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How Long Does THC Stay in Your System
THC detection windows explained: why you might fail after 45 days or pass in 5. Real timelines for tests and what actually affects results.
Written by Brandon Topp
October 1st, 2025
Disclaimer: This article provides educational information only. We are not medical or legal professionals and do not provide medical or legal advice. Consult with healthcare providers or legal counsel for guidance on drug testing, health concerns, or legal matters.
The same urine sample can pass one drug test while failing another on the exact same day. The difference comes down to a single number: your test's cutoff threshold, measured in nanograms per milliliter.
Pre-employment screens typically use 50 ng/mL cutoffs, while probation or sensitive workplace tests often use 20 ng/mL. That lower threshold can double your detection window.
We're going to show you how to measure your actual clearance using affordable home test strips, rather than relying on generic timelines that don't account for your specific situation.
You'll learn to calculate your exact THC intake in milligrams, understand how your body processes it, and verify when you've crossed below your test's threshold.
Table of Contents
Detection Windows Change With Your Test's Cutoff Level
Can You Get THC Out of Your Urine in 10 Days?
How Body Fat and Metabolism Move Your Timeline
Testing Positive After 30 Days Happens More Than You Think
Track Your Actual Clearance With Home Test Strips
Why Hair Tests Show 90 Days While Blood Shows 2
Calculate Your THC Intake in Milligrams for Better Predictions
What Science Says About Detox Products and Quick Fixes
Legal Hemp THC Triggers the Same Test Results
Your Personal Detection Timeline Protocol
Detection Windows Change With Your Test's Cutoff Level
Drug test cutoff levels are the concentration thresholds that determine whether a result is positive or negative. Understanding this number transforms vague timelines into specific predictions.
A single use at 50 ng/mL typically shows detectability for 3-4 days. The same single use at 20 ng/mL persists for 5-7 days.
The math gets more dramatic with regular use. Weekend consumption clears in 5-7 days at 50 ng/mL, but it takes 10-15 days at 20 ng/mL.
Daily users typically face 30+ days at 50 ng/mL and can exceed 45 days at 20 ng/mL. Your body doesn't care about the test's sensitivity, but your result certainly does.
Pre-employment drug screens for most companies default to the federal workplace standard of 50 ng/mL. Court-ordered testing, probation monitoring, and safety-sensitive positions often mandate the stricter 20 ng/mL cutoff.
When someone tells you they "passed in five days" or "failed after thirty," ask what cutoff their test used. Without that number, the timeline holds no meaning for your situation.
Why the Same Biology Produces Different Results
Your body eliminates THC metabolites at a steady rate determined by your metabolism and fat stores. The test's cutoff is just a line drawn across that elimination curve.
Think of it like a descending staircase. You're walking down at your natural pace, but different tests place the "finish line" at different steps.
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Can You Get THC Out of Your Urine in 10 Days?
Yes for single use at any cutoff level, yes for weekend use at 50 ng/mL, but uncertain at 20 ng/mL, and unlikely for daily use at any standard cutoff.
Your specific timeline depends on three factors: the usage amount in milligrams, the test cutoff level, and your body fat percentage.
The person who took one puff from a vape pen six days before their test has a strong probability of passing at 50 ng/mL. Their chances drop to about 50-50 at 20 ng/mL.
Someone who consumed cannabis two days per week for a month faces better odds. They'll likely clear 50 ng/mL in 7-10 days, but should plan for 12-14 days if facing 20 ng/mL.
Daily users need to understand that "occasional" and "heavy" mean nothing without actual milligram data.
Three 25mg gummies per day create vastly different metabolite loads than one 5mg gummy.
The Variables That Shift Your Ten-Day Window
A lean person with a fast metabolism might clear a weekend's worth of use in six days at 50 ng/mL.
Someone with 30% body fat and a slower metabolism might need fourteen days for the same consumption pattern.
Method matters too. Edibles create 11-hydroxy-THC through liver processing, which extends detection windows by 20% compared to smoking or vaping.
