How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System

When you use recreational drugs, traces of the substances will remain in your system even after their effects have worn off. Your body can eliminate some drugs relatively quickly, while others take much more time. If you’ve ever wondered how long does weed stay in your system, the answer may surprise you.

How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System After Quitting?

The question, how long does weed stay in your system after quitting, can have multiple correct answers depending on why you asked it.

For example, you might be asking simply because you’ve decided to end your cannabis use, and you’re wondering how long any remnants of the drug will stay in your system. Or you may have been forced to quit because you have to take a drug screen, and you want to know how long you might still test positive after quitting.

The answers to these questions can be further influenced by factors such as:

• Your weight and metabolism
• The type and amount of cannabinoids in the weed you’ve been using
• How often you use cannabis, and how much you typically use

Having established all of these variables, let’s explore some answers. First, let’s focus on how long you might have weed in your system after you stop using it:

• According to a November 2020 article in The Permanente Journal, the plasma half-life of THC (the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) is one to three days in casual users, and five to 13 days in heavy users. 
• Experts estimate that it usually takes four to five half-lives for a substance to fall below a clinically significant amount. 
• This means that if you use marijuana on an occasional basis, you will likely have the drug in your system for four to 15 days after you stop using it. If you’ve been large amounts of the drug on a regular basis, might have traces of cannabis in their body for 20-65 days.

The drug screen timeline can vary depending on which type of test you take. Here are estimates for how long weed can show up on various types of drug screens:

• Blood: About 12 hours after the last time you ingested marijuana
• Saliva: 24-48 hours after your last use
• Urine: Up to 30 days after you quit 
• Hair: As long as 90 days (three months) after you stop 

Benefits of Quitting Weed

If you have decided to quit using weed, you probably have your own reasons for doing so. These may involve your health, your job, your relationships, or other factors.

Regardless of what prompted you to stop using this drug, the general benefits of doing so can include:

• Healthy brain development: This especially applies to younger people. Research suggests that those who use marijuana prior to age 17 may have an elevated risk of myriad cognitive concerns. These include problems with attention, memory, processing speed, verbal learning, and sequencing. 
• Cardiovascular health: A February 2024 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) linked past-month cannabis use with several adverse cardiovascular outcomes, such as myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, and coronary heart disease. The study also found that a person’s risk increases along with the frequency of their cannabis use.
• Improved lung functioning: The American Lung Association has reported that the effects of smoking marijuana can include chronic bronchitis, chronic cough, thickening and inflammation of the airway, and respiratory infections.
• Better mental health: For some people, cannabis use eases the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. But for others – such as those who abuse marijuana as a way of avoiding difficult emotions – the use of this drug can exacerbate their psychological distress and delay their efforts to seek appropriate help.

What if You Are Having Trouble Quitting Weed on Your Own?

If you’re having trouble quitting weed on your own, this may indicate that you have developed an addiction. (And yes, contrary to what you may have heard or read elsewhere, it is possible to become addicted to marijuana.)

Research indicates that about 10% of people who begin using marijuana will eventually develop cannabis use disorder, which is the clinical term for weed addiction. Among current weed users, experts estimate that about 30% meet the criteria for addiction.

Addiction is a chronic, progressive disease. This means that the urges, compulsions, and other symptoms that it causes are unlikely to simply disappear on their own. Thankfully, there are treatment options that can help you end your weed use and build a healthier life in recovery.

Depending on a variety of personal factors, your path to freedom from compulsive weed use may include:

• Detoxification: If you’ve been experiencing particularly severe withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop using weed, a detox program may be the ideal starting point for you.
• Residential treatment: At the residential level, you will live at the center where you’re receiving care. This allows you to focus your full attention on therapy and other support services, without having to deal with the typical stresses and distractions of daily life. Residential programs usually include a customizable variety of therapies and support services to help you establish a strong foothold in early recovery.
• Outpatient programming: In an outpatient program, you may take part in full or partial days of treatment, but you won’t stay at the center when treatment isn’t in session. This gives you the freedom to practice your new skills in a real-world environment, while still benefitting from structured clinical services. 

Contact Us to Detox and Recover from Weed Addiction

Untreated weed addiction can be devastating. However, when you get the right type of treatment, you can rediscover your innate strengths and abilities and reconnect with the best version of yourself. 

Our rehab center in Los Angeles, California, offers a full continuum of care in a comfortable and highly supportive environment. We never have more than six people in treatment at any one time. You can rest assured that you will receive the individualized care you need and the close personal support you deserve.

When you’re ready to get started, the Sanctuary Treatment Center team is here to help. To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.