Medical marijuana laws in Florida allow certain patients who qualify for medical marijuana cards to smoke weed, as well as use a range of other marijuana products, legally. However, regular marijuana users might have some questions about how marijuana will affect them and their bodies. For example, one of the most common queries weed users have is how long does weed stay in your system?
When you smoke or vape weed, you’ll usually only experience the effects for a few hours. After that, the high wears off and you’ll likely feel just as alert and sober as you did before. But with that said, the THC from the marijuana can remain in your system for a while and be detected in certain drug tests for days or even weeks in some cases.
Fortunately, most medical marijuana users won’t have to worry too much about drug tests since they’re using medical marijuana legally. Nonetheless, it still helps to know what to expect when it comes to marijuana remaining in your system. Some users may even want to detox their system of marijuana at certain times, and there are various ways to do so.
So how long does weed stay in your system, how long can it be detected on a drug test, and what can you do to cleanse your system of weed faster? Here’s a guide to everything you should know.
How Long Do the Effects of Weed Last?
Consuming marijuana leads to a range of physical and mental effects including euphoria, physical relaxation, and cerebral stimulation. However, these effects generally don’t last for too long. In most cases, the effects of weed will wear off within a few hours- although various factors have an impact on this.
According to a study on the effects of marijuana, the psychotropic effects of inhaled marijuana usually start within seconds to a few minutes after inhaling. These effects peak at around 15-30 minutes after consumption and wear off within 2-3 hours. Users can smoke or vape more if they wish for the effects to continue. With that said, each strain is different and the effects of some might last longer than others.
The way you consume marijuana products can make a significant difference. For instance, taking marijuana orally, such as with THC Edibles, can result in a much longer-lasting psychotropic high. Research shows that the effects of orally-ingested marijuana start 30-90 minutes after consumption, peak after 2-3 hours, and could last for anywhere from 4-12 hours. As such, users should be careful when using Edibles or similar products.
Other factors can also come into play. For instance, users with a high tolerance to marijuana might experience milder and shorter-lasting effects than a first-time user. It can also depend on how much you use and the strength of the product you’re using. Nonetheless, you should expect the effects of weed to last for a few hours.
How Long Does Weed Stay In Your System?
Although the effects of weed generally only last for a few hours, that doesn’t mean that your system will be completely clear of weed. When you smoke or vape weed, the THC binds to cannabinoid receptors and metabolites in your system and can stick around for a while even long after the effects have worn off.
Fortunately, your system will naturally flush these THC metabolites out. According to research, around 80-90% of the THC from the marijuana you consume is excreted from your system within 5 days. It’s mostly flushed out via your urine and excrement, and your system can be completely free of weed within a few days.
Various factors can have an impact on how long weed remains in your system. For instance, a one-time marijuana user or an infrequent marijuana user might flush all of the THC out of their system within three or four days. In contrast, a frequent marijuana user might have weed remaining in their system for weeks. Your body weight and metabolism can also affect how long it takes to flush the remaining THC out.
In most cases, you shouldn’t need to worry too much. Although THC metabolites can stay in your system for a while, they won’t make you feel high and generally won’t cause any issues. However, it’s important to note that weed remaining on your system can be detected by a drug test, and some users may want to flush it out as soon as possible for this reason.
How Long is Weed Detected By A Drug Test?
Many drug tests check for THC in your system and, as such, you might fail a drug test if you’ve used weed recently. How long it can be detected depends on various factors, including the type of test used, how frequently you use marijuana, and the measures you’ve taken to flush weed out of your system.
A saliva test usually only detects marijuana use if you’ve used marijuana within around 12 hours. This test isn’t used too often, although saliva testing is used for intoxicated drivers and you shouldn’t get behind the wheel if you’ve used marijuana within the last few hours. Blood testing only detects marijuana use within around 24 hours, but this is also rarely used.
The most common type of testing used for drug tests is urine testing. Urine tests are often used by employers and athletic organizations for detecting drugs in your system. While occasional smokers can pass a urine test around 5-7 days after using weed, frequent smokers might have detectable THC in their system for 1-3 weeks and those who use marijuana multiple times a day might even fail a drug test 4-6 weeks after using marijuana. There are many marijuana myths.
Hair follicle tests are the most thorough type of test and these can detect marijuana in your system for even longer. THC can be detected in your hair follicles for as long as 1-2 months, including your body hair. However, while these are almost impossible to pass, they’re also rarely used.
Since urine tests are the most common type of test used, users who are concerned about failing a drug test often take measures to flush weed out of their system faster. This usually involves drinking plenty of water and taking certain supplements to mask any remaining THC in their system.
