As a cannabis consumer, you may get jittery when you hear the word “drug test.” Don’t worry, it’s a common reaction, but learning more about the topic helps a lot. In this blog, we will talk about how drug tests are performed, the types of drug tests, how you can pass one, and what to do if you get in trouble for a positive test at your workplace.
Let’s begin by understanding the basics.
What Do Drug Tests Detect?
Drug tests look for a THC byproduct, known as THC-COOH, as it attaches itself to the fat cells. As a result, it takes much longer to leave the body, sometimes staying in the body for as long as months. This is also why cannabis stays in the body much longer than other substances.
Physical activities like exercising and outdoor sports can transfer THC-COOH back to the bloodstream, as they get released from the fatty tissues. This makes them detectable in blood, but also helps expel them from the body quicker.
However, other things also influence how long this byproduct stays in your body, such as:
- Your BMI
- What drug test do you take
- The quantity you consume
- How often do you smoke/ ingest cannabis
- Whether you have a slow or fast metabolism
Now, let’s look at the different types of drug tests you can take.
Types of Drug Tests
Before we begin, we’d like to clarify that abstaining is the only way to surely get you a negative drug test.
There are 4 common types of drug tests; let’s look at them in brief detail.
Urinalysis
This is the most common drug test in the workplace, as it is the only method approved by the FDA. As a result, employers tend to prefer using this method.
A urine drug test consists of a dipstick covered with an antibody that can detect THC. The dipstick quickly absorbs the urine, changing color in the presence of THC. This method requires at least 30 mL of urine and is 99% correct.
If you consume marijuana once in a while, then it can be detectable in your urine for up to 2 weeks, and 30 – 60 days for heavy users. However, this can also be influenced by the quality of the test.
So, if you are trying to pass a urine test, we’d suggest you don’t smoke marijuana for 60 days. However, if you find yourself in a situation where you need to take a drug test soon, try the following:
- Drinking water to dilute the urine – is a common and easy method in which you don’t need to buy anything. You just need to increase your water intake so you’d need to go to the bathroom frequently. If you wish to try this method, it would be best to consume as many B vitamins as possible. Doing so will slightly alter the color of urine without being too obvious. However, you need to keep in mind that this only works for tests that are not very high-quality. You also need to know that drinking more than 3-4 liters of water a day can be dangerous. If the results seem suspicious, you may be asked to get the drug test another go, so it is best to refrain from using cannabis for a while.
- Adding to/ Switching Out Your Urine – heavy users often use either of these methods. Adultering refers to adding baking soda, bleach, vinegar, etc., to the urine after it’s in the cup. Of course, this is not a very reliable method. So, is switching out your urine any better? In terms of passing the test, yes but not in terms of hygiene. However, you do not have to necessarily ask a friend to pee in a cup on your behalf. There are websites that sell synthetic urine (at a very steep cost), so that is a risk you may not want to take.
Blood Testing
Blood tests aren’t that preferable by the user or the administrator, as it is an invasive procedure. It may also cause bruising in the following days.
Moreover, you most likely won’t have to undergo this method unless you have been injured at work, in a car crash, or elsewhere. It may also be performed when a healthcare professional doesn’t know what drug the patient may be using.
For casual users, marijuana can be detected in the blood for up to 7 days, and for heavy users, this time period can stretch to several weeks. However, urine tests have a longer detection period in both cases, which is why blood tests aren’t that widely used.
If you are looking for ways to detox before a blood drug test, you may wanna stop as there is nothing you can do. The only thing you can do is the detox or abstain from using cannabis.
Abstaining as detox can take anywhere between a month or two. However, if you want to go ahead with it, you’ll have to:
- Exercise to increase sweating.
- Refrain from consuming sugary drinks.
- Maintain a clean, healthy, and balanced diet, especially in the days closest to the drug test.
Basically, you need to make sure that you are maintaining healthy habits and avoiding sugar as much as possible.
Swab Testing
Mouth testing, also known as swab testing, can only detect the presence of THC for 24 hours but is 98% effective. As a result, these tests cannot detect past usage, so if you have one coming up, you can simply abstain from using marijuana for 2 days.
However, even this may not be possible for those who rely on it for things like pain management. So, let’s look at some alternative ways to pass a swab drug test.
- Brushing thoroughly right before the drug test seems to help get THC remnants out of the mouth. You will, however, have to rinse reportedly and use floss between your gums and teeth. Using mouthwash may also help, but it may lead to positive alcohol tests.
