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How long does oxycodone stay in your system?

2015-10-21T17:01:00-05:00

The world's largest consumer of oxycodone is the United States with hydrocodone with acetaminophen being the most frequently prescribed drug according to SAMSHA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This being the case, many people want to know how long these drugs will stay in your system. The truth is that there are no exact timetables that will give you a definitive answer. However, there are some general guidelines that may help.

There are a couple of factors that determine the duration of a drugs' presence in the body. Firstly is metabolism. The quicker your body processes what you ingest, the quicker it also leaves the system. Second is hydration and body mass. Fatty tissue has a tendency to store chemicals longer then lean tissue and staying hydrated means less fluid retention. Finally, there is the amount and frequency of use. A first time user can pass a drug through their system generally quicker than a frequent user whose body has built up a tolerance to the drug. Similarly, someone who takes a lower dosage of the drug will test lower sooner than someone who took a higher dosage.

Different types of tests call for different detection times. Oxycodone is detectable in blood tests for roughly 24 hours, in saliva tests for 1-4 days, urine tests 3-4 days and hair tests up to 90 days. This is backed up by findings done in a 2014 study by Ron R. Flegal for SAMSHA.

The study took two groups of 12 healthy, drug-free people and gave one group a single 20mg dose oxycodone and the other group a single two tablet dose of 10mg hydrocodone with 325mg acetaminophen each. They then measured the detection times of the dose through blood, saliva and urine tests over a 50 hour time period. The results show that both oxycodone and hydrocodone showed up in blood and saliva within 15-30 minutes and showed positive in urine within 0-2 hours. For the blood test, the two drugs were out of the detection range in under 25 hours and out of detection range on the saliva test in roughly 35-50 hours. The urine test took the longest as the drugs were detectable up to hour 50.

It is extremely important to note that these are not guarantees that oxycodone will be out of your system in the time frames mentioned. The only way to know for sure is to be tested.

How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your System?

2013-01-08T16:24:00-06:00

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Listen to the expanded video version with a few more details about THC detection times

How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your System? Infographic

The data used to create this infographic is gathered from research on drug testing methods and the information presented by drug screen manufacturers. Some resources include Redwood Toxicology, Cannabis Drug Testing, California NORML. The information presented is only a guide or estimate since drug testing has many variables that can influence a positive or negative outcome.

How Long Does Marijuana Stay in your System? is the most frequently asked question that we receive at HomeHealthTesting.com. While there is no definitive answer, we have presented some guidelines. The only way to really know if you are positive is to test yourself. You can test yourself with a cheap drug test and know if you are positive. Buy a THC urine drug test

How long does THC stay in your system?

The most common drug tests used are urine, saliva and hair. Each test has a different detection time which is important to know. The urine drug test is the most commonly used because it is cheap and has a longer detection time than a saliva test. There are several very important factors that can influence how long THC will be present in your urine:

Weight
Body Fat
Amount Used
Frequency of Use

Since these factors will vary greatly for each individual, there are no definitive guidelines to tell you how long you can test positive for THC.

On a Urine Drug Test, THC will appear as a positive within 2-5 hours of use. How long it will still show on a urine drug test is estimated based on frequency of use, but does not take into account the weight and body fat of the marijuana user:

One Time User may show positive for 1-6 days
Moderate User may show positive for 7-13 days
Frequent User may show positive for 15 or more days
Heavy User may show positive for 30 or more days
Some Heavy Pot Smokers have reported being positive 45-90 days after quitting

On a Saliva Drug Test, THC will test positive within one hour of use, but may only show positive for about 12 hours after last use.

On a Hair Drug Test, THC will show up about 7 days after use and most hair drug tests will test for a 90 day period. However, THC does not always bind to the hair follicle which makes it not always considered an accurate testing method for marijuana use.

The most reliable way to know if you are testing positive for marijuana use is to drug test yourself.

PDF version here: How Long does Marijuana Stay in your System? PDF

How Long Does Alcohol Stay In Your System?

