Marijuana Drug Test Tips and Tricks
The best way to beat a marijuana drug test is easy: don’t do drugs for weeks before the test. In the event that you do not have the luxury of stopping weeks in advance, Quantum 9 has outlined what you need to know before taking a marijuana drug test.
But what if you have a special situation that doesn’t allow you to plan ahead? Maybe an unexpected job opportunity appears. Or, your current employer announces drug testing begins next week.
Even if you don’t have to take a test now, chances are you’ll take a drug test at some point. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, two-thirds of employers test workers for drug use.
Don’t want to jeopardize a new job, or put your current one at risk because you smoke pot? Keep reading to learn all about marijuana drug test.
Types of Drug Tests
Drug tests use urine, blood, saliva or hair specimens. Urine is the most common.
A urine test can be done in private at work. You take a test strip into the bathroom, or the employer sends you to a third party lab for testing. Labs do hair and saliva tests.
A marijuana drug test detects:
- THC – tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive part of the cannabis
- CBD – cannabidiol, a cannabis compound with medical benefits, but no high
- CBD Oils – a cannabis plant extract containing lots of CBD and nominal THC
- Tincture – alcohol infused with cannabis resin
- Edibles – cannabis-infused food
Marijuana affects everyone in a different way. That’s why it’s hard to predict marijuana drug test results.
Next, let’s look at the factors that can influence your test.
How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your System?
If you have a marijuana test in your future, get familiar with the variables that can impact how long THC stays in your body.
Certain factors lengthen detection times. Here are some variables that will influence your test:
- The last time you consumed marijuana
- Your weight. People with more body fat retain THC longer because their bodies have extra places to store the THC.
- If you have a quick metabolism, your body excretes THC faster.
- Frequent exercise helps rid your body of THC.
- Infrequent users clear THC from their bodies faster than chronic users.
- The potency of the marijuana
- Your tolerance to pot. If you’re a frequent user with a high tolerance, it can impact on your results.
The method used for the marijuana drug test (blood, hair, saliva or urine) can influence results, too. A hair test detects THC months after usage. Most labs use a 1.5-inch hair sample which contains about 90 days of information.
The timeframe for THC to stay detectable in your body ranges from 2 days to 11 weeks.
Marijuana Drug Test
Can Second-hand Marijuana Smoke Make You Fail a Drug Test?
In most situations, second-hand smoke shouldn’t cause you to fail a drug test. Of course, the type of test and the amount of exposure will determine test results.
In general, if you hang out in a ventilated area with people smoking pot for an hour or so you should be okay. Don’t stay in confined rooms for hours and hours with smokers if you have a drug test the next day.
If you decide to use marijuana despite upcoming or random drug testing, keep reading to learn ways to try to pass the test.
Ways to Pass a Marijuana Drug Test
Google “how to pass a Marijuana drug test,” and you’ll find plenty of suggestions. Use caution though, because some ideas are risky. They can damage your health and still be detectable by the testing lab. Others simply don’t work.
Most of the following methods are for passing a urine test. There is information on cheek swab and hair follicle tests later in the article.
Home Remedies
Common home remedies include ingesting niacin, vinegar, Goldenseal, cranberry juice, and gelatin.
One suggestion is to drink a gallon of iced tea. Since iced tea is a diuretic, it increases urination to flush your system. The caffeine speeds up your metabolism, which could burn the fat that contains the drug components.
Another popular home remedy is to drink large amounts of fresh grape and cranberry juice. The antioxidants in the juice could speed the detoxification process and cleanse your body.
Or, you can try eating vegetables with high water content. Examples are carrots, cabbage, lettuce, and tomatoes. Again, the idea is the extra water will flush your system.
Many home remedy suggestions are based on personal stories. There isn’t any proven evidence that suggests they work.
Bleach and Detergent
Some people think adding soap, salt, bleach or detergent to their urine sample makes it test negative for marijuana. It doesn’t.
The additive will be obvious to the lab, and you’ll fail. If your specimen is irregular, you’ll have to repeat the test. In most cases, scientists know you added bleach or soap, and you still test positive for drug use.
If you’ve heard rumors that ingesting bleach, ammonia or another cleaning product will help, forget it. It’s a dangerous myth. Please don’t consume any cleaning products!
Drink Excessive Amounts of Water
This is more of a warning than a remedy. Drinking lots of water will dilute your urine, but it’s no guarantee THC won’t be detectable. Drug tests measure other things like creatine.
If your urine is severely diluted, it will be obvious. Clear urine indicates you’ve flushed your system. You most likely will be asked to take more tests.
Exercise
Exercise works best for casual pot smokers who have lots of time before their test. If you have a couple of weeks to exercise, it can help you prep to pass a urine test.
Physical activity helps your body expel THC at a faster rate. Your body rids itself of toxins via sweat. Aerobic activities like running and biking help release THC stored in your body’s fat cells.
If you have little or no time, exercise won’t help you pass a marijuana drug test.
Sauna
After you exercise, you could take a sauna. The heat increases your body temperature which makes you sweat. Sweating flushes toxins from your body.
