How long does Cannabis stay in your system?

Cannabis has been consumed over the centuries for recreational, relaxation, and religious purposes. But have you ever thought about how long it could stay in your body? Well, surely it can last longer than you imagine. Let's dig in to find some more facts about the stay of Cannabis in your system.

How long does Cannabis take to kick in?

The effects of Cannabis may vary from person to person. The critical component of Cannabis that can cause high is Tetrahydrocannabinol, or simply T H C. While smoking Cannabis, Tetrahydrocannabinol kicks in instantly by entering the body's bloodstream. However, it can take longer to be absorbed in circulation when ingested orally; however, this depends on the amount taken and the body's physiological factors, such as absorption, metabolism, and excretion rates. Commonly, it does not take more than an hour and a half to chip in. 

How long does Cannabis last?

The effects of cannabis disappear within a few hours, but the drug can remain in your system for weeks or even longer. The active components and their metabolites can take up to a few hours to 90 days to eliminate from your body, depending upon the frequency and quantity of Cannabis a person is taking. 

Tetrahydrocannabinol, the key psychoactive component of Cannabis, metabolizes quickly into 80 different metabolites, which affect the body. They can deposit in the body fats and be eliminated gradually through urine and feces. Some metabolites have an elimination half-life of 20 hours, while others stored in the body fats have a half-life of 10-13 days. A metabolite's half-life is when half of the metabolite gets eliminated from the plasma. Approximately 5-6 half-lives are required to eradicate a metabolite almost entirely from the body. That's why Cannabis can stay so long in your body. 

In Blood and Saliva, Cannabis does not stay too long; it can last for 1-3 days in an occasional user, and in the case of chronic users, it is detectable for 25-29 days. Moreover, according to a study, Cannabis can be detected in occasional smokers' urine for up to 3 days. As for chronic users, it is detectable for more than 30 days. Read this article to know can you donate plasma if you smoke weed. 

Factors Influencing the Stay of Cannabis

The amount of time that Cannabis will remain in your body is affected by numerous factors, which include:

  • Frequency of cannabis use

  • Body metabolism 

  • BMI

  • Genetics

  • Dosage