Weed gummies, also known as cannabis edibles, have become increasingly popular in recent years as more states legalize recreational and medical marijuana. Gummies offer a tasty, discreet way to consume cannabis. But many people wonder – how long do the effects and traces of weed gummies stay in your system?
The amount of time cannabis remains detectable in your system depends on several factors: the dosage/THC strength, how often you use weed gummies, your metabolism and body fat percentage, and the drug test type. Here’s a look at how long cannabis from gummies is likely to show up in common drug tests:
Urine Tests
For urine tests, weed gummies can produce a positive result for 1-30 days after last use. However, detection times tend to be on the shorter end for infrequent or first-time users.
According to a post on Reddit by user SpliffWizardd, “For single use you’re looking at 3-5 days max, regular use can be 10-15 days, and for heavy daily use 30 days.”
The active ingredients in cannabis, THC and its metabolites, accumulate in fat cells. From there, small amounts continually release back into the bloodstream and urine. With frequent use of weed gummies, THC levels remain high enough to yield positive urine tests at the 30 day mark.
However, detection windows are often shorter. A study by Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that the average urine detection time after last cannabis exposure was:
- 3.5 days for occasional users (up to 3 times per week)
- 5.3 days for moderate users (4-6 times per week)
- 9.9 days for daily users
This research suggests that even with heavy weed gummy use, marijuana metabolites typically clear the urine within 10-15 days after last ingestion. Drinking plenty of water and exercising can help speed up elimination times.
Saliva Tests
Saliva tests detect recent cannabis use, as THC only remains in saliva for 1-3 days after last ingestion. According to Redditor dismissed_soul, “Gummies…..I’d say 1-2 days tops” for saliva tests.
The short detection window is because saliva tests look for the actual psychoactive THC compound rather than metabolites that linger longer in the body. THC levels peak rapidly after ingesting weed gummies but then decline quickly. This makes saliva testing ideal for determining if someone is currently under the influence of cannabis while driving or in the workplace.
Blood Tests
In blood, THC and its metabolites are detectable for 3-4 days in occasional cannabis users. For frequent users, THC can remain measurable in the blood for up to 1 week after last use.
According to Reddit user SpliffWizardd, “Blood tests are 1-7 days but closer to 1-3 days for casual use.”
Blood tests detect recency of use somewhat like saliva tests. However, they are not as common as urine or saliva cannabis screening. Blood testing can complement urine analysis, with the blood revealing very recent use and urine showing longer-term cannabinoid elimination.
Hair Tests
Hair testing provides the longest detection window for weed gummies, capable of registering repeated THC ingestion for up to 90 days.
Traces of cannabis accumulate in the hair follicles over time as gummies or other THC products are consumed. Hair testing doesn’t measure for THC itself though – it looks for evidence of the non-psychoactive metabolite THC-COOH.
Reddit users report widely variable results for how long cannabis stays in hair after eating gummies. According to tg_27, “Hair tests are the scariest cause they can tell if you’ve consumed in the last 90 days!”
However, user spliffwizardd says, “For hair….if you’re not a regular smoker a single use of gummies won’t show up.”
While hair testing can reveal a pattern of repeat THC ingestion over months, it does not provide information about recency of use. So while THC may linger for up to 90 days in hair, this does not necessarily mean the subject felt psychoactive effects that long.
Factors that Affect Detection Windows
The large variation in reported detection times for weed gummies stems from differences in several key factors:
- Metabolism – A faster metabolism leads to quicker elimination of THC metabolites.
- Body fat – THC accumulates in fat, so those with higher body fat may show longer detection times.
- Frequency of use – The more often gummies are consumed, the longer THC takes to clear the system.
- Dosing – Higher THC doses lead to more THC metabolite build-up.
- Test sensitivity – Drug tests have varying cutoff thresholds for what constitutes a positive result. More sensitive tests can detect lower cannabinoid levels.
- Test method – Urine, hair, saliva and blood tests do not detect THC over the same time periods.
So while weed gummies can remain detectable for approximately 1-30 days depending on these variables, detection windows are often on the shorter end, especially for one-time or casual THC edible use. If in doubt, it is prudent to abstain from weed gummies in the 1-3 weeks prior to any scheduled drug testing to ensure a negative result. Staying well-hydrated and exercising regularly can also help you clear THC from your system more quickly.