If you're about to take a drug test as a condition of your acceptance of a job or you know that the company you work for regularly conducts sudden drug tests, you may want to cleanse your body so that you're ready for the test. Of course, the only way to keep your system clear of marijuana is to not smoke or use marijuana at all in the first place. However, if you have, you may want to learn about the drug testing process and choose a strategy to increase your chances. Read Step 1 below to get started!
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Part 1 of 3: Understanding THC and Drug Tests
Step 1. Know the factors that determine the period when marijuana is detected in your body
After consuming marijuana, THC, the main psychoactive ingredient, stays in the body. The length of time THC (or its metabolites - chemicals that break down these compounds) is present and detectable in the body varies from person to person and depends on a number of health and lifestyle factors (read below).
- Metabolism. Your metabolism plays a role in how quickly or slowly THC metabolites are broken down and excreted from your body. Everyone has a different metabolic rate, depending on height and weight, gender, level of physical activity, and genetic factors that determine how quickly THC is excreted from the body.
- Body fat. THC is stored in fat cells. This means that after using marijuana, the most THC accumulates in fatty organs such as the brain, ovaries / ovaries, and testes / testicles. However, THC metabolites can also be detected in body fat for up to a month after using marijuana.
- Frequency of consumption. The frequency with which you use marijuana also determines the length of time that marijuana can be detected in your body. Because THC and its metabolites are still in the body even after the apparent "flying" effect wears off, frequent marijuana use will cause amounts of this chemical to build up, eventually reaching dangerously high levels. Because of this, heavy users usually test positive for a longer time than light users if they stop using marijuana at the same time.
- Potency. The potency of marijuana also has an effect on the length of time the marijuana chemical is in your body. Strong marijuana - that is, marijuana with a high amount of THC - will stay in your body longer than low-quality marijuana.
- Sport/lifestyle. A person's level of exercise is also known to affect the amount of THC in their body - what is less known is "how" exactly exercise affects that amount. Contrary to popular myths that claim that exercise can "remove" THC from the body by burning fat cells, some scientific studies have actually found the opposite for a short period of time - in other words, exercising the day after using marijuana can slightly "increase" the amount. THC in the blood.
Step 2. Find out if you are a possible candidate for a drug test
If your potential employer has about 100 employees or has government or personal financial support, you are likely to be tested for drugs, either as a condition of employment or at some point during your tenure with the company. The US Department of Defense, for example, requires regular drug testing and surveillance for all members of its military, in addition, parole/probation supervisory officers are also required to undergo the same drug test. In other fields of work, such as in the restaurant and hotel sector, drug testing is rare, but not non-existent.
It should be noted that, while urine tests can be used to test for pregnancy and certain other medical conditions, your employer has no legal basis for doing so, whereas the US, based on the US. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is actually prohibited from not employing a person on the basis of any of these conditions
Step 3. Know the different kinds of drug tests you may be taking
There are a number of different ways that employers can use to detect THC in your system. These methods vary in terms of price, convenience, and accuracy. This means that most employers (but certainly not all) will prefer to use the less expensive methods, even though employers offering positions of greater responsibility may require more expensive drug tests. Below are the types of drug tests that are most often required:
- Saliva test. The saliva test, which uses a swab sample from inside the mouth, is usually inexpensive and can only detect drug use over a very short period of time. In theory, this test could detect THC if it was only a few days away from the day of drug use. Some employers prefer to use the saliva test because it is easy to perform, so it is possible to perform the test on a whim, and is very difficult to avoid. However, the saliva test is considered less accurate and is not widely used in the US, although it is widely used in other countries, such as Australia.
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Urine test. The urine test does not detect THC in the body, but rather detects its metabolite, THC-COOH, which is produced after using marijuana and can remain in the body long after the THC itself has been removed. There are two types of urine tests that employers can request:
- The first method, the most commonly used option, you will be asked to go to a clinical laboratory. There, your urine will be collected in a special glass sealed with tamper-proof tape, and sent to a testing lab for testing.
- The second method, a more cost-effective option, which is rapidly becoming popular, is an on-site urine test that is often used for impromptu drug testing on employees and patients, as well as in drug rehabilitation programs.
- blood test. The blood test tests for the presence of THC in the blood. THC is only present in the blood briefly (usually about 12-24 hours), so this method is not commonly used for recruitment requirements. Blood tests are usually used to determine whether a person has recently been “under the influence of drugs” in a situation where this information is important (such as, for example, after an accident at work).
- Hair follicle test. These tests are usually expensive and are mostly used for jobs that are very sensitive or that require special permits. Depending on the length of the hair, a hair test can show results of drug use up to three months ago. Hair testing is widely used in the casino industry.
Part 2 of 3: Pass the Drug Test
Step 1. Be critical
The internet is full of false and half-true information when it comes to passing a drug test. Many of the frequently mentioned tricks and home remedies are not supported by any scientific research evidence. Therefore, it is very important to be very critical before trying any of these methods to avoid wasting your time and money or failing your drug test.
