What are Marijuana Dabs?
An increasingly popular method of using marijuana is the use of marijuana dabs, and a common question is how long do dabs stay in your system? This is a highly concentrated dose of the THC that is extracted from the marijuana by pressing the flower bud in a heated press. As the bud is flattened, the natural oils and resins leach from the plant and can be collected as wax dabs or concentrated THC. This is then smoked using water or butane pipe. This concentrated THC provides a faster, more powerful high. It also travels through your system faster.
What Happens to Your Body After Marijuana Consumption?
How Long Does It Take to Feel the Effects, and How Long Do They Last?
- Amount of marijuana dabs consumed.
- The amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the dabs contain.
- The physical condition of the user, such as weight.
- The user’s metabolism, and if they have eaten anything before dabbing.
- Tolerance against the drug.
How Long Does Marijuana Dab Stay in Urine/Saliva/Hair/Blood?
How Long Does Marijuana Dab Stay in Urine
- This is the most frequently used test for detecting marijuana in your bloodstream. For long-term chronic users who ingest marijuana, urine test can detect marijuana in your bloodstream up to 90 days after the last use.
- For daily users who use marijuana several times a day, the test can detect marijuana in your bloodstream more than a month after the last use. For moderate users who consume 3-4 times a week, the test can detect marijuana even after 21 to 30 days of last use.
- For users who take marijuana less than two times a week, this test can detect marijuana in your bloodstream after 3 to 7 days of use. Lastly, for users who take marijuana once a week, this test can detect marijuana even after 3 to 7 days of last use.
Note: It’s important to note that different THC concentration thresholds (cut-off points) are used across different laboratories.
How Long Does Marijuana Dab Stay in Saliva
- Marijuana can show up on a saliva test up to 12 to 48 hours after use. Also, in 2020, an article published concluded that saliva tests are capable of detecting THC in frequent cannabis smokers for as long as 72 hours following usage.
- Likewise, 2021 brought a big leap in THC saliva testing with the development of a method called express probe for on-site cannabis inhalation. This EPOCH was capable of detecting THC consumption within the last 12 hours, achieving its highest accuracy within the first 6 hours.
How Long Does Marijuana Dab Stay Blood
- Marijuana, even in its metabolized form, can show up in a blood test 48 hours after the last use.
- However, a 2013 research study observed that in habitual THC users, blood tests could detect THC even 30 days post-consumption.
How Long Does Marijuana Dab Stay in Hair
- While this test can detect marijuana for up to 90 days after the last use, it can only produce reliable results for frequent and heavy users.
- This test is not suitable for those who use marijuana recreationally or are light users. Why? Light consumption of THC often results in minimal traces in hair, which can lead to ambiguous test results.
- Employing a THC detox shampoo can effectively clear THC residues from hair follicles. However, it has been deemed one of the most reliable tests for frequent users.
Factors That Affect These Drug Tests
The reliability of these tests can be affected by factors such as the concentration of THC in the marijuana, the frequency of use, the method of intake, and the type of plant used. The amount of THC that was consumed is the biggest factor in how long it remains in your bloodstream and can be detected. For some people, it might take more time for THC to be metabolized. Your level of hydration after use is another variable. There’s no simple answer on how long it can last and how long it can be detected, since there are many factors at play, like:
Usage Frequency
- This factor is the most influential on this list. THC in people who consume cannabis for the first time might only last for about three days, as long as it isn’t used again. However, cannabinoids in people who regularly use marijuana in any manner will be detected in the system for a longer time.
- However, if you’re regularly ingesting cannabis, it can overwhelm your body’s natural detoxification system. Basically, the THC doesn’t get flushed out as fast as you’re consuming it, leading to a buildup of toxins, which results in reaching a higher toxicity level.
Potency
- Some methods of using marijuana, such as dabbing, result in a higher THC intake. The more intake, the slower the body can break down its components.
Gender
- Women have slower metabolisms than men, although there are things they can do to boost it, like exercising.
- However, if this is done right before a drug test, the results will likely be positive, since it is believed that physical activities causes fat cells to release THC. Also worth noting is that proper rehydration means that a lower THC concentration will show up in drug tests.
Body Mass Index
- The amount of fat in the user’s body affects the metabolism, leading to a slower marijuana elimination.
- THC binds to fat, so users with high fat levels will take longer to process marijuana.
- This results in extended detection times of marijuana in the body.