Should Medical Marijuana Users Worry About Drug Tests?
As long as you go through the process of getting a medical marijuana card or prescription in your state, you can use marijuana legally for your medical needs. However, you might still need to take drug tests in some situations and, in some cases, you can still suffer from negative consequences from failing a drug test.
Even though it’s legal for medical cardholders to use marijuana, a New York Times article notes that many states still allow workplaces to implement drug tests and enforce a drug-free workplace. Depending on your state, you might lose your job if you pass a drug test even if you’re using medical marijuana legally.
Other states have laws in place to protect employees that use medical marijuana. Two bills were recently introduced to Florida’s legislature that will prohibit employers from taking actions against qualified medical marijuana users. Some states have even introduced laws that prohibit employers from forcing job applicants to take drug tests for marijuana.
If you plan to take medical marijuana, you should brush up on your local laws as well as the rules and restrictions of your workplace. Even in states where employees can face negative consequences due to medical marijuana use, some workplaces may overlook it as long as you’re upfront and disclose your situation.
How To Get Weed Out of Your System Faster
Many users take measures to flush weed out of their system faster. This can be useful for a couple of reasons. For one, users who want to pass a drug test can often improve their chances by flushing weed out of their system as quickly as possible. Secondly, some users may simply want to detox their body of marijuana.
The most effective way to get weed out of your system faster is to drink as much water as possible. The more water you drink, the more you’ll need to urinate, which will in turn flush more remaining THC metabolites out of your system. Infrequent marijuana users might rid their bodies of weed within a few days simply by drinking a lot of water.
Speeding up your metabolism also helps, so you might want to eat foods that are high in protein and fiber. Some users also drink fluids such as cranberry juice, prune juice, and lemon juice, which are known to help with digestion and speed up excretion.
Before taking a drug test, some users take supplements such as Vitamin B-12 and Creatinine. Although these won’t help you flush weed out of your system faster, they’re often used to help prevent drug tests from being flagged as suspicious as drinking too much water can make your urine clear and reduce your natural creatine levels.
Some companies even create detox drinks, designed specifically to help you flush weed out of your system or mask the remaining THC in your system before a drug test as quickly as possible. However, it’s unclear how effective these are. In most cases, it’s best to stick to natural methods to detox your body of weed.
How Long Does CBD Stay In Your System?
While weed can leave THC in your system for a while and might make you fail a drug test, it’s worth noting that CBD might be a helpful option. CBD is short for cannabidiol- a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis that’s become a popular alternative to THC for users who don’t want to get high.
CBD interacts with cannabinoid receptors in your body, albeit not in the same way as THC. While CBD can be found in many strains of weed, you can also use pure CBD products such as CBD Tinctures, Edibles, Capsules, and more. These can be found in many medical marijuana dispensaries.
Much like THC, studies suggest that your body flushes CBD out of your system within a few days. With a half-life of 1-2 days, your body could be completely clear of CBD in less than a week. However, various factors can have an impact, such as how much you use and how frequently you use it.
Fortunately, drug tests don’t check for CBD and, as long as you don’t use CBD products with high levels of THC, you won’t need to worry about failing a drug test. Many medical cannabis users use CBD products instead of weed to avoid the side effects and potential negative consequences of THC.
How to Use Weed Legally in Florida
If you’re a Florida resident and want to use marijuana legally, you’ll need to go through the process of getting your Florida medical card. Currently, the state only issues medical cards to patients with certain qualifying conditions. As long as you have a qualifying condition, you should have no issue getting your medical card.
Before you apply for your medical card, you’ll need to visit a qualified marijuana doctor in the state. Your doctor will assess your symptoms and place you on the Florida medical marijuana registry. After that, you can send in your application and should receive your medical card within the next couple of weeks.
Once your application for a medical card has been approved, you can buy medical marijuana at dispensaries across the state. As well as various strains of weed, you can also buy cannabis-infused products such as Edibles, Tinctures, and Capsules, as well as a range of CBD products.
If you need help finding a medical marijuana doctor and getting your Florida medical card, contact MY FLORIDA GREEN. We can help connect you with the best marijuana doctors in the state and make the process of getting your medical card as smooth as possible.
The Takeaway
Although smoking weed will only get you high for a few hours, THC can remain in your system for a while longer. You should generally expect THC to remain in your system for around 5 days, although it can depend on how much you use and how frequently you use it. You can also take measures to flush weed out of your system faster.
Most users won’t need to worry about weed in their system as it won’t cause any issues, although it can cause you to fail a drug test.
