jason-crawford

Medically Reviewed by
Jason Crawford

Article Last Updated on January 1, 2023

It’s probably common knowledge in the cannabis community that edibles take a long time to go through the digestive tract and an even longer time to clear out from the body completely. Ingesting cannabis orally, whether through tinctures or different kinds of cannabis edibles, takes much longer to clear out of your system compared to smoking cannabis or applying weed topically. 

So it isn’t unusual that a lot of first time cannabis users’ main questions when it comes to pot brownies are how to make them, how long it takes for them to kick in, and, of course, how long they stay in the body, which we’ll answer in today’s article. The time frame of how long edibles stay in your system can depend on various reasons which we’ll also discuss in the paragraphs below, so keep reading. 

What Are Marijuana Edibles?

Let’s start at the beginning, by explaining what cannabis edibles are. Edibles are marijuana-infused products that are rich in cannabinoids, the two main ones being THC and CBD, which you find either in the form of food or drinks. You can get them pre-made at a dispensary or you can decide to make your own batch at home. 

Common cannabis edibles include:

  • Baked goods (brownies, cookies, cakes, made with cannabis);
  • Sweet treats and chocolate bars (gummies, chocolates, truffles, lozenges, lollipops, and hard candy made with cannabis);
  • Drinkables (beverages infused with cannabis, such as coffee, tea, soda, alcoholic drinks);
  • Other products (sugar, cannabutter, syrups).

Cannabis Ingestion and How the Body Processes Weed

As we’ve mentioned above, once you consume a weed brownie, it starts working its way through your digestive system. From there the cannabinoids get to the liver where the delta-9 THC is converted to 11-hydroxy THC. When tetrahydrocannabinol reaches the liver, it gets released through the bloodstream which is when users first experience the psychoactive effects.

The peak of effects after cannabis use can happen anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours after consuming the brownies, which is significantly longer compared to smoking or vaping. This is the reason why some users consume more than they can handle before they even experience the first effects. 

It’s important to remember that some types of baked goods, like weed brownies, can take a longer time to kick in compared to consuming candy or chocolate edibles because the former need to go through the digestive system, while the latter first get to the in submandibular and sublingual salivary glands and reach the bloodstream faster. Finally, each person has a different metabolism, so the effects of weed can last a longer or a shorter amount of time. But how long does it take for the body to detox?

How Long Do Edibles Like Weed Brownies Stay In Your System?

Before we give you the time frame required for you to detox your body from weed, we first need to list all the factors that affect this:

  • The first factor is the half-life of THC metabolites which varies depending on the amount of THC consumed.
  • The next factor is whether the person is a casual or regular user. The former can detox from weed much faster, while the latter needs a longer period to fully get rid of the THC metabolites.
  • Finally, the body fat percentage and the metabolism of a person. Since cannabinoids linger in the fat cells inside the body, it’s logical that people with a higher fat to muscle ratio need a longer time to fully detox.

Remember that the only cannabinoid that’s screened for is tetrahydrocannabinol, since cannabidiol and other cannabinoids don’t produce psychoactive effects. Now, let’s see how long it takes for the THC levels to decrease to a point where drug tests can’t detect their presence.

Weed Brownies and Drug Tests Detection Times

The detection of the THC metabolites (THC-COOH) can be done through several commonly used drug tests:

  • Urine test; 
  • Blood test;
  • Saliva test;
  • Hair test.

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Urine? 

The most common drug tests used to screen for cannabis by employers all over the world are the urine tests which check for the THC metabolites presence in a urine sample. Because of the different fat to muscle ratios in individuals which affect how long weed needs to get processed from the body and how often a person eats cannabis edibles, the detection time can vary. 

Cannabis can linger in your body between 3 to 30 days after the initial consumption, depending on how often and how much edibles you consume. Casual cannabis users can detox in about 15 to 20 days, while regular users and medical marijuana users may need up to a month to fully detox.

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Blood? 

Blood tests are the second most common drug screening method that checks for the presence of THC metabolites in the blood. Out of all the tests, this one has the smallest time frame for detection even though this method is the fastest one to give a positive result if the user is tested just a few hours after consumption. However, frequency of use as well as the amount of cannabis edibles consumed also affect this time frame. In occasional users, cannabis can linger in the blood for about 3 days, while regular users may need a week to fully detox.

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Saliva? 

Oral drug tests help to determine the presence of weed metabolites in your saliva and weed can be detected in the saliva even a few hours after you consumed cannabis. Depending on how often you consume weed, the saliva test has different detection windows. One-time cannabis users can get a positive test for up to 24 hours. Occasional users will test positive for up to 72 hours after consumption. And finally, regular heavy users or daily medical marijuana users can test positive for up to a week.

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your Hair? 

The hair follicle test has the biggest detection window out of all cannabis drug screens as the hair takes the longest time to detox from weed. The hair sample is taken 1.5 inches from the scalp and is tested for the presence of THC metabolites. The interesting fact about this test is that it can detect really small amounts of THC in the hair. This and the fact that it has the longest detection window are the reasons why this drug screen is the most expensive. Cannabis users can test positive on a hair follicle test for up to 90 days after consumption.

Final Thoughts and Speeding up the THC Detox Process After Consuming Weed Brownies

As with other methods of consumption, the detox period for weed edibles depends first on the type of test you need to take and then on the amount of weed you’ve consumed, your metabolism and body fat percentage, as well as how often you consume edibles. The longest detection window for cannabis is 90 days by using the hair follicle test.

If you’re trying to help your body detox from weed, there are some ways you can do to help your body get through this process. For one, it’s important to drink plenty of water and hydrate your body to help it flush weed faster. Also, eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals like fruits and green leafy veggies also promotes the natural detoxing of the system.

A passionate advocate for the benefits of cannabis. Fraser Horton, who has a background in botany and a strong love of nature, has spent years researching how cannabis affects the body and mind. He established Leaf Nation in 2020, where he has devoted himself to educating people about the legalisation of marijuana and its safe and responsible use. Fraser is committed to highlighting cannabis’ potential for improving wellness and working to dispel the stigma associated with its use.

Disclaimer

The information presented on this page is provided as a public service to aid in education and is derived from sources believed to be reliable. Readers are responsible for making their own assessment of the topics discussed here. In no event shall Leaf Nation be held reliable for any injury, loss or damage that could happen if using or abusing drugs.