How to Pass a Cannabis Drug Test

If you are applying for a new job or you work in an industry that does random drug test and you are a marijuana user, then you should definitely be aware of how to pass a cannabis drug test so you can meet your desired employment goals. This is still the case even though marijuana has been legalized in so many states; both medically and recreationally.

Private companies have made changes to their drug testing policies because of this and marijuana is one of the substances on the top of the list of what they are looking for. First, you need to know the kind of drug testing you will be receiving.

The Kind of Drug Testing

If you can figure this out, then you will know how to pass a cannabis drug test. The most popular kind of drug test that you can expect to receive is urinalysis where you give your urine and the lab tests looks for traces of weed in your urine.

The urinalysis testing accounts for three quarters of the drug test. However, the other 24 percent is done by using the hair and blood. Saliva testing is the remaining one percent of testing. Many employers don't do the test, but hire a third party lab to conduct the cannabis drug test.

The Process To Pass a Weed Drug Test

You are given the address where the lab testing will take place and you have to call to schedule a time where you can go get it done by a lab technician at the facility. Sometimes, the testing is done on the job by the third party, but that is rare.

For smaller companies, the owner will provide you with a test kit so you can administer the test yourself, but that also is rare. Let's now talk about how you will handle either scenario, whether it is a saliva, blood, hair or urine test. We will also look at how you can clean your system so you can pass the cannabis drug test.

Generally, companies screen urine samples with an immunoassay test. If the test comes back positive, it is then confirmed with a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS). Because of this two-step process, there are almost no false positives. While cutoff concentrations of THC metabolites differ by tests, the most common cut off is 50 nanogram per milliliter (ng/ml). However, labs can have lower or higher cutoffs.

How Long Does THC Stay In Your Body?

If you plan to pass a cannabis drug test, you must know your chances of passing or failing based on your tolerance, frequency of use, body mass, and type of test. Generally, drug tests look for THC metabolites, not the actual THC. As THC travels throughout your body, it is broken down in your liver converting THC into THC-COOH. Long after your THC levels go down, the THC metabolites remain in your urine and blood. One study found that chronic cannabis users lower their metabolite levels by half every 13 days.

If you only used cannabis once, you may eliminate THC and its metabolites within a few days. However, with heavier and frequent use, the chance of detection increases. Occasional users may remove most of the THC concentration within a week. Chronic users may take up to a week and a half or more to reduce metabolite levels under standard cutoffs.

Keep in mind, there are many factors that affect how long THC stays in your body. The strength of the cannabis product and how often you consume it affects cannabis detection. THC can be stored in fat cells and is slowly released over time into the blood. For this reason, users with a higher body fat percentage and no exercise regimen may retain more of the THC in their bodies than users who are in better shape.

Forget the Excuses

Many cannabis users may attempt to lie their way out of a positive drug test. You may blame the over-the-counter drugs you've been taking or walking by a group of teenagers smoking cannabis as the reason for your positive result. Both excuses would not apply.

There are no substances that can elicit a false positive. Furthermore, second-hand smoke wouldn’t produce THC metabolites above the standard cutoff. At lower cutoffs, second-hand smoke may lead to positive results. In this case, it's up to you to avoid being around cannabis smoke or vapor.

What Not to Do

The first thing you need to consider is what you should not do. Never believe that you can clean marijuana out of your system with goldenseal, bleach, cranberry juice, and ginger root tea, gallons of water or vinegar.

Bleach, in particular, is a dangerous substance when consumed. Even when diluted, it can cause significant negative health effects. These extreme cleansing methods can damage your digestive system, throat, and other organs. Moreover, it won't even affect the THC metabolite content in your system.

Bleach has also been used to dilute the actual urine sample. While there is some truth that bleach can remove THC metabolites in urine, there are other considerations to keep in mind. For instance, bleach is a toxic substance that can damage anything it comes in contact with. Some users have hidden bleach under their fingernails, which can cause burns and other skin damage.

Bleach also produces a distinct chemical odor which would be easily spotted by even a trainee lab assistant. If that wasn't enough, bleach can turn urine into a red-brown color, which is the smoking gun. Simply put, bleach is not something you should use to pass a drug test under any circumstance.

There are also some people who may try to substitute a different urine sample for theirs. While this may work on some occasions, it is considered illegal. Using a urine sample that's not your own is impractical in many cases. Some testing labs may observe you as you deposit the sample. If you're caught cheating, you won't get a second chance. Also, many labs ensure that the sample is at an appropriate temperature, which is hard to maintain from home to the testing lab.

These are only myths that you find online and they are all not effective. These have never been known to work for anyone. So, stay clear of all of this. You will never pass a cannabis drug test with these ingredients or methods. Now, let's look at what works.

Pass Your Marijuana Test

To pass your cannabis drug test, it is best to start cleaning or detoxing the natural way in about thirty days before your test. As long as your health is good and you are in good shape, you can cleanse your system the natural way by working out and changing to a healthy diet. Here are a few steps to start this process.

First, you use the first six days to detox naturally. Go to a whole food store and look for detox products that you can use. Some of them come in herbal supplements. You can even find drug testing kits that you can use at home to trace toxins in your body and flush them out. If your cannabis drug test is to be done in 24 hours, there are products that offer same day cleansing for a temporary solution.

Final Thoughts On How To Pass A Drug Test

In addition to detox products, you should also drink a lot of water and start an exercise program. Drinking a lot of water may work by diluting the concentration of THC metabolites in your urine. If it’s a test on short notice, drink as much water as your bladder will allow. If possible, avoid giving a urine sample from your first-morning urine. Generally, metabolites build up as you sleep and become concentrated in the morning.

However, diluting your urine with water can lead to a lighter-colored sample, which may trigger suspicions. In this case, the testing lab may ask you to retake the test. Some users recommend taking vitamin B-12 supplements before the test. About 50 to 100 mg will work. Vitamin B-12  works by making your urine more yellow.

Drinking plenty of fluids is one part of the process but you must also increase your urine output. Diuretics are helpful in stimulating urination. Some weak-strength and natural diuretics include coffee, cranberry juice, hibiscus, and green and black tea. Stronger strength diuretics are usually only available by prescription and can be harmful with excessive use to diabetics and pregnant women. Diuretics can be detected in the samples but they are usually not checked.

You should also consider eating leafy green veggies such as kale, spinach and broccoli. However, there is no hard evidence that these detoxifying foods can help remove THC metabolites. In any case, it's never a bad idea to have a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and more. Squeeze drops of lemon juice in your water for higher levels of Vitamin C for detoxing purposes. Lemon juice can speed up your metabolism, which is helpful when you want your body to metabolize fats.

Activated charcoal has also proven to be lower THC metabolites levels in the urine. Research shows that about 5 mg of activated charcoal binds to about 1,000 ng/ml of THC metabolites. When adsorbed via the activated charcoal, the THC metabolites may be eliminated through fecal matter. However, activated charcoal doesn't work on THC in fat cells.

 If you have time on your hands, you can buy at home testing kits to check the levels of THC metabolites in your urine.

Get rid of the red meat and junk food. Drink dandelion tea. It will detox your liver, eliminating the toxins. Last, but not least, stop using weed during the detox process. If you're interested in passing your cannabis drug test, you may consider taking a tolerance break. Learn more about marijuana tolerance and how to overcome the mild withdrawals in our tolerance guide. Use Nutra Cleanse Products to cleanse your system of THC!!