How long does weed stay in hair and nails? This is often a question that is asked by those that have to take routine drug testing for work and other situations.
One of the most common questions from employees that have to undergo drug testing as a condition of employment, is ‘how long does weed stay in hair and nails?’ When it comes to drug testing, hair and nail tests are the most common. Both tests can detect the presence of drugs in the body for up to 90 days.
This means that if you have smoked weed within the last three months, a hair or nail test will likely show it.
Drug tests are often used by employers, schools, and other institutions to determine whether an individual has been using drugs. If you are worried about how long weed stays in your hair and nails, here’s what you need to know:
How Long Does Weed Stay In My Hair?
The length of time marijuana may be detected in your hair depends on several factors including how often you smoke. According to research published by John Hopkins University School of Medicine, researchers found that chronic marijuana users can test positive for THC metabolites up to three months after ceasing use.
Researchers also found that people who only smoke occasionally may test positive for THC metabolites up to three weeks after last using marijuana.
Another study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology also found that THC can be detected in hair up to 90 days after use. Similar to this study, other studies have shown similar results: one study found that marijuana could be detected in hair up to 77 days after smoking, while another found that THC was detectable up to 49 days after use.
That being said, there are some factors that can affect how long weed stays in your hair. For example, if you smoke heavily, it may take longer for THC metabolites to leave your system because more THC metabolites are stored away inside fatty tissues than lean tissues such as muscle tissue. Another factor to consider is the method by which the weed is consumed.
How Long Does Weed Stay In Nails?
It is possible to test for marijuana consumption by testing fingernails. The amount of THC metabolites found in fingernails depends on the length of time that has passed since you smoked, as well as the frequency of use.
Hair tests are more common than nail ones because they can be done long after consumption than fingernails. Hair testing will show whether you have ever used marijuana before because THC metabolites are stored in hair follicles.
The amount of THC metabolites found in hair and fingernails depends on:
- How long ago did you smoke?
- How often do you smoke?
- What form of cannabis do you prefer?
If you’re looking at average statistics, weed stays in your nails for about 2 weeks.
How Long Does Weed Stay In My Blood?
Blood tests detect THC metabolites — not active THC — which means that they cannot tell if you have consumed marijuana within hours or days before taking the test. However, blood tests are very accurate in detecting the recent use of marijuana because they can detect active levels of THC.
How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Urine?
It depends on how much you smoke and how often, but in general, cannabis can be detected in urine for up to 28 days.
Here’s how long marijuana can show up in your urine on a drug test, based on the frequency of use:
- One-time use — One day to 30 days
- Moderate use (every few days) — 1 week to 12 weeks
- Heavy use (daily) — 1 month to 3 months
How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Saliva?
The amount of time that marijuana stays in the saliva depends on how much you smoke and the type of test that is being performed. You should also consider the way in which you were smoking marijuana. If you were smoking a joint with tobacco or another substance, it could take longer.
If you are being tested for THC with a mouth swab, it will take about 7 days for the drug to be completely removed from your system. If you are being tested for THC with an oral fluid sample, it will take between 6 and 24 hours for it to be removed from your system.
In most cases, if you have smoked marijuana within the last 7 days, there is no need to worry about getting caught driving under the influence (DUI). However, if you have smoked recently and have been pulled over by police officers because they suspect that you are driving high then they may ask to perform a urine test on you (even if they suspect alcohol intoxication).
Metabolizing Weed – How Long Does It Take?
Weed metabolizes in the body at different rates depending on how you ingest it. The amount of time that it takes for marijuana to metabolize also depends on a number of factors, including:
The method of ingestion. Smoking or vaping marijuana will cause the effects to kick in faster than eating it.
Your metabolism. If you have a fast metabolism, you could feel the effects much quicker than someone with a slower metabolism.
Your tolerance level. If this is your first time using marijuana, you’ll likely feel the effects more quickly than if you’re a regular user who has built up a tolerance over time.
Once the weed is ingested, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) passes through the liver before being converted into 11-hydroxy-THC by enzymes in your body called cytochrome P450 oxidases (CYP). The 11-hydroxy form is what gets circulated throughout your body and eventually causes the psychoactive effects of marijuana use.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), this process takes about six hours after smoking or vaporizing weed and up to 30 hours after eating it.
When Will I Feel The Effects Of Weed After Consumption?
The average person will feel the effects of smoking weed within minutes after taking a hit. When you smoke cannabis, it enters your lungs and circulates into your bloodstream instantly. As soon as it reaches your brain, it produces its psychoactive effects.
The effects of vaping or eating edibles take longer to kick in than they do with smoking because these methods don’t involve inhalation. When you vape or eat an edible, THC enters your bloodstream through mucus membranes in your mouth or stomach rather than directly entering your lungs through inhalation.
This causes a delay in onset time for about 10 minutes when compared with inhaling marijuana smoke or vapor, according to Leafly.
When consumed orally or via a tincture (a liquid extract), effects can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to occur, depending on factors such as how much was ingested and whether you ate food before taking an edible form of marijuana
So How Long Does Weed Stay in Hair and Nails?
The amount of time marijuana stays in your system depends on a number of factors. The main determining factors are:
- Your metabolism rate
- The frequency with which you use marijuana
- How much you smoke per session or per day
- If you have other health conditions that affect your metabolism rate.
