Chances are if you enjoy the ganja, you’ll need to know the ins and outs of how to pass a drug test.
How To Pass A Drug Test For Weed
The best way to pass a drug test for weed is to be prepared!
Know The Company’s Policy
The first step to pass the test is to know what you’ll be taking.
There are various types of drug tests, so you’ll want to make sure you know what type the company has ordered.
Be careful when digging around for this information though!
You don’t want to be TOO curious with HR to the point you tip them off that you are worried. Just casually ask what the hiring process entails or do some research online (or with any buddies you may have that already work at the company).
If it’s for your current employer, then you might be able to find that information in some form of an official company communication, like an onboarding packet or company policy document.
Drug Screening Vs Drug Test
You’ll also want to know if it is going to be an actual drug test or drug screening.
Drug screenings are a more affordable option for companies that deliver faster results.
They aren’t as accurate as actual drug tests, which can detect much smaller amounts of a substance in a person’s sample.
Wait It Out
Alright, I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but the best way to pass a drug test is to just wait it out and not partake in your kushy cannabis for the required time leading up to your test.
The hold out period will depend on which type of test you are up against, with hair tests typically coming in around 90 days and urine tests anywhere from 3 to 30 days depending on how active you light up (or eat up).
The trick here is to do what you can to schedule any upcoming drug tests after you’ve given your body enough time to become drug-free.
All The Tips, Tricks, Myths, and Ways To Pass A Drug Test
Okay, so now let’s be a little more realistic. While waiting it out is the safest bet, most of us probably aren’t in a situation to do that (I know I’m not!).
But just because the recommended timelines aren’t on your side, that doesn’t mean you can’t still pass your test!
Here are some tips and tricks for how to get THC out of your system fast.
While the below home remedies aren’t proven, trying them can give you a fighting chance at getting a negative test result.
Urine Tests
When it comes to a urine drug test, you’re going to want to flush and detox your system.
There’s a few ways to do that, but before we go into those, remember to consult with your doctor or healthcare professional before changing any health habits or adding new supplements to your diet.
Sweat It Out
A good way to try and detoxify your system is to sweat out the toxins!
So go for a run, check out a hot yoga class, post up at the sauna or steam up your shower. Do what you can to break a sweat!
Flush It Out
Another technique to try and beat a urine test is to flush your system with plenty of liquids (within a healthy balance - don’t drink too much and push yourself into hyperhydration!).
Good liquids for this are water and cranberry juice. You can also add in some apple cider vinegar and lemon juice as additional detoxification agents for your detox drink!
Eat Clean
If you know you have a drug test coming up in a few days, use that as great motivation to clean up your diet!
Eating foods that help boost metabolism, have a high water content and that are high in fiber can help you with your detox in the days leading up to your drug test.
Take A Supplement
While there is no scientific evidence to support niacin’s ability to help pass a urine test, there is a well known theory that niacin can block the detection of THC.
There are potential side effects to taking niacin, so make sure to consult your doctor before considering this option.
Flub Your Test
When in doubt, get creative.
So, anything you do in this category is a little risky. But hey, if you’re reading this right now, then you’ve probably already put yourself in a bit of a pickle.
Most, if not all, drug test facilitators are going to check the temperature of your sample and require that you don’t flush the toilet afterwards.
They do this to make it easy to catch when someone brings in a synthetic urine sample or tampers with the sample (like diluting it with water from the sink). So, I wouldn’t recommend trying to falsify your urine sample in any way.
But what happens when your urine is too diluted?
When you drink too much liquid before a urine drug test and your sample is practically clear, it will be hard for the lab to get an accurate result on your test.
In my experience when this happens, they call you when they get your results (usually in 2-3 days) and schedule you to come back in for another test within the next couple of days.
In that case, you just bought yourself another 3-6 days to continue to flush your system.
Sure, companies know that people intentionally naturally dilute their urine for this reason, but they also know that staying properly hydrated is a part of living a healthy lifestyle and that people in that category naturally have this issue with urine tests.
