Last updated : December 23, 2024
Drugs can remain in a person’s system for a number of days or a number of months. The time span depends on the type of drug that the person takes and his or her metabolic rate. A person’s weight can affect the amount of time a drug stays in his or her system, as well. For example, the TLC inside of marijuana attaches its self to the fat in a person’s body. Therefore, an overweight individual may test positive for a urine drug test more than 30 days after using the substance.
Drug Detection Times
Marijuana stays in the body for the longest amount of time. A chronic user could fail a urine test two months after the last use. Opiates such as heroin and morphine only stay in the body for about two days. Benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Ativan may show up in the urine for as long as six weeks for a chronic user. Otherwise, the drugs will leave the system in approximately three days. Cocaine stays in the body for approximately four days, and methamphetamine stays in the body for approximately two days. The discovery time for drugs in the system changes with the type of test the facility administers.
Test Detection Times
USAMDT administers three types of drug tests. The saliva test can detect drug usage that occurred up to 10 days previously. The saliva test is best for catching recent opiate usage. Urine tests are the most common drug tests, and they can detect drug use that occurred within the previous two months depending on the drug. The hair test is the most advanced test of them all, and it can detect drug use that occurred more than 90 days previously.
