jason-crawford

Medically Reviewed by
Jason Crawford

Article Last Updated on December 22, 2022

Figuring out the detection time of cannabinoids in your system is important, especially if you have a pending cannabis drug test at work. Marijuana users need to know how long it takes for the THC metabolites to break down in order to figure out whether they have enough time to properly detox.

While we’ve already covered subjects such as how long smoking weed once stays in your system, how long is marijuana detected in the blood, and how long CBD stays in your system for a urine test, we still haven’t written about the amount of time it takes for THC to detox from the system after using a dab pen. So, continue reading to find out. 

How Marijuana Affects the Body?

Cannabis is a psychoactive drug whose main ingredients are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the main reason why people consume the cannabis plant. They produce the psychoactive, sedative, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, analgesic, and other effects which is why this plant has become popular all over the world.

Marijuana use can have a variety of effects on users. The most common positive effects that people experience include:

  • Reduced anxiety;
  • Relaxation;
  • Increased energy;
  • Feelings of euphoria;
  • Increased appetite.

The more negative side effects of cannabis use include:

  • Impaired coordination and problem solving skills;
  • Paranoia and hallucinations;
  • Addiction;
  • Cannabis withdrawal symptoms for people trying to detox from weed;
  • Long-term effects and health consequences affecting the respiratory, cardiovascular, and other systems in the body.

What Affects How Long THC Stays In Your System?

Cannabis is lipophilic, meaning the cannabinoids bind to the fat cells in the body and get stored there until the body eventually detoxes. How long cannabinoids and cannabinoid by-products linger in the body fat depends on:

  • Metabolism and body mass index (BMI): Since cannabinoids linger in the fatty tissues in the body, your metabolism will affect how fast the cannabinoids detox from your body, therefore people with a faster metabolism will get rid of THC and THC metabolites faster compared to people with a slower metabolism.
  • Frequency of use: If you consume cannabis more often, it will remain in your body for longer. 
  • Amount of THC consumed: The doses of THC you take will affect how long it takes for the body to detox from them. 
  • Method of cannabis consumption: How you consume weed also affects how long it stays in the body. Dabbing, vaping, smoking from a bong, and other methods of cannabis consumption where weed enters the lungs have immediate effects, but they also leave the body faster. So a dab and a vape will detox from the body faster compared to applying topicals or consuming edibles.
  • Hydration levels. If you’re dehydrated, the side effects of weed will probably be worse and you can experience a headache, cottonmouth, dry eyes, and other unwanted effects.

Common Cannabis Drug Tests and THC Detection Times

Drug testing is used to determine the THC levels and the levels of cannabis metabolites in the bodies of cannabis users. In general, daily users take a longer time to detox compared to occasional users. Drug tests mostly scan for the presence of THC-COOH through:

  • Urine test. The urine drug test is commonly used to check for traces of THC and THC metabolites in the body, and is one of the least invasive drug tests. Cannabis can be detected through the urine from 3 days up to a month, depending on whether the person tested is an infrequent user or a regular user. 
  • Blood test. The blood test is commonly used to determine whether a person consumes cannabis, and it can show a positive result from 1 day to 25 days, depending on whether the person tested is a heavy user or an occasional user.
  • Saliva test. The oral drug test is one of the least invasive drug tests and cannabis users can test positive between 1 and 29 days.
  • Hair test. The hair follicle test has the biggest detection window out of all drug tests and it can show a positive result for up to three months.

The 411 on Cannabis Wax Pen

If you’re into vaping and you need a stronger high, a wax pen may be the thing for you. While they’re similar to vape pens, wax pens can’t be used to vaporize oil or liquid, however, they do combust potent cannabis concentrates. A wax pen is made up of a chamber, a battery, and a mouthpiece, similar to a vape pen. 

They’re preferred among marijuana users since they provide intensive highs, can be used instead of a dab rig, provide more temperature control compared to vape pens. However, they can also be messier than vape pens and are less discrete than vape pens.

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your System After Your Last Use Of a Wax Pen?

If you’re attempting to beat a drug test, and you’re a fan of wax pens, you’re probably interested in figuring out how long it takes for your body to detox. While there’s no one-answer-fits-all when it comes to detoxing from cannabis since your general health, age, metabolism, and other factors can influence the detox process, there are some guidelines.

The detox process is mostly affected by how often you use cannabis. To detox from dabs, a newbie user may need 7 days to have a clean urine sample, 2 days for a clean saliva sample, 2 days for a clean blood sample, and 3 months for a clean hair sample. Chronic users will need about 90 days for a clean urine and hair sample, and 30 days for a clean saliva and blood sample.

Improving your metabolism will also improve the rate at which cannabis metabolites detox from your system, so it’s a good idea to stick to a healthy diet and sleep regimen as well as exercise regularly.

Conclusion and Useful Tips for Detoxing From Weed

How long marijuana stays in your body after smoking from a wax pen depends on a few different aspects such as your BMI, your metabolism, how often you use marijuana, the amount of weed you consume, the method of cannabis consumption, and other aspects.

If you’d like to get rid of the cannabis metabolites in time for your next drug test, you’re probably looking into detox kits, detox drinks, and some users even decide to cheat on their tests with synthetic urine samples (we don’t recommend this, of course).

Cheating on your drug test can be a sure way of you getting fired from your job, which is why we’ll suggest a different approach that involves detox. Quitting weed for a while is your best bet in passing your mandatory drug screen, which can somewhat be helped by consuming detox drinks. 

To see which detox drinks are most commonly used to get rid of THC metabolites, read our guide, and if you’re interested in learning how you can detox from weed in a week, take a look at this article which dives into that subject. Happy detoxing!

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.