5 Ways to Cleanse for a Drug Test
Updated November 2024
While federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived THC compounds – including delta-9 and delta-10 THC, THCa, etc. – look the same to most drug tests. If you’re applying for a job or working in an industry that has strict safety and compliance standards, you may be in a situation where you need to take a drug test for THC. Below are some tips and information that can help you prepare for your test and increase your chances of passing.
Before You Begin: A Note on Different Types of Drug Tests
There are four common types of drug tests that employers might require you to take, whether periodically or as part of the hiring process, including:
- Blood tests
- Saliva (or oral swab) tests
- Urine tests
- Hair follicle tests
The urine test is the most accessible and popular drug test option. However, being familiar with the other types can help you be prepared for anything that might come your way. Most companies prefer urine tests because they’re simple, cheap, and provide results that reflect a person’s substance use over several weeks.
Most drug test types are still not advanced enough to be able to sort out different types of THC. That’s because most tests – specifically urine tests – look for THC metabolites, which are small molecules your body creates as it breaks down cannabinoids. THC of any kind creates the same kind of metabolites, which means that it’s all the same in the eyes of the drug test.
This can become problematic for a few reasons. For one thing, it’s totally possible to ingest legal THC products and still fail a drug test, just like you would if you had consumed marijuana. It’s also possible that trace amounts of THC compounds in things like CBD oil can build up in your body and lead you to fail even if you’ve never picked up a THC product in your life.
In summary, drug tests don’t look for THC itself. They look for evidence of it being broken down in the body. And since THC cannabinoids are chemically similar, they don’t break down into distinct compounds that a test can differentiate. Much like other waste our bodies create, it all looks the same coming out, no matter what it looks like going in.
5 Easy Ways to Cleanse for a Drug Test
In an ideal world, you’d be given a heads-up before you have to take a drug test. Sometimes this is the case, but sometimes it isn’t. Regardless of the amount of time you have, these tips can help you prepare for a future drug test by cleansing as much THC from your body as you can. Keep in mind that the heavier your use, the more you’ll have to do (and the more time it will take) to avoid failing your test.
1. Abstain from using all THC products.
The best way to flush your system and prepare for an upcoming test is to stop using products that could make you fail. This might seem obvious, but it’s important to make sure you stop using anything that could contain THC, even in trace amounts.
That means that you might want to hold off on using hemp products, including CBD products that aren’t CBD isolates, for a little bit. Hemp products that contain less than 0.3% THC by weight are federally legal, but even this small amount of THC can become problematic over time.
If you know the type of test you’ll be taking, and when you’re expected to submit it, you can plan to cleanse accordingly.
2. Drink lots of water.
Your body purges THC metabolites in your waste, which means it’s a good idea to do what you can to pass as much through your system as possible. Drink water for the sake of cleansing but also for the sake of helping your body function at its highest level.
The average adult (depending on other factors, like activity levels) needs about two to four liters of water each day, or about 10 to 15 cups. Men generally need to drink more than women due to their larger body size.
Drink at least your daily recommended intake to flush out as many THC metabolites as you can.
3. Eat a balanced and healthy diet.
Keeping yourself healthy and in top shape is a good habit in general, but it can also help you prep for your test. A healthy metabolism and being *ahem* regular will help your body kick toxins to the curb faster.
4. Exercise daily.
Exercising helps boost your metabolism, but it also helps your body break down excess fat. Since THC molecules are fat-soluble (meaning they break down in fats), some of it can build up in the excess fat stores your body hangs on to.
So, by exercising and shedding some of that fat, you can chip away at the THC stored deep in your body. It’s this stored THC that can cause problems for long-term users, who may still fail a drug test even after a week or two of abstaining from use.
There is an important caveat here. After you release stored THC, it doesn’t immediately disappear from your system. It can take a few days to “flush it out,” even after it’s been freed up for removal. So it might not be the best idea to exercise heavily on the day of or even the day before your drug test.
5. Pee the morning of your test.
You’ll probably take care of this step naturally, but make sure you hit the bathroom a few times before you take your test. This can help you flush out the last of the metabolites in your system that may have been broken down or stored up overnight.
Once you’ve reached the day of your test, there isn’t too much more you can do to cleanse your body. Of course, there are kits you can purchase that may help you pass your tests. Look into which ones could work the best, but don't lean on them to help pass your drug test every time.
If you’d like to be sure you’re good to go, it might help to invest in some THC drug test strips – which you can easily buy in a pharmacy or online – so you can track your progress and see how likely you are to pass your test ahead of time.
How Long Does THC Stay in Your System?
How long any form of THC stays in your system is different from how long you feel its effects. While the psychoactive effects that you experience when using THC can last for quite a few hours, THC can still potentially stay in your body/system for a lot longer depending on different factors such as body chemistry, how frequent of a user you are, what types of products you use, and some other factors.
THC compounds can show up in different drug tests for different amounts of time.
- Blood test: up to 2 days
- Saliva test: up to 2 days
- Urine test: up to 30-48 days
- Hair follicle test: up to 90 days
Of course, the duration of THC staying in your system depends on your body’s chemistry, diet, water intake, physical activity, age, and other factors.
Don’t Be Afraid of Cannabis - Shop Smart
The possibility of a drug test in your future shouldn’t scare you from trying THC products if you haven’t yet. Whether you enjoy cannabis for recreational purposes or use it medicinally, some THC products can be beneficial.
In some cases, being transparent with your employer about your use – if you have a medical marijuana card, for instance, or if you live in a state where THC is legal – can help you ensure that a “fail” isn’t necessarily a problem.
However, employers who conduct drug tests for safety or compliance reasons may still have the legal ground to rescind a job offer or implement disciplinary measures for a failed test, even if you have a legitimate reason to have THC in your system. The same may be true for probation or military drug tests.
All of this is to say that there’s nuance behind drug tests and cannabis use. If you’d like to occasionally indulge in THC, you can likely do so without failing a drug test (as long as you have enough time to prepare). Even more regular use can be offset by a thorough preparation regimen.
There are also other options you can lean on if THC isn’t a good fit for you. CBD or HHC, for instance, might give you the effects you’re after without the risk. Some research even indicates that HHC may not show up on drug tests. Read more about HHC here.
Above all else, be smart and realistic with yourself about your use and how it might impact a drug test. If you need to pass to stay employed or out of trouble, it’s probably not worth risking it. But there may be some things you can do to increase your chances of passing.
*Please note that The Green Dragon cannot 100% promise that you pass a drug test with flying colors. We can only provide assistance in possible options that can help flush THC out of your system with time.
Most likely, no, but... Drug tests don't pick up CBD as CBD products don't contain enough (if any) of the psychoactive elements that THC provides. Full spectrum CBD products do contain trace elements of THC, but at less than 0.3%, typically not enough to risk failing a drug test (but no guarantees). You should use an isolate or broad spectrum CBD product that contains 0.0% Delta 9 THC if you are worried.
Yes. When THC of any kind (Delta 8, Delta 9, Delta 10, or others) gets broken down by your metabolism in your body, it all looks the same in small molecules called “THC metabolites”. While they may react differently in your body, they all signal drug tests the same; THC is present in your system.
Delta 8 THC products are also federally legal since it is converted from CBD found in Hemp. The Farm Bill of 2018 made all cannabinoids in hemp legal with the exception of Delta 9 THC.
- Abstain from using all THC products.
- Drink a lot of water.
- Eat a balanced and healthy diet.
- Exercise daily.
- Pee the morning of your test.
*Please note that The Green Dragon cannot 100% promise that you pass a drug test with flying colors. We can only provide assistance in possible options that can help flush THC out of your system with time.