Take a sauna bath a few days before your drug test. Repeat if you have time. A sauna is effective if you combine it with exercise and increased water intake.
Detoxification of Your System
The best way to pass a drug test is to detox your body, so you’re clean for your test. Stop using cannabis in all forms — smoke, edibles, oils, and concentrates. Then, start hydrating and eating right.
This is the most reliable method for passing a marijuana drug test. And, it’s not cheating because you’re not altering your urine or using a sample from a drug-free friend or relative. You’re speeding up your own detox process.
Let’s take a look at options for detoxing.
Natural Cleanse
The first step in a natural cleanse is to stop using marijuana in any form. Next, add lots of liquids and exercise to your routine. Eat healthy foods to help your body function faster.
Your body will naturally cleanse your blood and urine over time. The length of time it stays in your system depends on several factors. As mentioned earlier, THC is stored in your fat cells. Diet and exercise are key to a natural cleanse, which will take 30-45 days.
Cut out alcoholic drinks, caffeine, and soda during your cleanse. Eat foods rich in antioxidants. Increase your consumption of tomatoes, berries, and walnuts.
Include fiber-rich foods (spinach, broccoli, kale) to lessen THC absorption. Drastically reduce or eliminate junk food to prevent water retention and a slower metabolism.
Detox Kits
If you have at least a week until your test, you can try a detoxification kit. It speeds up the natural process to get rid of the THC in your system. The kits usually include a practice test.
A detox kit includes a 7-day plan. Users take herbal supplements daily as prescribed. The plan includes nutrition, exercise, and meal instructions. Users also increase daily fluid intake to about 96 ounces.
Same Day Cleanse
Detoxification drinks are an option if your test is soon and you’re worried your THC levels are high.
The drinks flush your system the same day you drink them. They claim to keep you clean for a period of four to six hours. These work for supervised drug tests because you drink them ahead of time.
The kit combines diuretics with increased water intake to flush THC from the body. The kit also prevents your urine from being too diluted which is a red flag.
If you have a larger body or high intake, a detox drink may work for you. Users drink a prescribed amount for a certain amount of time. Such as 20 ounces every two hours. The detox drink decreases toxin levels in one hour and lasts up to five hours. This means users have to time usage and test-taking carefully.
Some detoxification drinks include a pre-cleanse supplement. It’s ingested the day before the test. It’s best to avoid marijuana, alcohol, or any other toxic substance while using the cleansing drink.
Urine Substitution
If you’re a heavy user with a test coming up fast, you may choose the substitution method for your marijuana drug test. You have two options: use someone else’s sample, or use a synthetic urine kit.
Using synthetic urine for your marijuana drug test is risky for a couple of reasons. First, how will the test be administered? If it’s supervised, you’re out of luck.
Most synthetic urine comes in powder form. It requires mixing with water and then heating to the correct temperature. If your test is unsupervised, you may be able to use this method.
But, most labs can tell when the urine is fake.
Substituting your sample with someone else’s clean sample is also risky. Again, it depends on how the test is administered. Many labs check people with a pat down before the test.
Cheek Swab and Hair Follicle Tests
Most marijuana drug tests are conducted using a urine test. Although less common, there’s a chance you may have a cheek swab or hair follicle test.
Here are a couple of options if you find yourself tested in a timeframe that doesn’t allow for natural detoxification.
Mouthwash for Cheek Swab Tests
You can buy mouthwash designed to remove drug toxins left in your mouth. You drink, gargle, and spit in the same way you use regular mouthwash.
Instructions tell users to repeat the process twice and take breath mints afterward.
Shampoo for a Hair Follicle Drug Test
Most drug-testing labs have equipment that tests hair samples. If your marijuana drug test is done this way, you need something to clear your hair of impurities fast.
Several cleaning shampoos claim to penetrate the hair follicle. The shampoo dissolves and removes chemicals.
Another type of shampoo works like a dye. It’s applied for 15 minutes, then rinsed away. The shampoo decreases THC levels as long as you don’t blow dry your hair or use any other hair products. It’s guaranteed to work for 8 hours.
Over the Counter Drug Tests
It’s impossible to accurately estimate the time it takes for someone to test clean on a marijuana drug test.
As mentioned in this article, there are lots of variables that factor into test results. Drug potency, the method of ingestion, and frequency of use, as well as tolerance, metabolism, and health effect the results of a marijuana drug test.
You can buy at home drug tests and take the test twice a week until you get a clean reading. That would give you an idea of how long it takes your body to get THC out of your system.
Want to Know More?
Maybe you suffer from chronic pain or anxiety and marijuana eases your pain. While more states are legalizing marijuana for medical use, you may still encounter a situation where you need to test negative for use.
We hope this article helps you understand the ins and outs of marijuana drug testing. Now, you can make a plan for your particular situation.
Remember, there are no guarantees for a negative drug test result. A good rule of thumb is that a casual drug user should be clear in 11 weeks.
If you have any questions or comments about this article, you can contact us anytime to chat.
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