(If you’re worried, just remember to play the part! Present yourself in a confident and professional way with nothing to hide, maybe even dropping in hints of that healthy and active lifestyle you’ve been living!)
Another approach you can take when going the dilution route is to add B-vitamins to your routine. Your body doesn’t fully absorb B-vitamins, resulting in them being flushed out in your urine. When this happens, it makes your urine a bright yellow.
You’ll want to be careful with this option, though, because if you take too much you could be submitting a neon yellow sample!
Hair Tests
Hair follicle drug tests are more of a challenge when it comes to finding ways to beat them.
During a hair test, a sample of 90-120 strands of hair will be taken from near your scalp. If you don’t have hair on your head, then a sample will be taken from body hair.
Chemicals
The best way to try and pass a hair test is to attempt to strip the THC residues from your hair follicles, which means using chemicals.
Chemicals that could help accomplish this include detox shampoos, bleach and certain hair dyes.
Now, before you go this route, know that you can end up severely damaging your hair.
If you’re coming across a hair test during the hiring process, you’re most likely looking at joining a company that is also going to perform regular drug tests.
If hanging out with some dank bud on a regular basis is part of your lifestyle, you may want to make sure you take that into consideration before joining an anti-cannabis career culture.
Test Yourself
Still feeling a little nervous about passing a drug test?
Go ahead and test yourself!
Head on over to your neighborhood drug store and pick up an at home test kit and find out for yourself where your levels stand.
Testing yourself at home can help give you some peace of mind, or it will let you know if you still have too much THC in your system to pass the official test.
How Long Does Weed Stay In Your System
But how long does THC actually stay in your system?
Well, that depends.
THC residues can be detected in hair follicle tests for approximately 90 days regardless of your body type or frequency of cannabis use. The THC residues will actually remain in your hair as it continues to grow until you cut it, but more on that later.
When it comes to your urine, a number of other factors come into play.
Your weight, age and metabolism rate will all impact how quickly your body is naturally metabolizing what is passing through your system.
How active a lifestyle you live will also come into play here, with active people clearing THC from their systems generally much faster then people who live a more sedentary lifestyle.
The frequency you get high also impacts how quickly weed will leave your system.
Occasional Users
A person who smokes here and there, up to three times a week, will flush THC out of their body typically in 3 days.
If you smoke a few days a week, you’ll have detectable levels of THC for 4-7 days.
Long-Time Users
Smoking every day but just once a day? It will take 10-15 days to clear the THC out of your urine.
Are you a daily smoker that smokes multiple times a day? If so, then THC has made its home in your body, and you’re looking at close to 30 days to clear it out.
Types Of Drug Tests For Marijuana
The most common drug tests people come across are hair and urine tests. There are also other means of testing for marijuana, like blood and saliva tests, but those are far less common.
Urine Drug Test
For a urine drug test, you’ll have to provide a sample of your urine, usually at a lab testing facility.
The typical procedure is for you to go into the restroom alone without any of your belongings, so no bringing a purse or backpack in there with you (they’ll also check to make sure your pockets are empty).
You’ll fill your specimen cup to a specified level and not flush the toilet afterwards.
You’ll then exit the restroom and give your sample to the facilitator, who will test its temperature to make sure it is between 90-100 degrees fahrenheit.
The facilitator will also check the visual appearance and color while also shaking the specimen to test to see if soap was added.
Some facilities do an immediate chemical test on samples, but most will send the sample away for testing.
Test results usually come back within one to two business days for negative results and up to five business days if there was a positive (or potentially false positive) result.
Urine drug tests are one of the more common methods, along with hair tests.
They are a less intrusive means of testing for drugs compared to blood tests. They also have a relatively quick turnaround, are less costly and detect only relatively recent use of marijuana.
Depending on how active a user you are and how fast your metabolism works, urine tests can detect that sweet mary jane in your system for anywhere between 3 to 30 days.
