Marijuana, which is also commonly known as cannabis, weed or pot, is a natural drug known for its ability to influence the mind of users. Weed is probably the most widely used drug in the United States thanks to its medical and recreational purposes. It can effectively alleviate chronic pain and help individuals relax and temporarily escape the unpleasant reality around them. According to official information, more than 45% of Americans tried marijuana at least once, while 55 million Americans currently use it on an occasional basis. We also want to note that the consumption of weed continues to grow steadily.

In the given context, it’s worth mentioning that many people don’t view marijuana as a “serious” drug that poses a threat to their well-being. This is a major problem because the psychoactive component of weed called THC may cause addiction and negatively affect the cognitive capabilities of individuals. Thus, it’s unsurprising that 3 in 10 people using cannabis have a substance use disorder (SUD). Most importantly, children and adolescents are especially susceptible to the mind-impairing effects of marijuana and tend to develop addiction much faster than adults.

What Is THC?

Now that you’re aware of the threat posed by marijuana, let’s talk about its psychoactive component, the infamous THC. When a person consumes weed in any way, be it smoking, vaping or eating various edibles, cannabinoids enter the bloodstream. After this, THC travels to the liver where it’s metabolized and most of it is eliminated from the system.

However, it’s important to know that the byproducts of THC metabolism, also known as metabolites, are fat-soluble. This means that they attach to fat cells and can remain within the fat reserves of your body for prolonged periods of time. With time, these stored THC metabolites gradually re-enter your bloodstream, which allows drug tests to detect marijuana a long time after its consumption.

Effects of Marijuana on Your System

As we already mentioned, people consume weed in different ways, including smoking, vaping, or using various edibles like cookies or brownies. Regardless of the consumption method, marijuana produces largely similar effects on your system.

To begin with, weed has become popular among different social groups due to its medicinal and recreational properties. It’s also important to know that the effects of marijuana usually kick in 30-40 minutes after its consumption and can last for up to several hours. Some of its positive effects include:

  • Relaxation
  • Pain relief
  • Increased senses
  • Humorous attitude and behavior

Unfortunately, its consumption can also cause such negative effects as:

  • Rapid mood swings
  • Impaired movement
  • Impaired thinking and memory
  • Altered sense of time

As you can see, these negative effects are rather mild. However, the excessive consumption of marijuana can result in much more severe consequences that have the potential to become life-threatening. They include:

  • Hallucinations
  • Delusions
  • Psychosis

We also have to point out that the regular consumption of marijuana can impair brain development in adolescents. Available scientific data suggests that young people who use weed show significantly pooper performance in such areas as “sustained attention, impulse control, and executive functioning”. These issues tend to negatively influence their academic performance and social skills, eventually resulting in decreased IQ and numerous problems in personal and professional life in adulthood.

Marijuana Addiction and Its Consequences

While many people falsely believe that addiction to weed is a myth, reality proves otherwise. Heavy or even regular consumption can easily lead to addiction, similar to any other drug. While it’s practically impossible to overdose using weed, people addicted to it commonly experience a variety of severe and even life-threatening physical and mental side effects. Let’s look at some of them:

  • Breathing difficulties
  • Increased heart rate
  • Vomiting
  • Nausea
  • Paranoia
  • Hallucinations
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Suicidal thoughts

It’s also worth mentioning that the use of weed during pregnancy can lead to a variety of adverse consequences, such as premature birth and developmental disorders in newborns. Marijuana addiction also produces a destructive impact on the personal, professional, and social life of individuals. In particular, it can lead to unemployment, inability to find a new job, ruined relationships with family and friends, social isolation, and various anti-social and risky behaviors.

How Do Marijauana Drug Tests Work?

Remember about THC? Well, that’s exactly what all weed drug tests look for. To be precise, they focus on detecting the traces of THC in your system. This can be done in various ways. Specifically, there are blood, saliva, urine, and hair drug tests for weed. Each of them can detect THC for a different amount of time, which is commonly called a detection window. For example, blood tests are usually used to detect weed use during the last 72 hours, while hair tests can find even the slightest traces of THC for up to 90 days after consumption.

We should say that a urine drug test is the most common type of test for cannabis because it’s accurate, reliable, and quite easy and cheap to perform. So let’s take a look at its detection windows for weed based on the frequency of use:

  • One-time use: up to 3 days
  • Occasional use (several times per week): up to 7 days
  • Regular use (every day): up to 15 days
  • Heavy use (several times every day): up to 30 days

It’s important for you to know that the period of marijuana detection depends on various personal factors as well. These include your body mass index (BMI), metabolic rate, level of daily physical activity, diet, etc.

THC Detox: Challenges and Withdrawal Symptoms

marijuana withdrawal

As with any addiction, it’s possible to overcome marijuana dependence if you choose to set this goal and consistently follow it. One of the key aspects of this process is full detoxification. However, we have to warn you that detox commonly causes a variety of withdrawal symptoms. They can make it extremely difficult for you to remain focused on the goal and avoid a relapse. The list of common marijuan withdrawal symptoms includes:

  • Problems with sleeping
  • Appetite loss
  • Low mood
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Anger
  • Depression
  • Sweating
  • Headaches
  • Stomach pain
  • Fever
  • Dehydration

Fortunately, it’s possible to alleviate these symptoms by using several important strategies. We’ll explain them in detail further in this article.

