What is a cannabis detox?

A weed detox is when you stop using marijuana for a long time to cleanse your body of the drug and its by-products, says Erik Smith, MD, a cannabis health tech expert with Veriheal.

Drug tests look for THC metabolites, or byproducts of THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana.

THC is fat-soluble, meaning it is stored in fat before being reabsorbed into the bloodstream and finally excreted through urine.

To detox from marijuana, you must stop using it to allow your body to expel the THC stored in your fat cells.

How long does weed detox take?

“A natural cleanse can take 30 to 90 days,” Smith says. Among these are:

• How much you smoke: Heavy smokers accumulate more THC metabolites.
• Body fat: Fat people retain more THC.
• THC excretion is poorly understood, but researchers suspect diet and stress may play a role.

For example, THC can linger in the systems of chronic cannabis users for one to three months. If you don’t smoke, you’ll probably only have to wait a few weeks. THC metabolites can be detected for up to two weeks in users who smoke a single joint, according to research.

Notably, chugging water, sweating in saunas, or consuming “detox teas” or other herbal concoctions will not likely speed up the detoxification process.

According to Smith, “many people are convinced that using niacin or Certo can quickly flush cannabis or THC out of the body.” “This is impossible and unreliable.”

Smith adds that lab technicians are trained to detect these products’ inconsistencies in urine.

For example, low uric acid and creatinine levels could make the test inconclusive, forcing you to do another urine test or, worse, a more definitive test, Smith warns.

Because THC is stored in fat, activities like exercise or fasting could theoretically speed up the process, Smith says. Exercising can have unintended consequences, such as increasing your chances of failing a test.

In one 2013 study, regular cannabis users were asked to wait 24 hours before doing 35 minutes of intense exercise. Blood THC levels of participants increased dramatically after exercise, researchers discovered.

Cannabis withdrawal

If you regularly use marijuana, quitting could cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as:

• Angry or aggressive behavior
• Anxiety
• Disturbance of sleep
• Appetite loss or decrease
• Restlessness
• Gloomy mood
• Inflammatory symptoms such as headaches, shakiness/tremors, nausea, or abdominal pain.

Withdrawal symptoms can occur within the first 24 hours of quitting weed, according to Monty Ghosh, MD, an addiction physician and clinical professor at the University of Alberta and University of Calgary. “Psychological symptoms can last longer than physical symptoms.”

Observation

Detoxing from marijuana can be painful, especially if you use it to cope with other issues.

Taking care of your mental and physical health can ease the process.

Smith advises anyone going through a cannabis detox to look for new hobbies, spend time with loved ones, get outside, and take care of their bodies by eating right and exercising regularly.