Genetics
- Genetics is one of the few detection factors that you can do nothing about, since they are inherent to your body.
- Some bodies have more drug-metabolizing enzymes compared to others.
- People who lack this enzyme are expected to have longer detection times.
Stress Levels
- Stress levels play a significant role in the rate (the amount of time) at which your body eliminates THC metabolites.
- A higher stress level means a slower clearance of carboxy-THC from your body and vice versa.
Consumption of Other Drugs
- The human body’s ability to metabolize drugs is limited. So, if you overwhelm your body with a variety of drugs, this will extend the drug detection time.
Hydration
- As mentioned earlier, the more water your body has, the faster it can metabolize cannabinoids.
- If you’re trying to have a negative result in your drug test, you might want to drink a lot of water to help your body decrease the concentration of THC.
Overall Physical Health
- Since someone who is sick has a slower metabolism, their body gets rid of THC metabolites much slower compared to a healthy person.
Exercise
- Regular workouts don’t really change the rate at which your body metabolizes THC.
- But they could make a difference if you work out before having a drug test.
- There’s this older study that says that THC levels are increased in people who use cannabis regularly and exercise.
- Why? Because when you work out or exercise, it causes fat cells to release some THC.
Age
- A person’s metabolism eventually slows down as time passes by.
- A person aged 65, for instance, will metabolize marijuana significantly slower than adolescents.
Medical Diagnosis
- Medical conditions, such as liver or kidney dysfunction, can lead to a prolonged retention of THC in the body.
- The compromised filtering capacity of these essential organs results in slower removal of THC and its metabolites.
Method of Use
- When marijuana is smoked, vaped, or dabbed, the THC levels in the body don’t tend to last as long as when cannabis is ingested through edibles.
Concentration of Wax/Vape Oil
- The amount of THC in your wax or vape oil is a key factor in deciding how long THC remains in your system. With a higher THC concentration, a larger quantity of THC is introduced into your system at once, making it more difficult for your body to break it down.
- Vape devices are known for their high THC levels, usually between 45% to 90%, depending upon the concentrate type. Conversely, traditional cannabis flowers contain comparatively lower THC, typically around 15% to 20%.
Drug Test Type
- Urine tests, the most common type of drug test, can detect marijuana 3 to 30 days after usage. Saliva tests detect marijuana from 1 to 8 days after the last use.
- Blood tests are far more reliable since they can detect marijuana just 3-4 hours after intake, while hair tests can detect marijuana in a user’s body even after 90 days.
Ways People Try to Beat a Drug Test
- Those who are afraid of being caught using marijuana often try to beat the drug test. It may seem odd to be drug tested for marijuana in a place like Los Angeles where cannabis is legal, but it does happen by employers and parents of adolescents who are under age. As a parent, you must make sure that your teen doesn’t know how to fake a drug test.
- One of the most popular ways is with the help of a detoxification kit. These kits are basically designed so that people can alter the urine by adding several adulterants such as vinegar, vitamin C, goldenseal, niacin, or even herbal teas. However, these kits are not really effective and do not remove THC from your system, and could be harmful.
- Another popular method used by those who are trying to evade a drug screening test is to add bleach to the urine sample to mask the smell. Some people even submit urine that is not their own. However, such masking agents can easily be distinguished by tests that reveal any substances not normally found in human urine. Therefore, this is not something that a person can rely on.
Side Effects of Marijuana Dab & Dabbing
- As technology advances, so do the tools used in the world of substance abuse. People tend to develop new ways to utilize drugs, whether legal or not. One of the newest inventions is dabbing. There has been much interest from people worldwide regarding the risks of this new trend.
- Marijuana oil is proven to be more concentrated and far more dangerous than marijuana flowers. Although smoking and dabbing marijuana produce the same effect, dabbing produces intense and life-threatening symptoms that could be fatal. People who take marijuana dabs are prone to blackouts, night sweats, vivid dreams, anxiety, severe dizziness, extra-fast heartbeat rate, lung illness, severe coughing & chest pain, nausea, nightmares, bloodshot eyes, lethargy, vomiting, excessive increase in appetite and blood pressure, and psychotic symptoms such as paranoia and hallucinations.
- Since dabbing is relatively new to the substance abuse scene, not much information about it is available, leading people to misconceptions. Many people assume that dabbing is safer than smoking since they can instantly get high with one dose.
