First and foremost, the easiest way to pass any drugs test is to have your system clean of drugs. To that end, there are many factors to consider regarding the length of time you must abstain from using in order to be clean. 

Physiological Factors

The active ingredient in marijuana, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is a federally controlled substance, and as such many employers will require employees to take drug screens to test for its use. These drug tests in most cases, with the exception of blood tests, test for metabolites the body produces when your body digests THC consumed either by smoking or eating marijuana or THC concentrates. 

Because of this the time that it will take for THC metabolites to no longer be present at levels that will lead to failing a drug test will be different for individuals depending on their individual metabolism. A faster metabolism will lead to THC metabolites being in your system for less time.

“Activities that increase your metabolism, such as regularly cardiovascular workout, will increase the speed at which your body processes THC.”

It is also important to consider that THC is soluble in fat tissue, so the higher or lower an individual’s body fat percentage may be will drastically alter the amount it can take for THC to no longer be present. To this end, fat-burning exercises can be utilized to shorten the length of time needed for THC to run its course. 

“According to NORML, a single use of marijuana is detectable in urine between one and seven days after use.” 

Since a blood test differs in that it detects the presence of actual THC in the bloodstreams as opposed to THC metabolites left behind when the substance has been processed, NORML says that a blood test would be effective in detecting a single use of marijuana between two to twenty-four hours after consumption. Marijuana that is consumed in edibles may have a tendency to extend this period slightly. 

“According to NORML, it is unlikely a single use of marijuana will result in failing a hair follicle test.”  

Usage is the Most Important Factor

The most important factor in passing a drug test is the amount and frequency at which you consume marijuana. Regular Marijuana use, or use every single day, will greatly increase the presence of THC metabolites in your system and as such the amount of time, your body will need before it is clean. 

“Regular marijuana use can increase the period that THC metabolites are present in a person’s system from seven days to up to one-hundred days, depending on other factors.”

Heavy users will always tend to be at the furthest end of any estimated time scale. The average time to pass a urine test is between one and four weeks. Regular or heavy marijuana use may increase the presence of THC in blood tests, but on average these tests should not be effective in detecting marijuana use after two to seven days. 

“Hair tests are most affected by regular marijuana use.”

With regular use, THC metabolites will enter the hair and can potentially remain for months. THC will enter into the hair through the bloodstream and into the hair follicles. It begins to be detectable in the shaft of the hair five days after use and can remain that way for months after use. 

By estimating the average growth rate for hair, these tests can be used to infer historical drug use based on the length of your hair sample from your scalp. This does not, however, allow an accurate estimation of the specific timeline of marijuana use, as metabolites from weeks ago would be indistinguishable from those introduced only days earlier. 

“A one-inch length of hair on average takes two months to grow. A positive hair test on this sample would show use in the last two months although it could not specify when in this period it occurred.”

The THC metabolites stored in the hair are stored in a stable state inside the core of the hair shaft. Simply washing or scrubbing hair or using bleach or other abrasive cleaners will not remove the presence of these substances in your hair. In any case, most hair tests only consider a viable sample to be one and one-half inches from the scalp, which can accurately test for usage in approximately the last three months.

How to Pass a Drug Test

Now that we have a better idea of the odds that we are up against, let’s talk about strategies for tipping those odds in your favor. Each drug test is unique in its method of detection, so methods that work for one type of test may not work for others.

Blood Tests

Blood tests are the most difficult to get around since they look for THC directly in the bloodstream. Fortunately, they have the shortest effective detection time, under 7 days. The good thing about a blood test, it is the rarest of all drug tests. Because of the test’s costs, it’s highly unlikely you will be blood tested. Unless you are in serious legal trouble or financial trouble, the test will be too cost-prohibitive to be administered.

If you do find yourself facing a blood drug test, there are some steps you can take to minimize the risk:

  1. Stop Smoking 2 Week Prior (if possible)
  2. Exercise, Sleep, & Get Rest
  3. Use Detox Solutions

The first two are no-brainers, so we will just dive into the third tip, “Use Detox Solutions.” These are substances made to clear your system. While the best bet is to stay clean as long as possible, detoxes have helped some people pass tests.

Urine Tests

Urine Test Information

Urine testing is the most common drug test method because it is less expensive, easiest to collect, and because THC remains detectable for a longer period of time in urine than elsewhere.

75% of drug tests are conducted on urine samples.

Urine drug tests detect THC-COOH (a major breakdown product of THC) rather than THC itself.

How Results are Obtained:

  1. Send the subject to an offsite facility where urine is collected and screened (most common method)
  2. Fast and instant onsite screening which is convenient for the work, school and rehabilitation settings (gaining popularity)

Detectable time:

  • For one-time users: urine tests can detect THC-COOH presence 5 to 8 days after marijuana consumption
  • For occasional users: urine tests can detect THC-COOH presence 11 to 18 days after marijuana consumption
  • For regular users: urine tests can detect THC-COOH presence from 33 to 48 days after marijuana consumption
  • For daily users: urine tests can detect THC-COOH presence 90 days after marijuana consumption

How to Pass Urine Tests

Everyone has a lot of differing opinions about what works and what doesn’t in the world of drug tests. Personally, I have used a whole bunch of methods from gallons of water and exercise to pissing and praying.

But, the one method that has always worked for me is subbing. Substituting is the process of using artificial urine or the urine of someone who is clean. You then carry the liquid, make sure the temperature is correct, and get it into the test cup.

This can be a breeze for most lab drug tests you will take for getting a job. If you are on probation, there may be some more work you have to do to stay out of trouble.

While most people will be very nervous their first time, this method is one of the best ways to have peace of mind after leaving the facility. I would never use any other method than subbing myself

Other than that, there are a million detox scenarios. If you are a novice or occasionally smoke, you very well should be able to quit smoking and pass a urine screen in a reasonable amount of time. Heavy smokers, you are going to want to use fake piss.

How to Mouth Swab Drug Tests

If you are getting a mouth swab test, consider yourself extremely lucky. These tests are by far the easiest to pass and you’ll be clean in 24 hours, no matter how often you smoke. The best thing you can do is just stop for 24 hours. If it is less, you still might be alright. Just detox as much as possible and hope for the best. You will have the best odds of passing any test.

How to Hair Drug Tests

Hair drug tests are the most notoriously tough tests to fool. They are not as accurate as a blood test, but they are certainly more common than blood drug tests. 

The hair drug test can detect a very long usage span if you are a regular smoker and have long hair. A hair follicle drug test could test upwards of 90 days or longer depending on a host of factors.

One of the best methods to pass these hair tests is to shave your hair and reduce the ability to pull a quality sample. Like all tests, it is usually helpful if you can quit for an extended period of time and hair follicle tests are no different. 

Another popular method is to use detox shampoos, although like all detoxes there is a mixed bag of results and reviews. If you are in a pinch, they certainly cannot hurt to try and use every tool at your disposal.

Passing a drug test can rely heavily on your personal biology, smoking habits, and a whole range of scientific factors. There is something you can do to minimize your risk and give you the best chance to pass a test. 

What methods have worked for you in the past? Please let us know in the comments!