2013-01-01T17:15:00-06:00

Once in the bloodstream, alcohol leaves the system in two ways:

10% leaves through breath, perspiration, and the urine.

90% is metabolized (broken down in the body).

Pretty much everyone, regardless of age, size, or race, metabolizes alcohol at the same pace. That pace is .015 of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) per hour. So that means for every hour you are not drinking, .015 of the alcohol in your body is being metabolized and disappearing from your body (thanks to David J. Hanson, Ph.D. for this information). So, if your BAC was 0.08 (legally impaired), it would take about 5.33 hours for the alcohol to be eliminated from your body.

So starting from a BAC of 0.08….

After 1 hour – your BAC would be 0.065

After 2 hours – your BAC would be 0.05

After 3 hours – your BAC would be 0.035

After 4 hours – your BAC would be 0.02

After 5 hours – your BAC would be 0.005

Alcohol would be eliminated from the body at about 5 hours and 20 minutes (the body metabolizes alcohol at the rate of about 0.005 per twenty minutes, as 0.005 x 3 = 0.015).

So it is easy to tell when your body will be free of alcohol. It is not so easy to tell, however, what your BAC is if you do not have some kind of alcohol tester, be it a breathalyzer or a disposable alcohol test.

Getting to a BAC of 0.08 is not that difficult. For a 140 lb man, it would be 3 drinks in one hour. If someone is binge drinking, they could get into a situation where alcohol remains in their body for 10 hours or more.

Does drinking coffee help you process alcohol faster or sober up?

No. Only time can sober you up, the time it takes alcohol to metabolize or move thru your body which is about the same for everybody - the rate of about .015 percent of blood alcohol content (BAC) per hour. Many people say black coffee or cold showers help them sober up, but it is not true, the body has to process the alcohol.

How does alcohol effect driving?

This chart shows the Blood Alcohol Level and an approximate number of beers to get you to that BAC and the effect it will have on your driving skills. As you can see it can only take two beers to get you to a .02% BAC which will effect your judgement skills and then three beers can make it difficult to steer a car.

With an alcohol test you can test your BAC as it is processed by your body. Even though you stopped drinking hours ago, the home alcohol test can, like a breathalyzer, detect your steadily dropping BAC.

What Are Uppers? Cocaine, Amphetamines, and Methamphetamine

2012-07-11T23:00:00-05:00

The Uppers: Cocaine, Amphetamines, and Methamphetamine

Uppers are central nervous system stimulants that temporarily increase mental or physical function or both. The word “uppers” is a colloquial term for stimulants that make you alert and enhance locomotion. Amphetamines, one type of “uppers,” are widely used as prescription medication and commonly prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

Cocaine, amphetamines and methamphetamine, all uppers, produce wide ranging effects by enhancing the activity of the central and peripheral nervous system. Effects vary according to the type of substance. While some can reduce anxiety and elevate moods, others lead to euphoria. At the same time, these can also cause anxiety and other psychological disorders, conditions that they are meant to treat. The primary effect of uppers is due to the interference they create with levels of neurotransmitters that carry signals from and to the brain.

Cocaine

Cocaine is an alkaloid obtained from the leaves of the cocoa plant. Generally, it is a stimulant and suppresses appetite and specifically, works as an inhibitor of reuptake of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. It also inhibits reuptake of norepinephrine, a precursor of epinephrine, which is a hormone as well as a neurotransmitter. After discovery, cocaine was initially used to “make the coward brave” and “render the sufferer insensitive to pain.” It was only in the early twentieth century that its addictive properties became known.

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant of the nervous system and its effect lasts from 15-30 minutes to an hour. With prolonged use it can cause itching, abnormally rapid heartbeat, hallucinations and paranoid delusions. Heart pain and even heart attack risks are greatly increased (according to a study on cocaine by the American Heart Association, the risk of heart attack in the first hour after using cocaine is 24 times the normal level). Chronic intake eventually leads to lack of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. After the initial euphoria, it causes abnormal depression and discontentment.

