How Long do Drugs Stay in the System?

From Issue 11

Other links on drug testing

This is intended as a general guide only and sadly cannot be guaranteed for accuracy. The times given refer to the standard EMIT urine test - other tests can be more specific and accurate. Detection times will vary depending on the type of test used, amount, tolerance and frequency of use, your metabolic rate, general health, the amount of fluid intake and exercise taken and even food eaten (i.e to do with metabolic rates). Physical activity can increase your metabolic rate , as much as two thousand percent. A high calorie diet is the next best way to increase metabolism and thus expell drugs from your system quicker and the consumption of mass quantities of high calorie food will increase metabolic rate by up to 10 percent. Loads of exercise and eating big does apparently work.

The first piss of the day is the dirtiest, and can be heavily filled with metabolites so urinate a couple of times before giving a sample. We are very well aware of false positives occuring and the amount of metabolites found can vary hugely depending on the individual and circumstances such as those listed above. It IS good to know this kind of information, a lot can be riding on test results and much of resulting 'punishments' metered out are unnecessary and unreasonable. Always find out what recourse you have if you have received a 'false positive' (everybody has the right of appeal as far as we have been able to ascertain) and try to use it.

There are some good information guides on the internet -check out this site for detailed info on drug tests, test beaters, myths around tests and a lot more:
www.urban75.com/Drugs/testing.html

BP will be adding to this page in the near future with more info on the different kinds of drug tests and how much they test for, in the UK. Check back soon.

 

• Alcohol 8 - 12 hours
• Amphetamine - 2 - 4 days
• Barbiturates (short acting eg seconal) 1 day. Long acting (eg phenobarbital) 2-3 weeks
• Benzodiazepines 3-7 days
• Buprenorphine 2 - 3 days
• Cannabis (first time users) 1 week - (long term users) usually up to 30 days but some research states up to 66 days. Infrequent users with a fast metabolism will have the shortest detection time. However, there is an odd occurance with cannabis. A chronic user with a high tolerance will eliminate drugs quicker than an occasional user with chronic users testing negative after binges a week long. Skinny users usually have a faster metabolism and lack storage for THC metabolites. Fat causes a lag in excretion patterns, leading to longer detection times.
• Cocaine/crack 2 - 4 days According to some research, simply blowing crack smoke on ones hair may cause a positive hair test (so be aware of sitting in a car or small room with smokers). Second hand pot smoke doesn't affect the hair test results as much as crack smoke does mainly because exhaled smoke contains no THC. We haven't found info regarding heroin smoke although we presume it could be similar to the crack scenario.
• Codeine 2 - 5 days
• Dihydrocodeine can be detected in urine for up to 4 days. As codeine and other opiates require much larger doses than heroin for their effects, they are likely to remain detectable for longer periods.
• Methadone….2-8 days
• Methamphetamine…2-6 days (depending on length of use, tolerance, amount used etc)
• Ecstasy (MDMA / MDA) 1 - 3 days
• LSD - 8 hours to 4 days
• Methadone - 3 - 5 days
• Opiates - (eg heroin, morphine) 2 - 4 days Urine tests can remain positive for 1-2 days following an individual dose of heroin, and up to 4-5 days following cessation among chronic heavy users, or where high doses are used.
• PCP - 10 - 14 days
• Steroids - (anabolic) taken orally; 14 days -Taken other ways; 1 month

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Links on drug testing

Passive inhalation of cocaine Info on the effects on passive cocaine smoking on drug tests