How Body Fat and Metabolism Move Your Timeline
THC-COOH is the metabolic footprint that drug tests detect, not active THC. Understanding this distinction explains why you can feel completely sober yet still test positive weeks later.
When you consume cannabis, your body immediately starts converting THC into more than 100 different metabolites.
The primary metabolite that urine tests target is 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC, commonly called THC-COOH.
This metabolite is fat-soluble, meaning it is stored in your adipose tissue rather than dissolving in water and being flushed out quickly. Your body releases it slowly over time as those fat cells break down.
Body Fat Percentage Creates Measurable Delays
A person with 15% body fat establishes the baseline timeline for any given usage pattern.
Someone with 25% body fat can expect to add 3-5 days to that baseline for the same consumption.
At 35% body fat, you're looking at 5-8 additional days of recovery. This isn't a moral judgment about weight. It's simple pharmacokinetics of lipid-soluble compounds.
Why Edibles Extend Your Window
Smoking or vaping delivers THC through your lungs directly into your bloodstream. Your liver still processes it, but the initial absorption bypasses first-pass metabolism.
Edibles go straight through your digestive system to your liver, where enzymes convert Delta-9 THC into 11-hydroxy-THC. This metabolite is more potent and creates a longer-lasting detection signature.
The same 25mg consumed as an edible versus smoked can extend your detection window by 1-3 days.
If you need to calculate your exact THC intake from edibles, understanding gummy potencies helps you track milligram exposure accurately.
Metabolism Speed Affects Everyone Differently
Some people naturally clear substances faster due to efficient liver enzyme systems. There's no reliable way to measure your personal clearance rate without actual testing.
Age, genetics, overall health, and even what you eat all influence how quickly your body processes THC-COOH. The only way to know your true timeline is to test it with strips.
Watch: How To Use Cannabis Flower
Testing Positive After 30 Days Happens More Than You Think
Chronic users often store significant amounts of THC-COOH in fat tissue over months of regular consumption.
When you stop using them, those fat cells continue releasing metabolites slowly as your body burns fat for energy.
Someone who used daily for six months can test positive at 20 ng/mL for 35-45 days. This isn't a failure of their body. It's predictable biology based on their metabolite reservoir.
The person who posted about still testing positive after 45 days clean wasn't an outlier experiencing something wrong. They were a heavy user with a high body fat percentage being tested at a sensitive threshold.
The Exercise Paradox Creates Temporary Spikes
Working out burns fat, which sounds like it should help. The problem is that burning fat rapidly releases stored THC-COOH back into your bloodstream.
If you exercise intensely within 24 hours before a test, you can temporarily increase your urine concentration, even as your overall metabolite load decreases.
Light exercise throughout your clearance period is fine, but don't do a heavy workout the day before testing.
Weight Loss Extends Detection for the Same Reason
Losing 10 pounds through diet and exercise mobilizes stored metabolites. This is good for long-term clearance but can cause frustrating temporary increases in test results.
Your best strategy is consistent, moderate activity throughout your clearance period rather than aggressive last-minute efforts.
The metabolites are leaving your system. You just need to let them exit at a steady pace.
Track Your Actual Clearance With Home Test Strips
Home test strips cost under $10 for a multi-pack and provide the same technology used by laboratories. You're looking for the THC-COOH concentration to drop below your target threshold.
The two-negative protocol, adapted from drug court practice, gives you reliable confirmation. Test yourself, get a negative, wait two days, and test again.
If both tests show negative, you've established a baseline below the strip's threshold. Most home strips use 50 ng/mL, so you'll need to find 20 ng/mL strips if facing a sensitive test.
How to Read Your Test Strip Results
Any visible line in the test region means negative, even if it's faint. The darkness of the line doesn't matter. Presence or absence is the only thing that counts.
Take a photo of each strip against white paper with good lighting. You'll want this documentation to track your progress and confirm you're seeing actual lines, not wishful thinking.