Amphetamines

Amphetamines are a class of drugs used as stimulants in the treatment of ADHD, depression, and narcolepsy. Amphetamines are known to increase wakefulness and focus along with decreasing fatigue and appetite. Apart from this, amphetamines also cause distorted sensations, dilated pupils, flushing, restlessness, headache, erectile dysfunction and uncontrollable movements. Chronic use or high dosage may also lead to convulsions, itchy skin, pallor and acne.

Like other stimulants, amphetamines are also used recreationally and as performance enhancers. Recreational users call amphetamines pep-up pills, speed or crank. In younger people it is known to lead to memory impairment and increased risk of heart attack. Although overdose of amphetamines is rarely fatal, it may lead to chest pain, psychosis and hypertension.

Abuse of amphetamines leads to increased tolerance, which means the amount of drug needed to create the same effect increases over time. Withdrawal can be difficult. It is a dangerous cycle and users may resort to taking other drugs such as benzodiazepines, barbiturates and even heroin to stay calm.

Methamphetamine

It may surprise you to learn that there is no difference between amphetamines and methamphetamine except that the latter is water soluble or mixed with methanol (the term for this is methylated). That translates into quicker absorption. Eventually, once it is inside the body, it breaks up into amphetamine. It is also highly addictive and methamphetamine addiction is much more difficult to treat than many other kinds. Post withdrawal cravings often require antidepressants such as bupropion and aripiprazole but work with very little success.

Reckless use of any medication, more so stimulants, is not advisable and they should only be taken under strict medical supervision.

Learn more by visiting our urine drug test page.

A Brief History of Alcohol

2012-07-06T23:00:00-05:00

Many archaeologists believe that wine made from grapes was a part of man’s regular diet as many as 10,000 years back. Surprisingly, it is also believed that other kinds of alcohol like beer and mead existed even before. Along the way developed various social uses for the intoxicating drink, including pepping up men before a battle, calming fights, closing a deal and seduction. Many of these traditions associated with alcohol are still in existence.

Prehistoric man is known to have made beer from grain and water even before the method of making bread was discovered. The Greek, Norse, Egyptian and Babylonian history has proof of production and consumption of alcohol. In fact the Egyptians created a straw to drink beer that contained wheat husk. Clay tablets with more than 20 detailed recipes have been found in the remains of the Babylonian civilization.

The earliest records of alcohol consumption in Chinese civilization go back to 800 B.C. Fruit and grain were distilled and fermented to produce brandy, cognac and sake. The distillation process that was so prevalent in China as far back as 800 B.C. did not reach Europe till the eleventh century AD.

Since the Greeks worshipped Bacchus the god of wine, their wines were flavored with herbs like dandelion, mint, wormwood seeds, crab claws and more. The Romans who also worshipped this god (under the name of Dionysus) had a different way of paying tribute by creating an orgy of intoxication. Beer was introduced to the Northern parts of Europe by the Roman legions.

It might surprise some to know that many monasteries perfected the art of making beer since it was allowed during fasts too and was not considered to break the fast. The extent of consumption here reached very high levels. Some records indicate consumption of more than 5 liters a day.

Slowly the beer and wine that were brewed at home started to be produced centrally. Taverns and public houses opened up. When there were issues with the brewing, the issues were blamed on the ‘brew witch’ and witch burning became common.

It was only around Renaissance that brewing and distilling became an art. “Brew master” became an occupation and the methods adopted were passed from teacher to apprentice. As technology advanced with art and culture during these times, the methods of producing wine, alcohol and other kinds of liquor became perfect and stronger and purer creations were made. Gin, brandy, and sambuca were created. Some of the spirits started to be associated with specific countries like the Russian Vodka, the Scottish Whisky and the Mexican Tequila.

Till this time, alcohol consumption was considered to be healthy and over drunkenness was not considered to be an issue. As consumption broke all barriers, people like Benjamin Rush authored books that detailed the ‘Effects of Ardent Spirits on the Human Mind and Body’. For the first time temperance was recommended and there were attempts by the government to impose a tax on distilled spirits causing the Whiskey Rebellion in the United States in 1794.

