# Drug testing with Marijuana **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 30, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436 "2009-11-30T05:09:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/1 "2009-11-30T05:09:23Z")
Ok I’m sure this has been covered here before but I’m horrible with the search feature and my computer sucks so please help me out. I have a job interview next tuesday. Presumably if I get it I’m going to have a drug test. This is where my problem lies. I’m a stoner. I smoke just about everyday. What are my chances of passing this drug test if I have a test say next thursday? Some statistics about me so you can better understand the situation. I’m male, 23 and physically active. I work out just about everyday. I’m small also, coming in at about 5’4 and 145 pounds. Also, I quit smoking last sunday. So that would give me about 17 days marijuana free. I’m hopeful because I’ve heard many stories of people smoking only a couple days before passing a test. But please, just give me the truth of the situation and any helpful suggestions if you like. Thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![Random\_Design](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@Random\_Design](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random_Design)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/2 "2009-11-30T07:26:42Z")
If you were smoking daily until two weeks ago you’re pretty much guaranteed to test positive next week. You could try eating a lot, drinking a lot of water, and exercising like a madman until then to try and flush or at least dilute your system, but chances are… not on your side. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19adc/32.png) [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Am_The_Lorax)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/3 "2009-11-30T13:33:23Z")
On the other hand, you say you are physically active. This makes a bigger difference than it would seem. THC is fat soluble, as such, it hangs around in fat cells. If you don’t have many fat cells, you’re in better shape than me. The thirty days number that is common knowledge is not accurate for everyone. It is closest to accurate for a fat, lazy dude who smokes a few joints everyday for months or years and does not drink a lot of water. If you smoke less, or are less fat, or drink a lot, you should clear out sooner. Even better than water is cranberry juice and green tea. They both have cleansing, purifying properties. I would avoid any of those detox drinks or caplets or whatever they sell at headshops. Many places that test for drugs also test for cover-ups like those. [anecdotal] My sister and I have both tested clean multiple times after laying off the weed and doing the cranberry/green tea flush for a week. Both of us were pretty chronic smokers at the time, she being very lean, me not so much. [/anecdotal] I’d put your chances at pretty good after 17 days. Good luck, **ScottyMo**. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/4 "2009-11-30T14:05:37Z")
Drug tests vary considerably in sensitivity. The better tests can reliably detect use for 3 weeks after your last toke. The not so good tests not so much. Exercise, water, juice, etc. are not going to speed this up much, if at all. Reports of stoners passing a test after a week of “flushing” (or whatever) is usually due to poor quality tests, or coming up positive but the employer not really caring about that (some care much more about opiate use than marijuana, so it’s possible in some instances to test positive, never be told of that, and still be hired). The easiest way to pass a drug test, of course, is to not do drugs. Granted, partaking daily then suddenly needing to pass a drug test does put you in a bit of a bind if your favorite substances takes 3-4 weeks to clear the body. Still, 17 days means you might well have dropped below the sensitivity threshold of a cheaper screening test, so it’s possible you’ll squeak by. But if you’re seriously job hunting you might want to consider saving some money by laying off the weed for awhile with the side benefit of guaranteeing you’ll pass a drug test. Just a suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/5 "2009-11-30T14:45:14Z")
It also depends on what kind of test they do. For a urine test, there’s a chance you’d pass. For a hair test, no way since it can detect 90 days of past usage… ---
**Author:** ![ashenRiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/65b543/32.png) [@ashenRiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashenRiot)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/6 "2009-11-30T21:01:30Z")
If its been 17 days you might be clear enough. You could get a home screening test from your drugstore and find out if you actually have anything to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/7 "2009-11-30T21:07:50Z")
My sister’s ex was on probation and he used to smoke and pass drug tests a week later. drink a lot of water right before so it’s diluted. Also, don’t exercise for a couple of days, do anything you can to avoid burning fat. Try [erowid.org](http://erowid.org) if you want more sciencey explanations of how these things work. [http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis\_testing.shtml](http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_testing.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/8 "2009-11-30T21:08:41Z")
[Varying answers here.](http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_long_does_marijuana_stay_in_your_system) ---
