How Long Does Edibles Stay In Your System?
Many people prefer marijuana edibles to smoking. Why? Well, there are many reasons. For one, it doesn’t require you to inhale anything, so you’re not putting stress on your lungs.
That makes many people feel a lot more confident about marijuana edibles and see them as a safer option.
Another main reason people prefer marijuana edibles once they try them is that they taste good. Not to mention, edibles are legal for medical or recreational use in many states.
All of this is not to say that marijuana edibles are perfect; they are not. They still come with a few drawbacks, including some health risks.
If you or someone you love uses edibles or considering them, it’s essential to understand how they work and how they affect your body and mind.
That’s why today, we want to go through everything you need to know about marijuana edibles so you can be a responsible consumer and have the best possible experience.
An Introduction to Marijuana Edibles
Marijuana edibles are foods that are prepared with cannabinoids such as marijuana or hash to provide a lovely high. Edibles include products such as butter, cookies, brownies, gummies, candy bars, mints, capsules, and even drinks, so there’s a great variety.
As marijuana edibles become legal in more and more states, the variety grows, and more products are introduced to the market of edibles.
The effects of marijuana edibles vary from person to person because our bodies are all different. For most people, the marijuana will remain in their system for 3 to 12 days.
In contrast, a marijuana joint remains in the system from a few hours to 3 days. This will depend on a couple of factors, such as the quantity and how often you use marijuana.
How Does the Body Process Marijuana Edibles?
When you have an edible, it goes through your digestive system, and your body will convert delta-9 THC to 11-hydroxy THC.
This results in more intense psychoactive effects, so there’s a big difference between the effects of edibles and smoking, which is one of the reasons many people prefer the former.
However, it takes longer for marijuana edibles to take effect. Because they need to be digested first, the high can take up to 2 hours to grace your body.
When you inhale THC, it only takes 5 minutes to take effect, so that’s another big difference. It’s important to note that people who typically smoke risk overdosing on edibles if they don’t allow them the time they need to effect.
Some types of marijuana edibles work faster than others, such as baked goods.
That’s because these kinds of products kind of melt in your mouth, so the THC can be digested and reach the bloodstream a lot more effectively.
Another reason people tend to prefer marijuana edibles because the effects last a lot longer, up to 12 hours.
How Long Do Marijuana Edibles Stay in the System?
How long marijuana edibles stay in your system will depend on many factors. The main one being that the lifetime of cannabis can last from 3 to 12 days, as mentioned before.
The exact length of time marijuana will stay in your system will depend on the amount of THC you consume and whether you’re a casual or chronic user.
If you are a regular user, your body builds a tolerance to the effects of cannabis, which is why you have to increase the amount you consume to feel the high.
Second, it takes longer for your body to process and breaks down marijuana edibles, which means they will stay in your system a lot longer.
For people who smoke, cannabis levels will start to wind down as soon as you begin to lose the high, so it doesn’t usually take longer than a day for it to leave your body.
Overall, it will depend on how much you consume and how often you enjoy marijuana edibles.
Types of Marijuana Edibles
There are three main types: gastrointestinal, oral, and hybrid marijuana edibles. Each of these types is metabolized differently by your body, which means they have unique effects.
1. Gastrointestinal Marijuana Edibles
When people think of marijuana edibles, the gastrointestinal kind is what usually comes to mind.
They are the most common, and they come in the form of candy bars, cookies, brownies, and other treats or snacks.
These marijuana edibles have to reach your digestive tract for your body to absorb them, so it takes from 45 to 90 minutes to take effect.
Beginners should start with a low dosage and go from there.
2. Oral Marijuana Edibles
Oral marijuana edibles refer to products such as lozenges (tablets) and tinctures.
Your body absorbs the THC through the vessel-rich tissues inside your mouth and under your tongue.
It only takes up to 15 minutes for them to take effect, and they are popular among people who need to feel the effects ASAP.
3. Hybrid Marijuana Edibles
The most well-known hybrid marijuana edibles are drinks because they can be absorbed both orally and through the digestive tract.
The effects are almost immediate, and you’ll continue to enjoy them for the next couple of hours as your digestive system continues to break down the THC.
Hybrids provide a smooth experience that lasts longer.
Do Marijuana Edibles Show Up on Drug Tests?
Yes, marijuana edibles will show up on drug tests because they’re made of THC. The method of consumption doesn’t make a difference; THC is still entering your system so that a drug test will detect it.
Here’s a timeline for each kind of drug test:
| Type of Drug Test | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Blood | 3 to 4 hours |
| Saliva | 24 to 72 hours |
| Urine | 3 to 30 days |
| Hair | Up to 90 days |
Now that you know everything you need to know about marijuana edibles, you can pick the kind that suits you the best and enjoy the high whenever you need it!
This article was researched using these and other references:
- Cannabis Edibles - Food Chemistry
- Challenges of Cannabis Edibles & The Duration of Intoxication - Methods Report NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- The length and duration of vaping & edibles - International Journal of Drug Policy
- The duration and intensity of THC cannabis - RW Nahhas - Drug & Alcohol
- Marijuana edibles products - Substance use & misuse, 2018
James King
James is an experienced writer and legal cannabis advocate in Australia. He answers all the questions about business, legalisation and medicinal cannabis.
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