Later issues like prostitution, gambling and other vices were associated with the retail saloons that served alcohol and other liquor and the history of prohibition and smuggling started too.

-Article by Anne Hamilton.

Vicodin Facts

2012-07-04T23:00:00-05:00

What You Need to Know

Vicodin is a prescription drug that contains hydrocodone and paracetamol. The medicine is prescribed for severe pain and is commonly recommended by physicians in the US. This prescription drug is considered to be an opioid-based medicine, meaning that it is a derivative of opium, something that is also used to make heroin.

While effective, Vicodin is extremely addictive and also shows withdrawal symptoms. The common roots of the prescription medicine with heroin make it one of the most abused prescription medicines in the United States. The advisory panel for Food and Drug Administration has recommended that the drug be removed from the market due to the likely overdose of this product.

Effects of Vicodin Consumption

The initial effects of this prescription drug include change in heart rate, constipation, nausea and dizziness. As the addiction for the drug advances other effects such as hallucinations, confusion, lightheadedness, sedation and blurred vision also set in.

Vicodin Abuse

It was estimated in 1999 that about 2.6 million Americans were abusing pain killers with Vicodin being the most common. In most cases the abuse does not start on its own. Patients who are prescribed the drug tend to get addicted to the drug and are unwilling to stop medication. Physicians generally tend to identify these symptoms and stop prescribing the medicine. This leads to exaggerating and faking symptoms to get the doctor to prescribe the drug that they have gotten addicted to. Some patients even visit multiple doctors to extract a prescription from them.

The pain that one feels during the withdrawal of the prescription drug itself becomes the most persuasive motivating factor for abuse. If the medication has been stopped, the only way one can really check on whether someone is continuing to abuse the drug is to opt for a Vicodin test.

Vicodin Test

A Vicodin test can be done up to 4 days after the consumption of the drug. A home Vicodin test can easily detect 100 nanograms of the drug per mL. The test actually checks for hydrocodone, which is the active ingredient in the medicine. All that you need to do is to take a urine sample and follow the instructions. The result of the test shall be ready within 5 minutes at an accuracy of 98%.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Once the abuse has been established with the use of a Vicodin test it is necessary that a proper rehabilitation be sought for managing the situation. The withdrawal symptoms of the drug can be extremely difficult to manage without some kind of professional advice and help.

Some of the withdrawal symptoms include restlessness, muscle pain, cold flashes, involuntary leg movement, vomiting and diarrhea, irritability, watery eyes, runny nose, loss of appetite, insomnia and extremely shaky chills.

The addictive nature of the drug almost necessitates that the consumption of this medicine be controlled. If you know that someone in your family has been prescribed this medicine, it is pertinent to be careful and be aware that the drug can be abused very easily. Using a Vicodin test kit at home can help if you suspect anything before consulting the doctor for further help.

You can check out our Vicodin Test / OxyContin Test if you want to test for this drug and put an end to its abuse.

Article by Anne Hamilton

Adderall Facts

2012-07-03T23:00:00-05:00

What You Need To Know

Adderall is a psychostimulant that is prescribed for cases of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). The drug is known to increase alertness and concentration. It has also been known to increase libido and cognitive performance. The medicine is made up of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. The combination increases the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain leading to the stimulating effects that it has.

Effects of Adderall Consumption

When taken as per the prescription Adderall is a medicine that can really help those who suffer from ADHD. However, the drug is known to be addictive and over-dosage can lead to various symptoms like restlessness, tremors, confusion, violence, hallucinations, panic attacks and extremely high fever. Extreme fatigue and depression tend to occur once the immediate ‘high’ in energy levels is over. There are other effects like vomiting, nausea, change in blood pressure levels and more too. Some have reported Tourette's syndrome as well.

Adderall Abuse

The main reason why Adderall is abused to a large extent in America is due to the ‘high’ that it provides. The alerted state of mind increases energy levels and causes the person to perform at peak levels for an extended period of time. Weight loss has also been seen as a side effect of Adderall that many people covet.

