How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System?

By: William C. Head, Criminal Defense Attorney Atlanta GA and ABA Board-Certified DUI Attorney

Weed is America’s second-most popular drug, behind alcohol, as recreational marijuana use is legal in many states. So, people are often curious about how long weed stays in your system.

Knowing how long marijuana can stay in your body is important. This is especially true if you are looking for a job or are on probation. Failing a drug test can cost you a job. As a probationer, It may lead to jail time for a DUI or Drug Court program.

This article answers questions like, “How long does weed stay in your system? How long does THC stay in your blood, urine, and saliva? This also examines factors that affect how long marijuana takes to leave your system.

Additionally, it discusses issues related to pre-employment drug tests and DUI drug court testing.

First, we will discuss how long weed stays in your system.

How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your Body?

The metabolites, or “burn off” products, of marijuana (THC), or “weed,” can stay in your body for up to 180 days.

Urine – For up to 30 days

Blood – For up to 180 days

Hair – For up to 90 days

Saliva – For up to 24 hours

System – For 1 to 180 days

These are just estimates. No “detector” can give an exact number of how long weed stays in your system. Many factors affect this length of time, as detailed below.

Factors Affecting How Long Weed Stays in Your System

Even with detailed information about marijuana use and how THC leaves your body, no guide or calculator is perfect.

Marijuana can stay in your system for different lengths of time. This is because of many factors that are not exact.

Don’t gamble with your freedom or job on ‘beating a drug test.’ Keep these factors in mind:

• Not all humans are the same. Metabolism rates and body types, such as skinny or fat, influence how the body stores THC in fat tissue. As cannabis metabolites bind to fat molecules, it takes longer for them to leave your system.
• The strength of the weed strain can change how long it takes to burn off THC. The higher THC content, the longer it takes for weed to leave your system.
• Precise and honest estimation of regular use of marijuana each week, for the last 4 to 6 weeks. If you’re a daily marijuana user, the weed will be detectable for a longer amount of time than if you are a light user.
• How much time has passed since you last used weed. If you’ve just recently ingested marijuana, the more of it remains in your system.
• How you ingested the weed. Marijuana edibles can stay in your system longer than smoking.
• The type of screening method used for analyzing can vary. It may be a $1.00 drug test kit or a high-performance liquid chromatography instrument that costs over $50,000. Different drug tests have different levels of sensitivity.

How Long Does Weed Stay in Your Urine?

The byproducts of marijuana can stay in your urine for up to 60 days.

A new trend is starting in many states. They require welfare recipients to take and pass a drug test. This must happen before they can get public assistance. Government agencies want to reduce their spending, so this trend may spread.

Plus, a roadside marijuana breath test or trans-dermal skin test will soon be on the market. Several methods of quickly detecting recent marijuana use (e.g., saliva test) are already available.

How Long Does Weed Stay in Your Blood?

Weed stays in your blood for the shortest amount of time: up to 12 hours.

How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your Hair?

Weed can stay in your hair for up to 90 days and is the most sensitive type of marijuana drug test.

How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your Saliva?

Weed stays in your saliva for as little as 24 hours.

Pre-Employment Drug Testing for Marijuana

Many employers in the USA now require a pre-employment drug test. Many job applicants want to know how long marijuana stays in their urine. This is a popular topic for those who want to pass drug tests.

Recreational marijuana use is now legal in some states. This has caused major conflicts in pre-employment drug screening policies.

Losing a high-paying job because of a positive drug test can affect the employee’s life. It can also impact those who rely on them for financial and family support.

Probation Drug Test for Weed – Drug Court or DUI Court

The criminal justice system uses drug tests in courts. These courts have strict oversight and probation for people who break state or federal laws. The mix of different and conflicting laws creates confusion for people who use weed.

A urine test is the most common type of drug test in the court system.

In a strict probation setting, such as DUI Court or Drug Court, a first-time offender aims to avoid breaking the rules of probation. A violation can affect the State’s first offender act and may lead to jail or prison time. They also kicked him out of a diversion program for failing a drug test. Also being allowed 1st offender treatment, to obtain a criminal record restriction.

Criminal courts across America conduct these tests every month. In some criminal courts, a person who makes a plea deal may need to take a urine test. You must complete this test to qualify for diversion or to use a first offender plea option.

DUI Marijuana Lawyer Atlanta William C. “Bubba” Head

Atlanta criminal defense attorney Bubba Head has been a practicing criminal defense attorney for over 41 years. He is a member of NORML.org, in Georgia.

His law firm partners, Atlanta DUI Attorneys Larry Kohn and Cory Yager, have worked on over 2,000 DUI cases. These include both felony and misdemeanor cases. They have also handled thousands of other criminal law cases. Most of these cases involve alcohol or drugs, such as possession of marijuana.

The partners at Mr. Head’s law office provide FREE, professional case evaluations. This service is for anyone facing DUI drug or DUI alcohol charges. Our DUI attorneys also represent people facing prosecution for possession of marijuana, drug trafficking or weed possession with intent to distribute charges. Plus, for probation revocation cases we represent people in upcoming revocation of probation proceedings.

Our DUI law firm also works on probation revocation, FTA, DUI court, and drug court cases in Georgia. Call today at 404-567-5515, or email Mr. Head directly at wchead@criminaldefensematters.com

What Kind of Attorney Do I Need? Searching for The Best DUI Lawyer

If police arrest you for DUI in Georgia, you should find an expert in Georgia DUI law as the first step. Look for top attorney ratings to help you choose. Check who is behind the law firm.

Review the credentials of each trial lawyer. Look at the criminal defense attorney who leads the office. Every skilled DUI lawyer in the firm must know DUI laws well. They should also have training in how to challenge DUI cases successfully.

This successful defense record must include stopping breath alcohol tests. It should also include knowing all past appellate decisions on Georgia‘s implied consent law.

More drugged driving cases are happening. Our criminal defense lawyers in Atlanta need to know how to challenge GBI blood alcohol or drug tests. Being an INSTRUCTOR in the three NHTSA standardized field sobriety tests (SFST) is also necessary.

The top DUI lawyers in Atlanta, Georgia, provide a FREE consultation. They will explain how their criminal attorneys work to find a strong defense for your case. They will also represent clients as strongly as the law allows.

Focus your search on DUI lawyers with real ratings and a track record of winning cases. Look for those who know how to beat a DUI charge. If we are the criminal defense attorneys for you, ask us about our attorney payment plans.

Call our DUI defense lawyers now, any time, for a case review and free legal advice. You can reach us at 404-567-5515 or email our criminal justice attorneys.

Other Resources which help explain How Long Marijuana Stays in Your System:

Creative, interactive marijuana drug test calculator

Other Valuable DUI Checkpoint Links on this Site:

National DUI roadblock cases and other Checkpoint Information

Sobriety Checkpoint DUI Case with High BAC Level Won by Mr. Head

How to Locate a Checkpoint Near Me

Can you become a police officer with a DUI

MAIN LAW OFFICE IN SANDY
SPRINGS, GEORGIA:

5600 Roswell Rd
Building H, #210
Sandy Springs, GA 30342
(404) 567-5515

MARIETTA, GA LOCATION
in Cobb County, GA:

55 Atlanta Street SE
Suite 400
Marietta, GA 30060
(888) 274-6288

ALPHARETTA-ROSWELL-MILTON
LOCATION
in North Fulton County, GA:

33 S Main St
Suite 302
Alpharetta, GA 30009
(844) 867-2889