The methods discussed in this section may “might” help you, but their success is not guaranteed. If not done correctly, some of these methods can even "increase" your chances of failing your drug test, so proceed with caution
Step 2. Try the dilution method
The dilution method for passing urine tests uses the principle that, because a positive or negative test result is based on the concentration of the THC metabolite in the urine, if the urine can be diluted so that the concentration of the compound is below 50 ng/ml (the minimum limit for most drug tests), you can pass the test. this. Unfortunately, many urine tests now take this strategy into account, so it's necessary to do something about it. Read below as a quick guide to doing the “dilution”.
- Starting three days before your drug test, increase the amount of creatinine in the body. Do this by eating lots of red meat or taking creatine supplements (available at health food, vitamin, and supplement specialty stores). This first step is very important because many urine tests check this compound (a metabolite of creatine) to make sure your urine is not diluted. Failure to perform this step could result in you failing the test because you are suspected of diluting your urine.
- An hour or two before the test, take 50-100 mg of vitamins B2, B12, or B-complex to concentrate urine color. Then, drink water every 15 minutes. You should drink about a liter of water. Do not drink too much water to the point of water poisoning - water poisoning is a dangerous and deadly condition. You should also urinate at least once at this time as you will not want to collect your first urine sample for a drug test.
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When it's time to give the sample, take it from the “middle stream”, in other words, drain the urine first into the toilet and then into the sample collection glass. This gives you the best chance that your urine test results will show the lowest possible concentration of metabolites, as it removes old (higher concentration) urine from the urethra.
- If your urine is too diluted, and you get a second chance to have the test again, schedule it as far as possible. This will give you time to reach the end of the detected period or try the dilution method again, with adjustments so it doesn't become too diluted.
- Drinking water will not "remove" THC from your body, but only aims to dilute the urine.
Step 3. Change your hair
The hair test requires someone doing the test to cut a little hair from your head - no hair, no test. Therefore, the test giver may request a sample of body hair. To avoid this, you can shave off all the hair on your body before the test and say that you are a bodybuilder or a swimmer. However, if you show up for your first interview with a full head of hair and visible body hair, your employer will likely suspect you of cheating. Therefore, it is best to shave “before the first interview”, so that your story is consistent.
Step 4. Take advantage of the “gaps” in the test detection time range
Each type of cannabis test has a different “time range” in which the test can detect THC or its metabolites. Therefore, if you can time the test (and/or the time of your marijuana use) so that your most recent use extends beyond the test time range, you can increase your chances of passing the test (although by no means guaranteed). In particular, most hair tests cannot detect marijuana use in recent days because the hair samples do not contain the THC from that use because it has not had time to show up on the scalp. Below are the detection times of the commonly used cannabis test methods, assuming one time marijuana use:
- Salivary test - 12-24 hours after using
- Urine test - 1-3 days after using
- Blood test - 1-3 days after using
- Hair test - from 3-5 days after using to 90 days after using
- Note - for heavy users, the detection time range will be much tighter.
Step 5. Take some time
If all else fails, try to postpone or change your test schedule. Every extra day you get will increase your chances of passing the drug test without a hitch. Even just a day or two can make a huge difference. For example, one (though admittedly informal) study found that, under the right circumstances, certain types of urine tests can give “clean” results as little as 24-48 hours after marijuana use.
Part 3 of 3: Confirming the Drug Test Myth
Step 1. Don't try to "sweat"
As described above, one home remedy for "cleansing" the body of THC is to excrete it through sweat - usually through exercise, but sometimes in a sauna as well. The reason behind this method is that THC is stored in the body's fat cells, so activities that make you sweat and burn fat will cause THC to be excreted through sweat. Actually, there is no scientific evidence to support this statement. Although exercise can increase the body's metabolism and thus logically decrease the time that THC remains in the body in the long term, several studies have found that exercise can "increase" the amount of THC in the blood in the short term, making it a poor choice. in limited time.
Step 2. Don't bother reducing body fat by dieting
Similar to the above method, this method proposes reducing fatty foods from your diet to reduce the amount of body fat and, thereby, the amount of tissue in which THC can be stored as well. Similar to the reasons above, this method can also be classified as “not supported by scientific evidence”.
Step 3. Don't waste your money buying a marijuana “detox” device
Many people are looking for a quick way to pass drug tests, and this is being used by companies selling devices that claim to cleanse the body for profit. Typically, these detox kits consist of a series of pills or supplements designed to "cleanse" your body of THC and its metabolites before you take a drug test. "There is no scientific evidence to support these companies' claims that vitamins or supplements can remove THC from the body." The testimony of anyone who claims to have a negative drug test result after taking a similar supplement should be considered as something that happened even though, not because of, the use of the supplement.
Step 4. Don't damage your hair with special shampoo or liquid
One very popular rumor about hair testing is that washing your hair with a specially formulated shampoo (usually quite expensive) can remove THC from hair. In fact, "no shampoo has been scientifically proven to remove THC." In addition, some "home care" versions of this method recommend making a liquid from chemicals such as bleach that can potentially irritate your scalp. When it comes to marijuana testing, be tactful and cautious whenever you apply strong chemicals to your hair - just as you would normally be careful.
Tips
- Try to take as long as possible before the test, to make sure you pass the drug test.
- Do not use marijuana in any form (eaten, inhaled, etc.). If you don't, you can be sure to get polluted again.