Many students feel that the drug shall help them in better performance in school due to the high intensity of alertness and attentiveness that it provides.

Since the drug is a common prescription medicine, it is not too difficult to get hold of. Teenagers and school children sometimes steal it from those who have been prescribed the medicine by the doctor too.

The drug can be consumed as a pill or injected, snorted or smoked too. With prescription drugs being available freely on the Internet, this prescription drug has become extremely easy to acquire. In 2003, the drug was estimated to be used by 15 million Americans even though they were not prescribed the medication.

It is sold as a street drug and often called "zing," "study buddies" and "smart pills."

Adderall Drug Test

The home Adderall drug test can be used to check if your child has been stealing the drug from somewhere or obtaining it from the Internet. The Adderall test can detect the drug within 2 to 4 days of consumption and allows for a detection of 1000ng per ML. The Adderall home test requires a urine sample and the results can be obtained within 5 minutes.

Withdrawal Symptoms

The withdrawal symptoms of Adderall include extreme fatigue, depression and a change in heart rhythm. The withdrawal of the medication is not expected to be life threatening. However, it can cause a fair amount of restlessness and discomfort. The withdrawal symptoms are not something that you need to worry excessively about if you are taking the drug under supervision. Despite this, it is recommended that the Adderall be stopped slowly with decreasing levels of dosage over time.

You can test for amphetamines such as Adderall by purchasing a Amphetamines Drug Test.

Article by Anne Hamilton.

OxyContin Facts

2012-07-02T23:00:00-05:00

What You Need to Know

Oxycontin is a drug that was approved by the FDA more than 15 years ago in 1995. Like Vicodin, it is also an opium derivative and is prescribed for terminally ill cancer patients or those suffering from severe pain. The active ingredient in the drug is oxycodone and the medicine is available in medicine in tablets of 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and 80mg.

Effects of Oxycontin Consumption

Oxycontin is a strong pain reliever that works in a manner similar to morphine. The drug has been made in such a manner that the oxycodone is released slowly into the blood. The slow release mechanism makes it possible for patients to take it only twice a day.

The effects of the drug are similar to those that are common among other opioids. These include nausea, constipation, sedation, dizziness, weakness and sweating. Other effects include a rapid increase or decrease in the heart rate, red eyes and flushing.

OxyContin Abuse

The abuse of Oxycontin is increasing every day. While the drug is an effective painkiller for those suffering from chronic and severe pain, the drug can be extremely harmful if taken in quantities more than the prescribed amount. Those who abuse the drug generally consume it by chewing it, crushing and snorting it like cocaine or dissolving it in water and then injecting it.

This method eliminates the slow release mechanism and releases a high dose of oxycodone in the blood. Abusers know that they are taking in a prescription drug and therefore the amount of drug that is being injected or consumed is known precisely. In addition to this, the fact that the medicine is a prescription drug that is covered by health insurance makes the medicine fairly cheap as compared to other street drugs that give the same effect. Or at least in some cases, as at other times people turn to heroin because it is cheaper than Oxycontin sold on the street.

The drug has been associated with at least 120 overdose deaths in the United States.

OxyContin Test

Today a home Oxycontin test is available for use. The test is extremely easy to use and can be performed with a small sample of urine. It only takes about five minutes for the results to appear. Approved by the FDA, this home test can be relied upon since it guarantees an accuracy of 98 percent.

Withdrawal Symptoms

The withdrawal symptoms of the drug include extreme tiredness and fatigue, constant yawning, sweats, palpitations, joint and muscle ache, vomiting and nausea, insomnia, watery eyes and depression too.

The effects of these withdrawal symptoms can be managed by consulting a physician. However, if the addiction has been a prolonged one, a rehab center may be a necessary course of action to take.

You can check out our Vicodin Test / OxyContin Test if you want to test for this drug and put an end to its abuse.