Test with your first morning urine for the most concentrated and consistent results. Drinking excessive water can dilute your sample and create a false negative that won't hold up at the lab.
Your Testing Schedule Based on Your Deadline
With 10 days or less until your test, check daily starting on day three. This tells you immediately if you're clearing faster than expected or need to prepare for potential issues.
Test every three days for a month or more. You'll catch the threshold crossing without wasting strips on daily checks when metabolites are still high.
Once you hit your first negative, switch to daily testing for three days to confirm stability. Then use the two-negative protocol with a two-day gap for final confirmation.
Why Hair Tests Show 90 Days While Blood Shows 2
Hair follicle testing creates a permanent record of cannabinoid exposure. Blood testing shows only current or very recent levels.
When you consume THC, metabolites circulate in your bloodstream and deposit into hair follicles during active growth. Blood clears quickly as your liver processes metabolites, but hair preserves them indefinitely.
Blood tests can detect THC itself for a few hours and THC-COOH for 1-2 days in occasional users. Daily users might show positive for 7 days in the blood, but this is rare.
How Hair Testing Actually Works
Labs typically collect 1.5 inches of hair from the crown of your head. Hair grows approximately half an inch per month, so 1.5 inches represents roughly 90 days of history.
There's a 5-7 day lag between consumption and detection in hair. The metabolites need time to travel from your bloodstream into the follicle and then grow out past your scalp.
This means a one-time use from last weekend won't appear in a hair test taken today. It also means that shaving your head doesn't help.
Labs will collect body hair if needed, and body hair grows slower, creating even longer detection windows.
Saliva Tests Occupy the Middle Ground
Oral fluid testing detects THC for 24-72 hours after use. Law enforcement uses saliva tests for roadside screening because they indicate recent consumption rather than historical use.
These tests are harder to predict because THC lingers in your mouth after smoking or vaping, but edibles clear from saliva faster.
The detection window is mercifully short compared to urine or hair.
Calculate Your THC Intake in Milligrams for Better Predictions
Transforming vague descriptions like "moderate use" into precise milligram calculations makes timeline predictions actually useful.
Three 25mg gummies equal 75mg total exposure, which is dramatically different from three 5mg gummies at 15mg total.
Understanding how much THC is in a typical hit helps you calculate consumption from flower. A standard joint contains roughly 20-30mg of THC, though this varies wildly by flower potency.
One vape pen session typically delivers 5-10 milligrams, depending on the cartridge strength and the number of pulls taken. A single hit from high-potency flower may yield 2-3mg.
Why Mood's Labeling Enables Exact Tracking
Every one of our products includes precise milligram measurements and third-party Certificates of Analysis.
When you consume one of our 15mg Delta-9 THC gummies, you know exactly what metabolite load you're adding to your system.
This precision lets you calculate your total exposure over any time period. If you took one 15mg gummy daily for two weeks, that's 210mg total, which is a number you can use to estimate detection windows rather than guessing whether you qualify as "light" or "moderate."
Converting Flower and Concentrates to Milligrams
If you're smoking flower labeled 20% THC and you consume one gram, you're getting roughly 200mg total THC.
Most of that burns away rather than entering your lungs, so actual absorption is typically 20-30% of the total.
One gram of 20% flower translates to approximately 40-60mg of absorbed THC. Concentrates at 80% THC deliver about 160mg absorbed per gram consumed.
These calculations matter because someone who vaped 0.5g of concentrate (80mg absorbed) faces a completely different timeline than someone who smoked 0.5g of 15% flower (15-20mg absorbed).
The "one session" description hides a 4-5x difference in metabolite load.
What Science Says About Detox Products and Quick Fixes
Fat-stored metabolites cannot be "flushed" faster than your natural metabolism allows. Detox drinks, teas, and cleanses make impressive claims but can't override basic biochemistry.
Your liver processes THC-COOH at a rate determined by your genetics and enzyme systems. No supplement speeds this up meaningfully.