- Users, especially teens, have to realize that a new way of taking a drug does not necessarily mean that it is safer than the old method. A study conducted in 2015 discovered that 80% of extracts examined were contaminated by harmful substances, such as pesticides, that are not removed from marijuana plants when they are processed.
- Another alarming factor are the dangers of producing hash oil. This THC-concentrated substance requires a perilous way of production. Dabs are made by blasting a lighter fluid through the marijuana plant. Butane is then transformed to gas that lingers in the room.
- This poses a great risk, since even one tiny spark of fire can lead to a massive explosion. Many incidents have been recorded where dabbing caused explosions inside houses, resulting in severe injuries.
Help Your Teenager Find Their Path with Key Healthcare's Assistance
Teen Drug addiction is one of the leading causes of teen deaths and causes significant mental strain to users. It is not right to look down on those who become addicted to marijuana. Instead, it is important to understand why they started using it in the first place and what are the causes of drug addiction among youth. It is only with this understanding that we can determine what kind of help they need to transition into a drug-free life.
With the help of Key Healthcare in Los Angeles, you will be able to find a healthy and organized solution to teen drug addiction where the teen will be weaned off marijuana through a proven process. An individualized program will be developed to meet the lifestyle needs while providing the help needed. Psychological counseling is also provided to help determine the reasons for marijuana abuse and develop a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
So, if your loved one is suffering from teen marijuana addiction and is interested in teen marijuana abuse treatment to quit and begin living life again, it is possible with the right kind of help. At Key Healthcare, we offer teen marijuana abuse treatment and our highest level of care adolescent residential treatment centers in California. We offer the kind of support you need to live a long life without an addiction hindering you every step of the way. Call us now.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
Now that marijuana is being widely legalized in the United States for medical and recreational purposes, people are inherently curious about it. It is only right to spread awareness in order to prevent misuse and misconceptions.
No. They will show up as cannabis and will not be specifically identified as concentrates. Experts still haven’t invented a way to determine if someone has dabbed.
No. A bong is used to smoke cannabis through a combustion method. It uses a butane lighter or matches, so the user can then inhale the smoke through a passageway. A dab rig is more like a water pipe that turns marijuana extracts into vapor by using a torch and a nail.
The answer will depend on how much THC you have ingested. The higher it is, the longer it will stay in your system. However, since using dabs produces higher THC levels than other methods, it is safe to assume that they will remain for longer in your system.
Yes. As mentioned earlier in this article, regular exercise and hydration could help boost a person’s metabolism. You could also choose to use a detox process or detox kit to remove the THC wax faster, but this might cost a considerable amount of money. And there’s little to no evidence proving its effectiveness. Honestly, the only best way to get THC wax out of your system is just not to ingest it in your system. It’s a surefire way to deter a failed drug test.
For those who ingest hash or hash oil daily, it’s quite likely they’ll have more THC accumulating in their system. And their body will take a fair bit longer to get rid of it. As for occasional users, say someone who smokes a joint occasionally, THC will stay in your system for about 10 days. Regular joint smokers? It stays up to 45 days. And for chronic smokers, THC stays for up to 90 days.
After ingesting the THC wax pen, you may have a positive cannabis test for up to 30 days after use. But here’s the thing – this detection window can be much shorter if you’re not a regular user (of THC). Say you’re an irregular user or maybe trying it for the first time; you could be testing negative for cannabis in just 3 days. Keep in mind how long THC sticks around in your system depends upon your body’s biology and how you use it.
The excretion time for THC to leave the system may vary, but it usually takes between 1 to 30 days to be completely flushed from your system.
By taking two hits or multiple drags for the strongest impact, the duration of the wax in your system remains for at least 24 hours to 3 days.
Yes. Dab pens & wax pens are the same portable devices that can be used interchangeably. Both types employ a heating system, like a coil or wick within, for the purpose of vaporizing concentrates for inhalation. The major difference between wax pens and dab pens is simply their terminology.
There’s not a lot of concrete research out there yet on delta-10. However, some netizens have shared experiences of testing positive for cannabis after using delta-10 wax. This is just a heads-up: these are personal anecdotes and not scientific facts. Plus, there’s a chance those products also contained delta-8 or delta-9 THC. Given how similar delta-10 is to delta-8 & delta-9 THC, it’s feasible that it could appear on a drug test. If you’re expecting to be tested for cannabis, it’s probably safer to avoid the use of delta-10 for the time being.
