A lot of people have found a new alternative to smoking marijuana and that is generally termed as edible. These edibles have now captured a large share of the market as many vape or weed lovers find this source of cannabis more handy and impactful. They are available in different forms including candies, brownies, chocolates, shakes, and so on which make their consumption hassle-free. But have you wondered about how long do edibles stay in your system or how does it work in your body? If yes, then you are at the right place as below we will be sharing a complete guide on this topic.
Table of Contents
What are edibles?
As the name suggests, edibles are some eatable things that have a major content of cannabis flowers, buds, or other concentrates. Most people take edibles to avoid smoking or to treat anxiety issues in them. Edibles primarily contain tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol which give the consumer enthusiasm, activeness, and dizziness.
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They are available in the market in the form of beverages, bakery items, mints, candies, gummies, oil, butter, searing food items, and so on which give the same effect as smoking marijuana does. The dosage of these edibles varies from 0.25 mg to 25 mg or more which may give major side effects on the body and mind.
How long do edibles stay in your system?
The presence of edibles in your body depends on various factors, including the amount, frequency, and habit of consuming it. Edibles stay longer in the system as compared to smoking or inhaling THC because metabolizing edibles takes a longer process and so does the time.
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Those who regularly consume these eatables may have THC in their body for about a month whereas those who are irregular consumers may have THC for around a week only. To know its complete breakdown, read the below-shared points:
1. Edibles in blood
After consuming edibles, it stays in your blood for the next 2 days. However, regular intake can extend to 25 days or even more. The chances of detection of THC in blood are very rare but can be easily done through blood tests which share the reports stating the most recent use and dosage of cannabis by an individual.
2. Edibles in urine
Detection of edibles in your system is mostly done through urine tests as it is easier and gives better reports. So, if you consume edibles a maximum of three times a week then it can reflect in your urine test for the next 3 days after having that. However, if you are a regular consumer then it can be easily detected for the next 15 days.
3. Edibles in saliva
A saliva test is also one of the ways to detect the consumption of THC by an individual. If you are a regular or heavy user of edibles then it can reflect in your saliva test for the next one month after the day of consumption. However, if you rarely try it then it may last for 3 days in your saliva.
4. Edibles in hair
Edibles also stay in your hair for around more than three months and can be easily detected through hair follicle tests. However, it doesn’t give the most accurate and recent results which makes it the most rarely used way to check the presence of THC in your system.
Factors affecting edibles stay in the system
There are a lot of factors that affect the presence of edibles in an individual’s body and some of them are mentioned below:
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- Gender: Digesting and flushing edibles from the body requires a strong metabolism which is slower in women as compared to men. Due to this, edibles may stay longer in females’ bodies than males.
- BMI (Body Mass Index): There are researches stating that people with high body mass index have slow metabolism which makes the THC stay in the body for a long time or until it gets completely metabolized.
- Age: With growing age, digestion becomes slower which may also result in extended time for keeping the edibles in the system.
- Quantity: The amount of edible you have eaten also decides the time of THC to stay in your system. So, the more the number of edibles, the more the extended duration of their presence in the body.
- Strength: The strain or strength of the edibles is also one of the factors that affect the edibles’ staying time in the body. Therefore, the more powerful THC, the longer it stays in the body.
- Frequency: Your edible’s consumption frequency or regularity is also a factor that affects the presence of THC in the body. Therefore, those who are irregular users may have less chance of edible detection as compared to those who are regular.
Health benefits of edibles
There is no such statement from medical experts or research that states that edibles help in treating some health conditions. However, a lot of people consume it to get rid of several conditions which are mentioned below:
- To reduce the inflammation of any injury.
- To decrease chronic pain.
- To cure nausea.
- To have control over anxiety.
- To get better sleep.
- To cure glaucoma
Side effects of edibles
Overdose of any type of edibles can affect your body very badly and can make you go through severe health conditions which are mentioned below:
- You may become less focused and attentive.
- You can encounter short-term memory loss issues.
- You can have a sudden shortening of breath or a fast heart beating rate.
- Your blood pressure may not stay stable.
- You can keep hallucinating things.
- You can have constant mood swings.
- You can go through panic attacks.
How to overcome the addiction to edibles?
Edible addiction is also as harmful as any other addiction and needs proper attention to overcome and keep the body fit. Below are a few ways through which you can keep control of your addictive habits and urges to consume edibles.
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- Consult medical experts: You can have the guidance of healthcare providers as per your current addictive nature and get the prescribed solution. They may give you any diet, medication, or other suggestions to bail you out of this edible addiction in the most legal and organic way.
- Join the addiction-free groups: There are a few societies, committees, and groups that offer sessions to those individuals who are not able to overcome any sort of addiction. They understand the situations of an individual without any judgment and demand their proper cooperation in following addiction-free courses or programs.
- Seek for counselor or therapy: There are a lot of therapies and counseling provided by physicians and counselors, respectively who address your situation and show you the right path to detach the addiction of anything from you. Their approaches are very organic and are completely hassle-free.
- Dial the helplines: Every country, state, and locality has an addiction crisis helpline which you can call and ask from them for the required support as well as assistance for the sake of overcoming your edible addiction. They are completely free of cost and have medical experts on the phone to give proper consultancy.
- Talk to your close ones: Opening up about your addiction with your family and friends will not just make you feel less burdened but will also give you the required strength and support for this concern.
FAQs
1. When do the edibles start showing effects?
The kicking time of edibles depends on various factors but it usually takes around 30 minutes to one hour to get metabolized in the body and show desired effects.
2. How long does the effectiveness of edibles stay?
Depending on the dosage and quality, you can experience a minimum of 3 hours and a maximum of 10 hours of effectiveness of edibles.
3. How long do edibles stay in your system?
For an irregular user of edible, it can stay for a week in their body whereas for a regular user, the days can be extended to one month or even more on the basis of frequency.
4. What are the different types of tests to detect edibles in a system?
Urine tests, saliva tests, blood tests, and hair follicle tests are the most common clinical tests that are conducted to check the presence or consumption of edibles by an individual.
5. Which factors affect the stay of edibles in the system?
Body mass index, gender, and age of the individual who is consuming it are the primary factors affecting the stay of edibles in the system. Apart from that, the frequency of consumption, quantity, and strength of the edibles are another few factors that have a direct impact on the presence of THC in the body.
6. What are some tips for taking edibles?
Some of the tips for those individuals who want to take edibles are that you should go slow on the dose and frequency, you should never ever drink alcohol with edibles, you should never consume edibles on an empty stomach, and you should consult a doctor in case of any side effects.
7. How to flush out edibles from your system?
There is no such medically approved answer to this, however, but keeping yourself hydrated, doing exercises, and visiting a physician can help you a lot in overcoming the effects of edibles.
Conclusion
Above we shared a brief guide answering “How long do edibles stay in your system” along with its other aspects like meaning, health benefits, side-effects, overcoming ideas, factors affecting, and so on which might have helped you in getting all the information related to this topic. In a nutshell, from its effectiveness to staying in the body, everything depends on its quantity, quality, frequency, and other above-mentioned factors. Last but not least, if you still want to share any suggestions, queries or views then do let us know about the same through the comment box mentioned below.
