Drug Testing For THC
When it comes to cannabis, standard urine tests are used to detect drug use ranging from 1 to 45 days, roughly. Occasional users will typically be clean after 1-5 days, regular light users will take about 1-3 weeks, and for heavy daily users, expect 4 to 6 weeks to get clean.
Contrary to popular belief, standard urine tests don’t screen for THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in cannabis. Rather, they detect the metabolites created by the human body when we are exposed to THC. This class of metabolites is known as THC-COOH. These metabolites are nonactive, so drug tests are only measuring exposure, NOT impairment. Marijuana impairment cannot be detected through any test.
THC-COOH is the most common name for this metabolite, and it’s read “carboxy THC.” It’s the second THC-metabolite formed in our bodies, following hydroxy-THC, immediately after exposure. THC-COOH is lipid-soluble, meaning it’s stored in our fat cells, making it detectable in our systems for much longer than other substances, those that are water-soluble, for example.
Testing for Delta-8 THC
Delta-8 THC produces the same metabolites in the body as Delta-9 THC. How they get picked up by a drug test is the question, but presumably, when testing for metabolites produced by Delta-9 THC, one can assume the test will be activated by Delta-8 THC as well. So, YES, Delta 8 will most likely make you fail a drug test. After all, the compounds are very similar chemically.
Passing A Drug Test Naturally
There are many products out there claiming to clean any trace of THC from your system fast, but do they actually work? Some brands say it only takes one use; others say up to 7 days. There are capsules, beverages, and even synthetic urine. Some people claim that certain vitamins and foods will do the trick.
The general strategy for passing urine tests is to increase your fluid intake and urine flow to dilute the concentration of drugs in the sample below the detection threshold.
What To Do The Day Of Your Drug Test
An hour or two before the test, you should fill your bladder with fluids – as much as you can drink. Water is fine – contrary to popular rumor, there is NO evidence that goldenseal, vinegar, niacin, or vitamin C help. However, high-dosage aspirin may reduce the sensitivity of the EMIT urine test for THC (only). Many people wash themselves out for several days in advance by drinking a lot and exercising, but there is no reason to think this is useful. In no case should you give your first urine of the morning since drug metabolites tend to build up during your sleep?
While you’re loading up on water before the test, you may also want to take a large dose (50-100 milligrams) of vitamin B-12, available in B-complex multivitamins. The purpose of this is to color your urine yellow since otherwise, you are likely to produce clear, watery urine which makes some collectors suspicious (contrary to rumor, vitamin C won’t help). In rare instances, some labs will reject a sample for being too watery; in this case, however, they will typically give you a second chance. Wait until your test results have been confirmed before indulging in compromising behavior.
Conclusion
There is no easy way to pass a drug test. Luckily for everyone in need of a quick fix, people have been coming up with inventive ways of getting around a positive test result ever since drug testing was invented. For some more great information on what you can do to keep your clean, drug free status, CLICK HERE