Article by Anne Hamilton

Barbiturates Facts

2012-07-01T23:00:00-05:00

What You Need To Know

Barbiturates are a class of drugs that are used as sedatives. These are generally prescribed for those who have trouble in sleeping. Those who suffer from anxiety are also prescribed this medication. There are various kinds of barbiturates and they have been essentially classified based on the duration for which the effect lasts. Some of the long lasting ones can have an effect for as long as 2 days. Amobarbital, Pentobarbital, Phenobarbital, Secobarbital and Tuinal are all different generic names.

Effects of Barbiturate Consumption

Small doses of barbiturates cause drowsiness, intoxication, and lack of inhibition. Higher doses can result in staggering, slurred speech and confusion. The drug can be fatal if taken in extremely large quantities when people just stop breathing. They sometimes lead to a problem in thinking straight or paying attention. Constant falling, bruised legs, nervousness, shaking, noise sensitivity, restlessness, sweating, hallucinations and insomnia are some of the obvious symptoms that you can notice when someone is addicted to this class of drugs.

Barbiturate Abuse

Barbiturates can be abused because they counter the effect of stimulants. They act like brain relaxers and have an effect that is similar to pain medicines, sleeping pills and antihistamines.

The various categories of this drug are known by a variety of street names that include downers, blue heavens/velvet/devils, nembies, yellow jackets, purple hearts, goof balls, reds, pink ladies, tooies, double trouble and more.

Barbiturates Test

If you suspect that your child has been up to something and abusing barbiturates you may need to take the child to the hospital. In case of extreme drowsiness where you are unable to wake someone, emergency services may be required.

However, if the suspicion that you have is minor and you are not sure whether there is an abuse or not, you could be aided by a barbiturate drug test. This is a simple urine drug test that can be conducted in the privacy of the home. The accuracy of this FDA approved barbiturate test is as high as 95 percent. The detection level is 300 ng per mL and the test can be used up to 7 days after the initial consumption.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Since the drug is addictive, the withdrawal symptoms include weakness, shakiness, restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, abdominal issues, sweating, noise and light sensitivity and more. These are also some of the effects that one experiences when one consumes high levels of barbiturates.

For severe cases of abuse, treatment may include waking the person and then keeping him awake. Sometimes in cases where people stop breathing, a breathing machine may need to be used. Sometimes physicians give a liquid form of active charcoal so that it absorbs and binds with the drug in the stomach, reducing the effect of the barbiturate. Once the immediate threat is over barbiturate abusers need extended rehabilitation and therapy till they can be considered completely drug-free.

You can test for barbiturates by purchasing a Barbiturates Test.

Article by Anne Hamilton.

All About Oxycodone

2012-06-30T23:00:00-05:00

Oxycodone

What is it? Oxycodone is a painkiller, aka an analgesic. It is also a narcotic because it is derived from the opiate class of drugs. Oxycodone comes from an element of opium known as thebaine (the other three major elements of opium are morphine, codeine and papaverine). Other drugs that are derived from thebaine include buprenhorphine, oxymorphine, and etorphine (used in elephant tranquilizer).

How is it used? Oxycodone is used in medicine as a prescription painkiller. It is the main ingredient in a number of well-known painkillers, most notoriously OxyContin (sold generically as Roxicodone). Other drugs that include oxycodone are Percocet (oxycodone with acetaminophen), Percodan (oxycodone with aspirin), and Tylox (oxycodone with acetaminophen).

What are the side effects? When properly used, oxycodone does still have some side effects.

How is it abused? Oxycodone has emerged as a major drug of abuse. It can be swallowed in pill form, crushed in order to be snorted (like cocaine), smoked, or even injected. The method by which a person abuses it changes the effects of the drug. If the drug is smoked, snorted, or injected, the effects are much stronger. That is because the coating of the pill is designed to be time-release, so that the effects of the drug are not felt all at once. When you smash up the pill, that function is lost and you can get the full dose at once. This makes the rush greater, and more addictive.

Why is it abused? Oxycodone is abused for its narcotic high. It makes a person feel a sense of euphoria or relaxation. It is much like heroin and morphine in terms of its effects (and actually is a proven gateway drug to heroin abuse).