- You can also opt for an antiseptic mouth rinse, but keep in mind that it will only be effective for 30 minutes or so. Similar to all the other methods, this may or may not work.
Breathalyzer
You may have heard about these as a common way to detect whether someone is drunk. Breathalyzers can now be used to detect marijuana as well. However, they are still not very reliable, so you most likely won’t have to undergo one.
Moreover, they have a very short detection window, which lasts for around 4 hours. The only time you may have to take this test would be to prove that you aren’t operating heavy machinery or driving after consuming marijuana. Of course, we wouldn’t suggest you do that either.
Currently, these tests are still being researched and improved so there may not be a way to cheat them. Besides the ones already mentioned, there are a few other ways to “cheat” a drug test.
Other Ways to Pass a Drug Test
Below are the ways to speed up your body’s removal of THC.
Exercising
As mentioned above, exercising can help expel THC from the body much faster. A study also confirmed that exercising increases THC levels in the blood. However, as it can cause THC byproducts to be released into the blood, it is best to not do any physical activities right before a drug test.
Lemonade Detox
This is actually a very common way to detox from THC. Basically, you have to fast and you can only consume lemon juice. Now, fasting will induce lipolysis, which releases THC from the fat cells. As for lemon juice, it has been found to reduce body fat. You can also drink apple cider vinegar for the same results.
Taking a Steam Bath
Anything that makes you sweat profusely is going to induce lipolysis. However, it is more risky than beneficial if you enter a sauna while you’re also fasting. It is not advisable for heart patients to spend time in a sauna.
You can give these methods a go, but the best and proven method is only abstinence. Let’s read about it in detail.
Abstaining to Pass a Drug Test
If you plan on abstaining to pass a drug test, you’ll have to do so for 30 – 60 days. This usually works for people consuming a normal dosage every day, but not heavy users. A heavy user would most likely have THC in their body for up to 90 days, and it will also be tougher for them to quit entirely.
For heavy users, it would be best to stick to CBD products if they know there’s a mandatory drug coming up. However, most of these products have some THC content so you need to research thoroughly to find something suitable.
What to Do if You Have a Positive Drug Test?
In case you already have a positive drug test that could get you in trouble at work, home, or elsewhere, you can try one of the following options:
Passive Exposure
If you are taking a drug test with a THC sensitivity of 50ng per mL, then this excuse won’t work, simply because passive exposure won’t lead to such high THC content in the body. However, if you take a drug test with a sensitivity of 20ng/ mL, this excuse could work.
False Result Due to Another Substance
If you have to specifically undergo a test for marijuana, and it comes out positive, you may get in less trouble saying that you were intoxicated on something else. Advil used to cause positive results, but the latest technology prevents that from happening too.
False Positive Due to Technical Error
You could use this excuse just to prompt another test because it is scientifically almost impossible for lab results to come out wrong. That is because cannabis is tested with advanced technology.
On the other hand, you could try and say that all tests are either 98 or 99% correct, so you’d like to take another one. Of course, this is a risky thing to do even if you are completely sure that the second test will not be positive.
So, what can you do if you rely on marijuana to feel good every day, or to alleviate some medical conditions and don’t have the time to quit/ detox? Well, if you live in a state where medical marijuana is legal, it would be best to get an MMJ card! So, how would that help? Let’s find out!
Does Getting an MMJ Card in Oklahoma Mean You Can Get Away With a Positive Drug Test?
There is no direct answer to this question, but we can tell you that an employer is within their legal rights to prohibit employees from consuming marijuana in the office. However, if you get a positive drug test you can provide your doctor’s recommendation as proof. This should protect you from legal trouble, as long as you are not:
- Operating heavy machinery at work
- Driving anywhere after smoking/ ingesting cannabis
- Working with/ transporting hazardous materials
- Carrying firearms
- Providing medical care
- Working on a construction site, etc.
Simply put, if your work could potentially harm you or those around you, you may get in trouble for a positive drug test. On the other hand, if you have a “safe” job, such as sitting at a desk, you can get away with a medical card.
How to Apply for an MMJ Card Oklahoma?
If you wish to apply for a Medical Marijuana Card, it is best to look for a place you can get quick recommendations. For instance, 420 Doctors Oklahoma has a convenient, 3-step process, involving consultation and recommendation.
We also have a team of highly-experienced 420 doctors that are happy to answer all your queries during the consultation.
