For many users, it can be quite the task to have to quit smoking weed — especially just to pass a drug test. While there are plenty of people that have no problem quitting cold turkey when their employment is on the line, for others, it’s more than just wanting to get high. Marijuana is frequently used even in the illegal states for medical purposes. In some cases, people smoke just to eat or sleep better.
But what if you didn’t have to quit just because something else is on the line? Fortunately, today we’re going to show you a variety of ways for how to detox THC from your system fast. We’ll cover at-home remedies, alternatives for if you have time, and even touch on some of the best detox drinks the market has to offer. You’ll also get to have frequently asked questions answered for anything regarding THC in your system and how to detox. Let’s dive into our comprehensive guide
What is detoxification?
Detoxification is the removal of a toxic substance from the body, either by some outside means or waiting for a drug to clear the bloodstream on its own. In general, it is healthier and safer to allow the THC from marijuana to leave the body unassisted, as opposed to toxic drugs such as cocaine or heroin for which there are medications to facilitate detoxification.ll;l;l;
How long does it take to detox from THC?
The psychoactive effects of THC may last fewer than two hours, but the compound or its byproducts, called THC metabolites, can remain in the body for a significant amount of time — 30 days or longer by most accounts. This lengthy residence makes detoxing from THC a challenge, but let’s consider the most common methods used to manipulate THC levels and eliminate cannabis products from the body.
The psychoactive effects of THC may last fewer than two hours, but the compound can remain in the body for a significant amount of time — 30 days or longer by most accounts.
Does exercise help to detox from THC?
If you have ever practiced hot yoga, you have probably heard your instructors talking about sweating out toxins. While this notion is debatable, you may wonder if vigorous exercise and breaking a sweat can cause THC to leave the body through the pores.
Exercise can release stored THC from adipose (fat) tissue. Theoretically, exercise might help to speed up the detox process, but perhaps only marginally (28 days instead of 30). There is no scientific evidence showing that exercising can speed up the detox process and help you pass a drug test sooner than you would have without exercise.
In terms of body fat, individuals with less are not as likely to store THC metabolites due to a faster metabolism. However, a person of any bodyweight may still show traces of the cannabinoid in blood and/or urine, especially if they are daily marijuana users.
Do detox drinks remove weed from the body?
Detox drinks such as cranberry juice or green tea may seem like good solutions to flush THC out of your system, but can they literally remove the cannabinoid? Not exactly.
When it comes to passing a drug screen, ‘detox drinks’ don’t actually remove THC from the body or urine. Instead, they trick the laboratory test by artificially loading up the urine sample with vitamins and proteins like creatinine… it’s like adding sugar to coffee. Adding sugar doesn’t change the amount of bitter compounds in your cup, it just masks them, tricking your brain into thinking it’s less bitter.
Hydrating with beverages such as herbal tea and purified water will probably not rid your system of marijuana. Still, increasing your fluid intake can be beneficial to your general health.
In other words, the THC may still be present in the body, but it is possible for the compound not to register on a toxicology report. Therefore, hydrating with beverages such as herbal tea and purified water will probably not rid your system of marijuana. Still, increasing your fluid intake can be beneficial to your general health, which is often not the case for unregulated products such as detox pills and kits.
Do THC detox kits really work?
A detox kit may also seem like a quick fix to cleanse your system of THC, but these methods may be even less reliable than detoxing with fluids. First, THC detox kits are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means that they could be more harmful than helpful. While it could be possible to fool a drug test with a kit, it may not be worth risking your well-being for a product of questionable origin and safety.
How to use marijuana and still pass a drug test?
If you want to enjoy cannabis but don’t want any evidence of the plant to appear in a blood or urine sample, you have other options to consider. Hemp-derived CBD products such as oils and tinctures contain only trace levels of THC and may be ingested on their own or prepared in recipes for tasty edibles.
Another option is to smoke marijuana strains that have low levels of THC. Popular cannabis strains purported to have less than 15% THC content include Charlotte’s Web, Harlequin, and ACDC. For even lower levels, try Ringo’s Gift, which is said to contain only around 7% THC, making it a good choice for beginners as well. However, consuming large amounts of any low-THC cannabis flower will defeat the purpose of it being low-potency.
What is the best way to detox from THC?
According to Dr. Rae:
the only way to truly ‘detox’ (remove the drug from the body) is to wait it out. The liver metabolizes THC, and its metabolites are further broken down, over time, until there are no more traces left. This process can take 30 days or more for a daily cannabis user.
The best way to detox from THC may be simply to play the waiting game and allow enough time to pass for the cannabinoid to naturally exit your system. So, the best way to detox from THC may be simply to play the waiting game and allow enough time to pass for the cannabinoid to naturally exit your system. Sipping water, trying detox drinks such as cranberry juice, and practicing yoga may not speed up the process, but they can make you feel good and assist with any withdrawal symptoms you may be experiencing.
Likewise, home remedies like lemon juice and apple cider vinegar carry potential health benefits, but it’s a myth that they can strip your system of THC. These fluids may be able to mask marijuana in your bloodstream and urine, but this outcome is not predictable and depends on numerous factors including your body composition, frequency of cannabis consumption, and even the potency of the weed.
Natural Detox Methods and Alternatives
If you’re coming up on a drug test for any reason and need to get THC out of your system fast, we’ve got you covered. Fortunately, you can use a variety of practical methods to help mask the THC in your system long enough to pass a test.
Exercise/Sweating
This one is if you have some time to spare, and can also depend on the person. Because THC is stored in fat cells, exercising and sweating out THC works especially well for those that have a low body fat percentage. The higher your body fat percentage, the longer this method will take to work. This goes especially if you are also a heavy pot smoker.
Abstaining
Of course, there’s the classic cold turkey — but again, this detox method only works if you have enough time to spare. You’ll want to abstain for 30 days or more, so be in this for the long haul. If you were a heavy, everyday pot smoker, you may even need 60 days or more. On the other hand, if you’re only an occasional smoker, you could be clean in just 10 days of abstinence. Everyone’s body chemistry is incredibly different, so it all depends on how your body responds to cannabinoids.
Cranberry Juice and Pickle Juice
Two of the most popular at-home methods for cleansing the system is drinking profuse amounts of cranberry juice, and/or pickle juice. You can do one, the other, or both. They both trigger frequent urination, which helps the body to rid toxins even faster. If you drink cranberry juice, you’ll want to do so with water or an electrolyte-filled energy drink to get the most optimal results. The electrolytes in the pickle juice help to rehydrate you in the same way while simultaneously making you pee as much as possible! Every little bit helps.
Detox Drinks
THC detox drinks are one of the most popular methods to getting the cannabinoids out of your system. Many consider it to be the best detox method overall. You can put your system in the clear zone well ahead of that looming drug test no matter how much notice you’ve been given.