One of the reasons that drug tests are a colossal scam is that not all drugs stay in your system for the same amount of time. In fact, some of the least dangerous drugs such as marijuana can be detected in your urine, blood, and hair for much longer than harder drugs such as heroin and meth — meaning that schools, employers, and law enforcement agencies that drug test disproportionately penalize marijuana users.
In order to illustrate just how disparate drugs interactions can be, here's a breakdown of how long each drug stays in your system.
1. Alcohol
Source: WIKIMEDIA - WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Urine: Three to five days
Blood: 10 to 12 hours
Hair: Up to 90 days
2. Amphetamines
Source: WIKIMEDIA - WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Urine: One to three days
Blood: About 12 hours
Hair: Up to 90 days
3. Barbiturates
Source: WIKIMEDIA - WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Urine: Two to four days
Blood: One to two days
Hair: Up to 90 days
4. Cannabis
Source: istock
Urine: Seven to 30 days
Blood: About two weeks
Hair: Up to 90 days
5. Cocaine
Source: WIKIMEDIA - WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Urine: Three to four days
Blood: One to two days
Hair: Up to 90 days
6. Heroin
Source: istock
Urine: Three to four days
Blood: Up to 12 hours
Hair: Up to 90 days
7. LSD
Source: WIKIMEDIA - WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Urine: One to three days
Blood: Two to three hours
Hair: Up to three days
8. MDMA
Source: WIKIMEDIA - WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Urine: Three to four days
Blood: One to two days
Hair: Up to 90 days
9. Methamphetamine
Source: WIKIMEDIA - WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Urine: Three to six days
Blood: 24 to 36 hours
Hair: Up to 90 days
10. Morphine
Source: WIKIMEDIA - WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Urine: Two to three days
Blood: Six to eight hours
Hair: Up to 90 days
With the exception of benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium), marijuana has the longest detectability. If you smoke a joint, it can be traced in your urine for seven to 30 days, depending upon your frequency of use and body type. That contrasts starkly with the detectability of more dangerous and addictive drugs, including heroin, meth, and cocaine.
To demonstrate why this contrast matters, consider the fatal overdose rate.
More than 15,000 people died from drug overdoses involving heroin in 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported; heroin can only be detected in urine for three to four days. More than 16,000 people died from prescription painkiller overdose in 2017; potent painkillers such as morphine have a two to three-day lifespan in urine.
Nobody has ever died from a marijuana overdose — but it can stay in your system longer than both of those drugs combined.
This article originally appeared last year.
These high-end prosthetics promise enormous quality of life improvements for their users.
Open Bionics (used with permission)
The advanced superhero themed prosthetics have the power to restore an amazing amount of capability. Open Bionics (used with permission)
From above, the Himalayas look timeless—but beneath the surface, powerful tectonic forces are at play.
The Himalayas may rise toward the sky, but deep below, the Earth's crust bends and flexes under immense pressure.
These green little creatures look harmless enough but have ravaged California ocean floors. Tim Binns
A sea otter licking its lips, perhaps ready to feast on a Green Crab.Pacific Southwest Region USFWS from Sacramento
An otter kicking its feet up after enjoying a snack. Mike's Birds from Riverside, CA
This handsome fellow and his friends have restored the estuary at Elkhorn Slough"Mike" Michael L. Baird