How Long Does THC Stay In Your System, Urine, Blood, Hair, Saliva
Using of illegal drugs is really prohibited. These drugs are not prescribed for patient. Many harmful effects are along with this these drugs. Many had died overdosing these drugs. Many effects associated with illegal drugs have proven to be fatal. Famous celebrities, writers, artist, singers and journalist had not escaped with the morbidity of these drugs. Abusing and overdosing can lead to death. Drug addicts can have behavioural changes. Drug abuse is one of the main reasons of violence.
Image – Marijuana Plant
Drug has many components. For this lesson, we will tackle about marijuana and its major component, the effects of marijuana and the random testing done to confirm the presence of this drug in the bloodstream. Drug testing is very essential to know the quantity of the drugs present and the kinds of testing that is most convenient for a person. Be alert always! Marijuana is a stimulant and many changes can occur when you take this kind of drug.
THC and its metabolic products arethe main active ingredient of cannabis or marijuana. It is detected through a random drug testing. The random drug testing uses specimens like blood, urine, sweat, saliva and hair follicles of a certain person.
THC has its chemical name and classification. It is derived from tetrahydrocannabinol or from delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Drug testing is very essential since the metabolic products of this ingredient can be clearly seen and depicted. The possibility of getting a false-positive result can be explained that the THC is reactive even without using marijuana at the time of the test. But, the clear and result would mean that THC is highly present.
THC Circulation in the System
The quantity, duration and frequency are the most common factors for the presence of THC in the system. The time frame of the presence of THC depends on the potency of the cannabis or marijuana used. The stronger the drug is, the highest presence is traced and longer duration is also detected.
How long does THC stay in your system ? The presence of THC is traced after 10-14 days of using it. An illegal user when submitted to a drug testing their THC is traced 1 to 2 months after regular and successive use of it. There has been a different between drug testing using the blood and urine. For blood, the THC metabolic product quantity is being tested while on urine, the active presence of THC metabolic product is being tested.
Why THC Random Drug Testing is done?
Many reasons have been there to know why THC random drug testing is done. I think you know the reason why. But for more information go on with this list.
- It is one of the requirements in getting a driver’s license
- For safety and drug-free operators of machine equipment
- Pre-employment purposes for newly hired
- Required for the annual physical exam
- Random people are submitted for background check purposes
- To know if people in the rehabilitation centre is responsive to the treatment
- Requirement for special people in their jobs and duties
- For the promotion of a drug-free workplace environment
- For students in universities and colleges
Kinds of THC Drug testing
1. Drug testing Using Hair
Blood vessels reaches the hair follicles and the THC deposits in there. This is considered as the most reliable and can detect long time ago marijuana usage. Hair sample can be obtained in any parts of the body not just in the head. The needed strands are up to 50- 80 and taken from closest to the scalp or roots.
2. Drug testing Using Sweat
This method of testing is using a sweat patch attached to the skin for 2 weeks and carried to the laboratory right after removing it. The sweat patch detected the result right after removing it to the skin. This method of testing has its downside. The amount of sweat can be influenced by the physical activities and environmental stimuli like temperature and humidity. If the person has intense physical workout then sweat is obtained and if less, then it would be difficult.
3. Drug testing Using Blood
This method is one of the reliable method since the specimen is directly obtained in the blood stream. The affected person cannot deny the present of THC when result cam in especially if he takes the drug several hours before the drug testing. Even using it 2 to 3 days before the test can give you a positive result. This method sometimes done to a person for checking of intoxication.
4. Drug testing Using Urine
This method is obtained by the presence of the metabolic products of THC such as 9-carboxy-THC (11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid). The presence of THC depends also on the frequency of the usage and can be detected even after weeks of using it. Not only THC, urine drug testing can also obtain previous drug used and taken. The fatty tissue stored THC and gradually excreted it in the urine. This method is considered moderately accurate and thorough laboratory assessment is necessary to ensure the result. False-positive result rarely happens.
5. Drug testing Using saliva
This method is considered as the cheapest and most convenient of all. THC is detected 1 to 3 days after usage. It gives detailed and rapid result and also detected present drug usage. Proper guarding is needed before the specimen is obtained. This is what makes the method crucial. The downside is, some testing centre required other methods to obtain the same result.
Special Testing Methods
Immunoassay Test
This special test requires a urine specimen to obtain the presence of THC metabolic products. The amount of the metabolic products is measured using a light of a fluorescent or a radioactivity. The range level of the THC metabolic products is 50ng/ml presently in the urine. Using marijuana as smoking paraphernalia have 25ng/ml in the urine. It is much lesser compared to the other.
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
This method is still connected to immunoassay test. Urine specimen is submitted to this method. There is no room for getting a result of false-positive and this is considered as the second testing.