Edibles can be a great way to consume cannabis, especially if you don’t like smoking or vaping. However, it’s good to know how long the cannabis in edibles can stay in your system. Whether you’re trying to pass a workplace drug test or just expanding your knowledge, here’s everything you need to know.
How Long Do Edibles Stay in Your System?
As with most things, the answer to this question depends on a lot of factors. The length of time that any substance stays in your system depends at least to some degree on how it was consumed, how much you consumed, and the dosage.
It also depends on how often you consume cannabis in any form. Habitual users take much longer to flush it out, while occasional users have it out of their system completely in weeks or even days.
The way our bodies metabolize cannabis through oral consumption is different from how they process cannabis through inhalation. It takes longer to break the compounds down, which is why you experience a high about two hours after eating an edible. Alternatively, smoking cannabis usually takes about five minutes to have a psychoactive effect.
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect edibles to be completely processed out of your system between three and 12 days after consumption. People who smoke or vape cannabis will have lowered THC levels in their body as soon as they lose their high. However, it takes the body several days to process the THC from an edible.
How Long Does a High From an Edible Last?
It’s worth noting that there are tons of different kinds of edibles, especially as cannabis is legalized in more states. Each of these can affect you differently, including how long they take to have a psychoactive effect and how long the high lasts.
For example, chocolates or candies containing cannabis might cause a quicker high than the classic pot brownie. That’s because they melt in your mouth, letting the plant compounds absorb into your bloodstream through those mucus membranes before digestion.
Edibles tend to result in longer highs, some as long as 12 hours. Your body takes much longer to process edibles, since they need to be broken down through the digestive process and absorbed into the bloodstream.
Differentiating Casual Vs. Habitual Use
Like we mentioned above, the length of time that cannabis stays in your system depends hugely on how much you consume and how often you use cannabis. People who use cannabis in any form on a regular basis gradually develop tolerance and need larger doses to maintain a high.
If you use cannabis in any form only occasionally, your body will be able to process it out much more quickly. If you use it on a regular basis, you can bank on it being in your system to some degree for several months after your most recent consumption (about 90 days).
(By the way, if you’re new to vaping, check out our informational posts on the topic, such as how to transfer oil between carts.)
How Long Will You Test Positive on a Drug Test After Consuming an Edible?
Some workplaces still require their employees to undergo drug testing. Even in places where cannabis usage is legal, a specific business or company can require that their employees remain drug-free to be employed there. So it can be useful to know how long THC from edibles remains in your system, especially if you have a drug test coming up!
THC from edibles shows up on drug tests just like THC consumed any other way. As we mentioned above, the amount of time cannabis stays in your body varies significantly depending on how much you consume and how often you consume it.
As a general rule of thumb, cannabis from edibles remains in your body long enough to cause a positive drug test for between a few days to about three months:
- Blood test – about four hours
- Saliva test – up to three days
- Hair test – up to 90 days
- Urine test – up to 30 days; typically at least three days
The Bottom Line
Many people enjoy using edibles over smoking or vaping because they are more discreet, have a longer effect, and let you dose THC more accurately. There are countless edibles you can buy or make. Alternatively, if you prefer vaping, check out our other posts answering questions like: can you hit a cartridge with a lighter? and how to transfer oil between carts.