Typically, you’ll come across a urine test during pre-employment hiring procedures as companies vet potential new employees.
Companies that have a more lax drug test policy will also typically keep this option on hand for random drug tests as a way of being able to test employees if need be.
Hair Follicle Drug Test
During a hair follicle test, the administrator will take a cutting of 90-120 hair strands cut from close to the scalp, usually focusing on the hair growth that is within 1.5 inches from your scalp.
This can be administered either in a drug testing lab facility or at your actual office as the hair will then be sent out for testing.
When taking the cuttings, administrators are usually mindful to take it from various spots so as not to leave a gaping bald spot on your head. But if you’re nervous about that at all, then make sure you have a friendly conversation about it before those scissors start snipping!
If you are bald, then the administrator will take body hair from elsewhere for your test.
But how long does weed stay in your hair? THC residues actually stay in your hair for the long haul. The only way to ensure you are getting rid of the THC is to cut your hair.
So does that mean if you have long hair that you should worry that you have loads of THC sitting in your gorgeous locks?
Most hair tests will focus on the freshest part of your hair, which is that 1.5 inch section right at the base.
Human hair typically grows at a rate of half an inch per month, meaning that 1.5 inches will generally show a snapshot of THC for just the past 3 months (depending on how fast your hair grows!.
So yes, your longer hair will still contain traces of THC residue in its follicles, but the chances are low that the facility will actually be testing those sections of your hair and not just the section at the base.
Hair tests are a common method for drug tests.
They are considered the least intrusive of all marijuana testing options (though I’m sure many people would rather pee in a cup than have parts of their hair cut out).
Hair test results usually take a few days more than urine tests, with negative results coming back within 2-3 days. Positive (and false positive results) usually come back within 10 days.
You’ll usually come across hair tests with companies that have a stricter drug policy, meaning they want a longer look back of potential drug use at the point of hire and are more likely to have a random, unannounced drug testing policy.
If you elect to work for a company that has a random drug testing policy, you’ll need to be ready to take a drug test (which could be both hair and urine) at a moment’s notice.
The only ways to try and beat a test in that scenario is to literally dodge the call from HR and high tail it out of the office for the day.
(Or, you can try to go the route of one of my buddies. She volunteered to take on the responsibility of handling the random drug tests for her team and conveniently removed her name from the list for a few years - but we can’t all be that lucky!).
Blood Drug Test
A blood test is generally used if someone is suspected of actively being on drugs at that time, with these real time tests typically being able to detect marijuana for up to only four hours (though some have been reported to detect THC for up to two days).
Other types of blood tests can detect THC levels in your bloodstream for up to three weeks.
During a blood test, a technician will draw anywhere from 3 mL to 12 mL of blood, depending on the actual test.
Results for blood drug tests are generally available within one to five business days, depending on if the test is negative or positive.
Blood drug tests are considered the most intrusive of all marijuana testing options.
Oral Drug Test
An oral drug test is another one that has the primary goal of determining if someone is actively under the influence of marijuana.
Most oral drug tests can detect THC in saliva for up to 24 hours, with some reportedly able to detect THC for up to 13 days.
During an oral test, a saliva swab is taken from your mouth by the administrator.
The swab is then sent to the lab for testing, and results are usually available within a day or two.
Will Drug Tests For Marijuana Be A Thing To Worry About in the Future?
As more and more states and locals legalize marijuana use, fewer and fewer companies are testing for cannabis.
In fact, a significant amount of companies have already stopped testing for marijuana in their drug panels.
If you want to maintain your lifestyle of taking those tokes whenever you please, then it’s worth considering a career path that is weed friendly.
A great option for this is to actually join the growing cannabis industry!
When you’re searching your soul for the right cannabis friendly career culture for you, keep in mind that some industries may always require marijuana testing for safety and compliance reasons, especially if the job requires operation of heavy machinery, management of confidential or financial assets, or involvement in the medical field.
In those instances, you’ll want to make sure you stay well versed on the best ways to pass a drug test!