**Author:** ![Hirundo82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/919ad9/32.png) [@Hirundo82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirundo82)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/9 "2009-11-30T22:34:53Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > drink a lot of water right before so it’s diluted. Drinking lots of water to dilute your urine is a well-known method for attempting to pass a drug test. As a result, most drug testing companies test the osmolarity of urine submitted and may reject the sample if it is too dilute. ---
**Author:** ![old\_joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/58956e/32.png) [@old\_joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/old_joe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/10 "2009-11-30T23:03:35Z")
> [@Scotty Mo](#): > > I have a job interview next tuesday. Presumably if I get it I’m going to have a drug test. This is where my problem lies. I’m a stoner. I smoke just about everyday. What are my chances of passing this drug test if I have a test say next thursday? . Just asked the wife who administers tests for her job. She says that with the tests she uses you have zero chance of passing. Something about very sensitive test and storing thc in fat. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/11 "2009-12-01T00:07:02Z")
Also very dependent on what threshold they are looking for. If you’re trying to be an airline pilot, they are probably looking for the lowest amount able to be detected, and you won’t pass. If your job has little to do with public safety, they probably use a higher threshold, and you have a very good chance of passing. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/12 "2009-12-01T01:56:55Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > My sister’s ex was on probation and he used to smoke and pass drug tests a week later. > > drink a lot of water right before so it’s diluted. Also, don’t exercise for a couple of days, do anything you can to avoid burning fat. > > Try [erowid.org](http://erowid.org) if you want more sciencey explanations of how these things work. > > [Erowid Cannabis (Marijuana) Vault : Drug Testing](http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_testing.shtml) Could you define “sciencey” for us? Is this even a word? I really doubt the peer-reviewed wisdom of that link. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/13 "2009-12-01T02:11:07Z")
When I worked in H/R we listed all the drugs we \*could \* test for. Marijuana was in that list but we never tested for it at all. As other posters have said, this will depend on the job. A job driving a car would be subject to more stricter tests, I imagine. Also it depends on what type of drug test your getting. Will it be a hair test or urine test. Hair tests are nearly impossible to fake, despite the claims people make. ---
**Author:** ![TheFatKid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@TheFatKid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFatKid)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/14 "2009-12-01T02:52:16Z")
> [@Scotty Mo](#): > > I have a job interview next tuesday. Presumably if I get it I’m going to have a drug test. This is where my problem lies. I’m a stoner. I smoke just about everyday. What are my chances of passing this drug test if I have a test say next thursday? Well, unless you’re up for a high-security job, you’ll get a urine test, not a hair test. Used to be, you could drink water til you’re pissing clear and then take riboflavin to color your urine, but they’re onto that now and the presence of high levels of riboflavin will likely get your sample rejected. As will pissing water. If the test’s any good, and they include THC (which is standard in both the 7 and 5 substance tests) then if you’re a daily smoker you’ll be caught. Sorry to break the news. Now, some folks take the risky approach of using a false bladder, which fits under the armpit (to keep it at body temperature, because cool urine will be rejected) and empties into a tube that’s strapped to the arm. It’s filled with someone else’s clean urine (which they have to obtain by whatever means they can on their own). During the test, the testee (sorry, couldn’t resist) goes into the stall or stands at the urinal and follows the usual process – including “peeing” into the toilet bowl so that the proper staining can be checked – and comes out with a body-temp sample of real human urine for analysis. But instead of urinating the normal human way, the cache urine is released via the tube concealed in the applicant’s hand. Some folks have even used such devices during probation screenings under the watchful gaze of law enforcement. And some of those folks have been caught and sent back to jail for violation of parole. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/15 "2009-12-01T03:11:16Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Could you define “sciencey” for us? Is this even a word? I really doubt the peer-reviewed wisdom of that link. ☹ I’m sure you can figure it out if you give it some thought and actually click the link. ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/16 "2009-12-01T04:25:02Z")
> [@Random\_Design](#): > > If you were smoking daily until two weeks ago you’re pretty much guaranteed to test positive next week. You could try eating a lot, drinking a lot of water, and exercising like a madman until then to try and flush or at least dilute your system, but chances are… not on your side. Exercising is the worst thing you can do as it can release trace chemicals stored in fat cells back into your blood stream. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/17 "2009-12-01T04:32:45Z")
If the OP genuinely quit smoking 17 days ago, he could be honest about that and tell the employer that while he will probably test positive for pot use, he recently made the decision to quit. If you explain it in a sincere way, they might cut you some slack. ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/18 "2009-12-01T04:40:41Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > If the OP genuinely quit smoking 17 days ago, he could be honest about that and tell the employer that while he will probably test positive for pot use, he recently made the decision to quit. If you explain it in a sincere way, they might cut you some slack. I would not do this, the fact that they are drug testing in the first place means they are not lenient on drug users. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-testing-with-marijuana/519436/19 "2009-12-01T04:48:15Z")
[moderating] This thread has gone beyond a GQ about how drug testing works and become a primer on circumventing the law (and some of the advice is very bad). Time to close it. [/moderating]