Drugs of Abuse Information
The length of time that the presence of drugs of abuse in the body can be detected is an important factor in drug screening. The chart below outlines approximate duration times.
When interpreting the duration for the presence of drugs of abuse in the body, you must take into consideration variables including the body's metabolism, the subject’s physical condition, overall body fluid balance, state of hydration and frequency of usage.
The chart below shows the average duration times of how long drugs stay in the body and are not intended to apply to a specific individual.
| DRUG OF ABUSE | LEVEL OF USAGE | TIME PERIOD |
| Marijuana (Cannabis) | Single use | 3-5 days |
| Moderate use (3 times per week) |
8-12 days | |
| Heavy use (daily) | 21-30+ days | |
| Cocaine | Any level of use | 2-3 days |
| Opiates | Any level of use | 2 days |
| PCP (Phencyclidine) | Any level of use | 3 - 8 days |
| AMP's (Amphetamines) | Any level of use | 2 - 4 days |
| Ecstasy | Any level of use | 3 - 5 days |
These are some of the FAQ’s from our site visitors:
1. How long will marijuana stay in my system?
THC is the active metabolite that stays in the body after smoking marijuana. It is stored in the fat cells of the body. The more you smoke and the heavier you weigh, the longer THC stays in your body. See the chart above for the possible time frames THC stays in the body. To make sure you are “clean”, test yourself with the same test used in the lab.
2. How long will cocaine stay in my system?
Cocaine has a relatively short time span in the body and
is eliminated usually within 2 – 3 days.
3. My boyfriend/girlfriend smoked marijuana. Can I test “positive” from second hand smoke?
There are no definitive studies on testing “positive” for second hand marijuana smoke. As a general statement, a person would have to inhale significant amounts of second hand smoke in a relatively confined area, like a closed automobile.
4. If I eat a poppy seed bagel, will I test “positive” for opiates?
The “poppy seed bagel” myth was popularized by the TV show, Seinfeld. It is now part of the long urban legends like the “Elvis sightings at the mall”. Poppy seeds do not cause a “positive” for opiates. It might be possible to cause a “positive” for opiates by eating poppy seeds IF you did not eat for 24 hours and consumed several tablespoons of poppy seeds, and took a drug test 2 – 3 hours later.
5. I failed my drug test and I DO NOT do drugs. Can you help me?
Depending on the circumstances of the drug test; pre-employment, random, probation, etc., you have the right to demand that the results of any “positive” drug screen be laboratory confirmed, preferably by a GCMS confirmation test.
6. What is a “confirmation test”?
A “confirmation test” is done only on the “positive” screening results. For example, the GCMS confirmation test would identify the difference between cocaine in crack cocaine and the cocaine in Novocain, in a "positive" drug screen result. CLICK HERE FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DRUG SCREEN AND A CONFIRMATION TEST.
7. How do I know the QuickScreen Drug Test really works?
The QuickScreen Drug Test has a built-in quality control line and timer. The top line is the quality control line that tells you the urine specimen has been transmitted to the test strip and that the reagent is reacting properly. The presence or absence of the second line indicates a “positive” or “negative”.
8. Do the “beat the test” products sold on the Internet work?
As a general statement, “the beat the test products” DO NOT work. Mostly, they are designed to consume large amounts of fluid (water) in hopes of diluting the urine.
9. My boyfriend/girlfriend uses marijuana/cocaine. If I have sex with my partner, will I test “positive” for marijuana/cocaine?
NO
10. Is the saliva test cheaper and better?
The saliva test is more expensive and only tests for a limited time period. The QuickScreen Drug Test will identify a "positive" for the presence of THC (Marijuana) or Cocaine for several days, as opposed to hours for the saliva test. It is also important to know that saliva "positives" must be confirmed by a urine test.
11. How long do drugs stay in the blood stream?
The presence of drug metabolites in the blood stream have a limited time span and are measured by hours, rather than days. For this reason, together with the cost and convenience, the urine test is the preferred method of drug testing.