We don't sell detox products despite the easy profit opportunity because we'd rather give you accurate information than false hope. Your money is better spent on home test strips to track your actual progress.
The Real Role of Hydration
Drinking water doesn't accelerate THC clearance, but it does affect urine concentration. Adequate hydration prevents your metabolites from concentrating to levels that trigger positive results.
The risk is drinking too much water, which dilutes your sample below normal creatinine and specific gravity levels. Labs flag diluted samples and may require retesting or count it as a failed attempt.
Maintain normal hydration rather than flooding your system. Your body knows how to regulate fluid balance without extreme intervention.
Why Exercise Timing Matters More Than Volume
Regular moderate exercise throughout your clearance period supports natural metabolism.
Avoid intense workouts in the 24-48 hours before your test to prevent temporary spikes from fat mobilization.
This isn't about "sweating out" toxins. That's not how THC-COOH exits your body. It's about maintaining steady metabolite release rather than creating concentration spikes right before testing.
Legal Hemp THC Triggers the Same Test Results
Federal compliance under the Farm Bill doesn't mean test-safe. Hemp-derived THCa products are legal because they contain less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight in their raw form.
When you heat THCa through smoking or vaping, it becomes more potent and creates the exact same THC-COOH metabolites that marijuana produces. Drug tests cannot distinguish between legal hemp-derived THC and state-legal dispensary cannabis.
A 50mg THC gummy from a dispensary and a 50mg THC gummy from our federally compliant product line create identical metabolite loads.
We explicitly warn about this because legal status doesn't protect you from test results.
Understanding the Testing Gap
Workplace drug policies were written when cannabis was universally illegal. Most haven't been updated to account for state legalization or the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp products.
Your employer isn't testing for legal status. They're testing for THC metabolites. The test doesn't care whether you bought from a state dispensary, used our legal products, or consumed in a prohibition state.
This creates a frustrating reality where you can legally purchase and consume our products, but still fail employment screenings. We recommend at least 90 days of abstinence before any standard drug test if you want guaranteed clearance.
Travel and Federal Property Remain Zero-Tolerance
Airports, military bases, federal buildings, and federal land maintain Schedule I drug policies regardless of state law or Farm Bill compliance. Even legal hemp products can create serious consequences in these contexts.
International travel presents even greater risks, as most countries don't recognize U.S. hemp legality. We ship domestically only and recommend consuming in the state where you received product.
Your Personal Detection Timeline Protocol
Start by identifying your test type and cutoff threshold. Call the testing company or HR department if this information isn't clear. Knowing whether you face 50 ng/mL or 20 ng/mL changes everything.
Calculate your total milligram exposure over the past 30-90 days. Add up the labeled amounts from edibles, estimate 20-30mg per joint, and roughly 5-10mg per vape session.
Adjust your baseline timeline for body fat percentage and consumption method. Edibles add 20% to detection windows. Higher body fat adds 3-8 days, depending on your percentage.
Begin Home Testing on Your Timeline
Purchase test strips matching your test's cutoff threshold. Start testing according to the schedule we outlined earlier—daily if you have under 10 days, every three days if you have a month or more.
Document each result with photos and dates. This creates a clear record of when you crossed the threshold and established your two-negative baseline.
Plan Future Consumption With Actual Data
Once you understand your personal clearance rate, you can make informed decisions about future use. If you cleared a single 25mg edible in six days at your body composition, you know your baseline for similar consumption.
Our precise labeling on products like our gummy collection means you can calculate exactly what you're consuming rather than guessing.
Understanding dosing helps you track milligram intake for accurate timeline predictions.
You're now measuring instead of guessing. You understand that detection depends on test cutoffs, not just the time since last use, and you can verify your status with affordable home tests instead of relying on generic timelines that may not apply to your situation.
The metabolites will clear at your body's natural pace. Your job is simply to track that pace accurately and know when you've crossed below the threshold that matters for your specific test.
