There are two ways to answer the title question.
You might be wondering how soon you can safely pass a drug test after consuming weed edibles.
Or, you could be asking how long the effects of edibles will last.
Most people are interested in how much time will is needed before they can pass a drug test rather than how long the effects will last, but in this article, we’ll answer both questions.
Before we get down to that, though, let’s take a look at different ways to deliver cannabis edibles to your system.
3 Ways You Can Deliver Cannabis to Your System
Cannabis edibles are typically divided into three categories: oral, gastrointestinal, and hybrid. Each of these types has to pass through different routes and thus affects the body and mind in its own way.
1. Oral Edibles
Oral edibles typically refer to tinctures and lozenges. The active ingredients (cannabinoids and terpenes) in these edibles are absorbed through the mucous glands in your mouth and beneath the tongue.
Once you apply the tincture/lozenge, it takes as little as 15 minutes to exhibit its effects. Oral edibles are especially popular among medical cannabis users who suffer from severe, acute symptoms that should be addressed immediately.
2. Gastrointestinal Edibles
These edibles usually come in the form of cookies, brownies, chocolate bars, gummies, and other sweet snacks. They are also the most enjoyable way to take medical marijuana because they provide patients with long-lasting relief.
Gastrointestinal edibles start to absorb into your body once they pass through your digestive tract and the liver. It can take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes to feel the first effects, but when they kick in, you’ll know it right away — that’s why we recommend you to approach this form of cannabis with particular caution.
3. Hybrid Edibles
The most popular forms of hybrid edibles are drinks. They are called this way because they are absorbed both through the mucous gland and the gastrointestinal tract.
While the initial effects can be experienced almost immediately after consumption, the active compounds from cannabis will be released gradually over time, creating a longer and more enjoyable experience.
So, how long does it take for edibles to work overall? The answer is usually anywhere between 15 and 90 minutes.
Does the Dosage Impact the Time Edibles Stay In Your System?
Yes and no.
While the dosage determines the intensity of effects, as well as the time they will last, it doesn’t have much to do with how long edibles will stay in your system.
When trying to figure out when you can pass a drug test, you should take your frequency of cannabis use into consideration. The more often you consume it, the longer the edibles will stay in your system.
Small amounts of THC are detectable in the body of an occasional user for about a month, depending on the user’s metabolism, lifestyle, body weight, and other biological factors.
On the other hand, if you’re a frequent medical cannabis user and edibles are your go-to consumption method, THC may stay in the body’s fat tissues for up to three months.
How Long Do Edibles Stay in Your System?
Whether you’re asking this out of sheer curiosity, or you’re about to take a drug test soon, you probably want to know the “why” behind how long edibles stay in your system.
Below you will find the most common factors:
- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Frequency of use
- The potency of the strain
The frequency of use appears to be the most important factor. High frequency of consumption causes cannabis edibles to stay in your body for an extended period of time. Plus, the more potent the strain in your edibles, the longer THC might stay in your system.
Speaking of which, it’s time to shed light on the other important questions.
How Long Do Edibles Stay in Urine?
Depending on the frequency of use, cannabis edibles can stay in urine between 7 to 60 days.
Urine tests are the most popular method of drug screening. Therefore, they have evolved to be more specific and show exactly how much THC stays in your system.
Urine tests have been redesigned to check for the presence of THC-COOH, not THC itself. THC-COOH is the metabolite of THC that is transferred into the urine after being processed by the liver.
A single use of cannabis edibles will provide your body with enough THC to detect it in urine screening within 7 days after consumption.
If you’re using weed quite frequently — say, 3 to 4 times a week — edibles will stay in urine between 9 to 18 days.
Heavy consumption — 5 to 6 times a week — will keep THC-COOH in urine for up to 48 days.
Finally, daily use of the edibles will call for 51 to 60 days of abstinence to cleanse your system out of marijuana traces.
How Long Do Edibles Stay In Blood?
Weed edibles can stay in your blood between 1 to 7 days depending on the frequency of use.
Blood tests for THC are not as precise as the urine screening, which is good news for frequent users.
If you consumed edibles a few times in a week, THC will be detectable in your blood for up to 3 days afterward.
Daily users will need close to another 7 days to clean up their system entirely.
Final Thoughts
Consuming weed edibles is one of the most enjoyable ways to take marijuana, both medicinally and recreationally.
While these products may not act as fast as smoked or vaporized cannabis, they definitely provide users with stronger effects and longer-lasting relief than any consumption method.
The time edibles will stay in your system depends on several different factors, with metabolism and frequency of consumption playing the most important role in the way your body gets rid of THC.
If you’re taking a drug test any time soon, knowing how long edibles stay in your system will help you pass it with little to no stress. First-time or occasional user will need 1 o 7 days to flush edibles out of your system, with up to 70 days for heavy/daily users.
The best way to pass the test, though, is to abstain from using cannabis as soon as you know the date of your drug screening.
Do you use edibles as your go-to consumption methods? What’s your history with drug tests? Let us know in the comments!