How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your System? Cannabasics

Many cannabis users have found themselves seeking answers to one crucial question: How long does marijuana stay in your system? This may be because “Shit, am I going to pass this drug test?” brings convoluted search results.

So what’s the deal

The rate at which marijuana leaves one’s system is multivariate in nature, so the most accurate answer is: It all depends. One’s weight, the method used to intake marijuana, and when you have consumed.

Drug tests look for a chemical compound known as Carboxy-THC. This is the body’s end product of all the weed, hash oil, and cannabutter your tender heart desires. Because cannabis is fat-soluable, its elements get stored in fat cells. Depending on the body mass of an individual, the time it takes for marijuana to be eliminated from the system varies.

It would be very loose reasoning to conclude that the smaller of two people will push marijuana out of his system faster solely due to body mass. There are many other factors contributing to body mass and weight retention, including hormones, stress, exercise, and medications. Ugh, science.

Methodology matters

The way a person gets high is important to how quickly cannabis leaves the system. But similar to the body mass factor, there are too many potential variables to easily conclude how much Carboxy-THC will be produced by each human.

The potency of an ounce of weed, for example, varies based on weed strain. It becomes even more complex when considering edibles, which affect the individual much more slowly (compared to smoking or vaporizing), and the dosages associated with cannabis used for cooking purposes. Even these variables can spiral into their own endless questions and circumstances to consider: Did the person eat an edible on an empty stomach?

Frequency matters

Frequency is also a major factor, as those who smoke infrequently manage to clear their systems much faster than those who smoke daily (or throughout each day). If you land somewhere in between “I’m visiting Denver for one night” and “I live in Denver and this is a lifestyle choice,” definitive answers are even harder to find.

Most online resources seem to estimate a month for those who smoke almost daily, and upwards of two to three months for those who smoke throughout each day.

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