Marijuana / Question
Published: May 9, 2001
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Smoking marijuana can be detected how long? I've heard a couple of weeks in urine, a couple of days in blood, and a couple of years in hair-please clarify! Also, during a routine physical at the doctor, will they check for marijuana in the blood or urine sample?
Signed: Longevity Of Marijuana - How Long Does It Stay In Your System
Dear Longevity Of Marijuana - How Long Does It Stay In Your System,
The chemical in marijuana, THC, is absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Traces of THC can be detected by standard urine and blood tests for about 2 days up to 11 weeks depending on the persons metabolism, how much they smoked and how long they smoked. THC can be detected for the life of the hair. Again, the sensitivity of the test ranges from person from to person depending on many factors including the amount of body fat, differences in metabolism, and how long and how much they smoked.
The doctors that TeenHealthFX works with will not perform drug tests without talking to their patients first and letting them know what their concerns are. There are guidelines for informing patients about drug testing that all doctors must follow.
It seems like you or someone that you know may be using marijuana - besides the potential consequences, like not getting a job, being found out as a user by school officials or getting caught by the police, there are physical and emotional side effects as well. See the answers to the questions High Times and Marijuana's Permanent Side Effects.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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