or consumed edibles, but it will indicate if they have THC in their system.
Different types of drug tests have different detection windows and how long THC stays in the system varies from one person to the next. However, average drug test detection times for edibles are:
- Urine tests – 3 to 30 days
- Saliva tests – 1 to 3 days
- Blood tests – 3 to 4 days
- Hair tests – up to 90 days
Urine tests are the most widely used type of drug test because they are affordable, accurate, and minimally invasive. This type of test is often used by employers, addiction treatment centers, and healthcare providers. Urine tests can detect THC as soon as one hour after using the drug.
Factors that Influence How Long Edibles Stay in Your System and Drug Test Detection Times
How quickly the body eliminates THC varies from person to person depending on several factors, including:
- Frequency and duration of marijuana use – Regular marijuana use will cause THC to build up in fat cells and remain detectable in the system for longer amounts of time.
- Method of use – Edibles may remain in the system longer than marijuana does from smoking.
- Potency – The more potent the edible, the longer it will stay in the system. Marijuana potency can vary greatly from less than 2% to more than 22%.
- Age, weight, and metabolism – People with faster metabolisms may eliminate drugs faster. At the same time, THC is stored in fat cells, so people with a higher body fat percentage may process marijuana at a slower rate.
Find Help for Marijuana Abuse and Addiction
While marijuana is often touted as a safe and natural substance, it is still a drug that is illegal at the federal level. Also, it is possible to get addicted to marijuana. The CDC estimates that approximately 30% who use marijuana have a marijuana use disorder.
If you or someone you love is addicted to marijuana, professional treatment and counseling can help. Here at Addiction Intervention we can help you find a rehab center, stage an intervention, and get the treatment you or a loved one deserve. Start your recovery by calling today.
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