How can I tell someone is abusing it? You can tell if someone is abusing oxycodone if they exhibit the following signs: low energy, apathy, and/or confusion; cold/clammy skin; dizziness; slow breathing; nausea and vomiting; seizures; pin-like pupils.

How Long Does Marijuana Stay In Your System?

2010-03-25T18:42:00-05:00

There are many people who ask the question "how long does marijuana stay in your system?" Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not simple and straightforward, the fact is that if you want to use a drug test effectively, it is a question that requires an answer.

So let’s cut through the misinformation on the Internet and provide one!

Before we understand the period of time that marijuana lasts in the system, there are a couple of facts that you should know.

- The presence of marijuana is detected by a drug test through the presence of the active chemical THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol. Technically, what is detected is known as THC-COOH (11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid).

- The time that marijuana stays in the system depends on the amount of marijuana intake and the frequency at which it is consumed.

- When you smoke marijuana, your body breaks it down like it would anything else. The products of this breakdown are known as metabolites. The main metabolite of marijuana is THC-COOH. THC-COOH can be stored in the body in fat if you've consumed more than your body can get rid of at a given time.

- If you consume marijuana continuously, your system will be sort of "overloaded" with THC-COOH (which is not to say that you'll be continuously high). Some of that THC-COOH will be stored away in the fat since the body can't get rid of it. This means that the THC-COOH will be present in the system for much longer, as the body will have to play catch up at getting rid of the THC-COOH. Think of it as the difference between eating a peanut butter sandwich and a KFC Double-down. Both count as one meal, but one has far more calories and fat content. Since the body can't use the calories and fat content it'll store them away. Same with THC-COOH and someone who smokes a lot of marijuana.

- Marijuana drug testing can be conducted using saliva, urine, hair and sometimes blood as the sample.

- The specific window that you need to check for marijuana consumption depends on whether you are checking on someone who has tried for the first time or if you are testing someone who smokes a few times a week, or someone who smokes daily.

How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Saliva?

Marijuana does not stay in saliva for very long. Most of the rules that apply to marijuana's detection time in urine and hair do not apply to marijuana in saliva. It can be detected by a saliva drug screen about an hour after intake. The accuracy of a saliva drug test (97%-98%) will decrease rapidly about 12 hours after the marijuana was consumed. So while a saliva drug test option may be useful if you want to find out if someone is high or if they were smoking yesterday, it is not an effective test for long term or less recent use.

How often someone smokes marijuana (for example, every day for 6 months, or just once) has no bearing on the results of a saliva drug test.

How Long Does Marijuana Stay In Urine?

The amount of time marijuana can be detected in urine depends on the amount and frequency of its consumption. Marijuana can stay in the urine for up to two months in cases of very frequent, prolonged use. Basically, the more you use marijuana, the longer it will remain in your urine. If you have just tried marijuana, for example, and that was your only use, it will probably be out of your urine within a week.

Those who kick the habit after consuming the drug almost daily can still have THC traces in the urine for a month or longer.

Be sure when testing to wait for about 2 to 5 hours after consumption or last suspected conception for THC to appear in the urine though.

How Long Does Marijuana Stay In Hair?

When smoked, marijuana enters the bloodstream and as the blood nourishes the hair, the drug gets into the hair follicles too. As the hair grows, the hair follicles contain traces of THC that can confirm the intake of marijuana. THC can show up in hair about a week after consumption (it takes the hair bearing traces of THC that long to emerge from the scalp).

Drugs take a long time to deteriorate in the hair and therefore testing can be done many days after consumption. A standard laboratory will check up to 90 days but a court or another law enforcing institution can have hair analyzed for more than 3 months as well. Special arrangements can usually be made with laboratories if inquiries are made.

While hair drug testing provides a good opportunity to confirm whether someone has been on marijuana, and has the largest detection window, the issue is that this drug is not one of the easiest drugs to hair test. THC, when it's in your body, does not always bind successfully to the hair follicle. Therefore, it is possible that a semi-frequent user may get a negative reading on a hair follicle drug test while someone who had it just once a couple of weeks back may get a positive result. It is a bit of a toss up. The hair follicle drug test is therefore not considered to be as reliable for marijuana as it is for other drugs like cocaine (and for drugs like cocaine, and all other drugs tested for in a standard consumer hair drug test, hair follicle drug testing is actually found to be better at catching drug use than urine tests).

So while the question "how long does marijuana stay in your system" is a pertinent and popular one, there are all of the above factors to consider before an appropriate and correct answer can be given. Even though there is all this discussion about the whole question, if you are concerned, the best thing to do is to just go out there and purchase a home drug test and check out whether you or someone else test clean or not.

(Check out our home drug test product line here! We carry all of the tests profiled above in the chart.)

- Anne Hamilton

How Long Does Nicotine Stay In Your System?

2010-03-11T20:44:00-06:00

The effects of nicotine on the body vary from short to long-lasting. We are familiar with many of these - lung damage, high cholesterol, etc. But the question is, how long is nicotine actually in your body for? What is the detection period for a nicotine test (using urine)?

When your body takes in nicotine, it starts to break it down. HowStuffWorks.com walks us through the process.

The liver breaks down nicotine into cotinine, the amount of which is proportionate to the amount of nicotine in your body (even nicotine that entered through second hand smoke). In the lungs, nicotine is also broken down into cotinine, as well as nicotine oxide.

Cotinine is what tobacco tests really look for. It takes about two to five hours for it to begin showing up in the urine, assuming for example that this is your first cigarette ever. If you smoke daily, it will already be in your body from repeated previous uses. How fast cotinine leaves your body is dependent upon metabolism, which can vary greatly between people (for example, some people are not able to break down nicotine in the body as easily as others; these people actually tend to smoke less, because maintaining a steady level of nicotine in the body requires fewer cigarettes). In general though, a tobacco test can detect use for about 2-4 days after the cessation of smoking.

So if you want to see if someone has been smoking, or if your body contains cotinine, a tobacco test is your best option. That way you don't have to wonder about metabolism issues and the like - you can just find out, cheaply and at home. Cotinine is also standard not just for home tests but for testing in general, since it is so suggestive of tobacco consumption and lasts longer in the body than nicotine.

Hopefully this answers some questions about how long nicotine stays in the body! If you are interested in a tobacco test you can purchase one from us for $2.79 each.

How Long Does Meth Stay In Your System?

2010-03-10T18:58:00-06:00

Meth is one of the most notorious drugs - frequently in the news, it destroys individual lives and communities due to its addictive properties. Meth has made the cover of major magazines like Time and Newsweek more than once. It is important for someone wanting to drug test for it to know exactly how long meth stays in the system.

This is a largely misunderstood area, and a tricky question, because drugs can be detected in different parts of the body for different lengths of time. As our Drug Test Detection Times chart shows, the time meth is in your system varies. It varies, first of all, because our bodies vary - weight, metabolism, and overall health are just a few of the many factors that influence how long it takes the body to process drugs. But drugs pass out of commonly tested body fluids at different rates too.

So, for example, 72 hours (3 days) is near the end of the time frame in which meth can be detected in saliva. It can be found as soon as 5-10 minutes after being used though.

Meth can generally be detected in urine for 3-5 days skin care after use. 2-5 hours after use the urine drug test detection period begins. A urine Meth Test is extremely accurate (more than 99%) and FDA Approved as well.

Meth stays in your hair, however, for 90 days and longer (90 days is just the industry standard for a consumer hair drug test - labs can actually go back longer than that). It takes about a week after use for the hair with meth traces in it to grow out of the scalp, but after that, a pair of scissors can clip the hair for a hair drug test and the meth will be found.

For all of these tests, you do not have to be a chronic user to have your use detected. The body, and drug tests, are very sensitive and pick up even one-time use.

Meth can stay in your system for a long time. This is just another reason to make sure that a drug as dangerous and harmful as meth stays out of your system.

You can check out our urine Meth Test here.