THC Detox Methods: How to Get THC Out of Your System Safely and Effectively?

There are many different ways to detox from THC, ranging from home remedies to medication-assisted treatment. Let’s take a brief look at them.

Let’s begin with discussing so-called home remedies. These detox products are made from ingredients that are widely available to common people, including different teas, herbal drinks, baking soda, vinegar, etc. Most of them have either very limited detox capabilities or none at all. Moreover, some home detox methods are pretty dangerous and can seriously harm your health, so it’s better to avoid them.

You can also perform THC detox by using specialized detox products that come in a variety of forms, including pills, drinks, kits, and even shampoos. These can temporarily or permanently detox your system in a relatively safe and effective way. However, the medical community tends to frown upon these detox products due to the insufficient amount of compelling scientific evidence to support their reliability.

The last and most reliable THC detox method is specialized medical treatment. It may come in different forms, including various therapies, outpatient and inpatient programs available at rehab centers and clinics, and even medication-assisted treatment in the most problematic cases. The main advantage of this approach is that you undergo detox and rehabilitation under the constant supervision of qualified and experienced medical specialists. They can provide all the help and support you need to overcome your addiction and avoid a relapse.

THC Detox Tips: Mitigating Withdrawal Symptoms

You should also get to know how to ease the detox process and minimize withdrawal symptoms. This can be done on various ways, including the following ones:

  • Proper hydration. You should drink a lot of water during the detox process. This will help you to flush out THC metabolites faster.
  • Regular exercising. We’ve already mentioned that THC is stored in your body fat. Regular exercising can help you burn fat and get rid of metabolites much faster. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training exercises tend to be especially effective in achieving this goal.
  • Balanced diet. You can ease the detox process by adopting a fiber-rich diet. It’s also advisable to avoid processed and junk foods that lead to the accumulation of fat.
  • Avoid caffeine. As you now know, weed detox can cause problems with sleep. That’s why you should greatly reduce your caffeine consumption or even temporarily abandon it until you’ve successfully completed the detox process.
  • Take hot baths and use the sauna. These can help you relax both physically and mentally. Additionally, hot baths and saunas are well-known for their ability to alleviate physical pain.
  • Stress management. As already mentioned, marijuana detox can be a psychologically taxing process. You should try various stress management techniques like medication or yoga that can help you relax and achieve peace of mind.

We also have to emphasize that continuous support plays a key role in THC detox and further rehabilitation. That’s why you should consider joining group support programs offered by Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Marijuana Anonymous (MA). You can also greatly benefit from their 12-step program.

Specialized Products for THC Detox: How Long Does It Take for Weed to Be Cleared from the Body Using Them?

We’ve already mentioned that there are various specialized detox products freely available to the general public. All of them fall into several distinctive categories: drinks, pills, kits, mouthwashes, and shampoos. Now let’s discuss them in greater detail.

  • Detox drinks for weed. These are designed to remove most of THC metabolites from your system and temporarily mask the remaining ones. They usually work very fast.
  • THC detox pills. These allow you to fully detox your system from THC over a certain period of time. There are different pill-based detox programs available, depending on the manufacturer and your personal needs. Some pills can be used even to achieve same-day detox.
  • THC detox kits. Detox kits usually include several detox products like pills and drinks, combined with additional useful products such as fiber. They offer a comprehensive approach to THC detox and are usually highly effective.
  • Mouthwashes. These are used to remove THC metabolites from your saliva. They can be used in situations when urgent detox is needed.
  • Shampoos. Special detox shampoos are designed to remove metabolites from your hair shafts. It takes significant time and effort to take full advantage of these products.

These detox products tend to be rather effective and safe, especially if you choose a well-known brand and buy them directly from the manufacturer. However, you should always consult a medical professional first if you plan to use any of them. A specialist will be able to provide you with personalized advice and ensure your safety during the detox process. This step is especially important if you have chronic illnesses or regularly take any kind of medication.

Professional THC Detox Programs: How Long Does It Take to Get Weed Out of Your System?

THC detox professional programs

When you want to overcome marijuana addiction, it’s highly advisable to seek specialized medical help. The best way to do so is to visit a rehab center or clinic where a team of experienced professionals will be able to create an individualized treatment plan for you and provide all the necessary assistance and support along the way. Let’s look at the main types of professional THC detox programs available at rehabs.

  • Outpatient programs. These don’t require you to remain at rehab all the time. Instead, you’ll need to regularly visit it to undergo scheduled therapy and treatment.
  • Inpatient programs. These offer a comprehensive approach to fighting marijuana addiction. If you join this type of program, you’ll need to stay at rehab where you’ll receive intensive treatment and 24/7 assistance and support.
  • Different types of therapy. Rehabs usually offer a variety of therapies to people struggling with marijuana addiction. These may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), family therapy, etc. The main goal of any type of therapy is to improve your coping and self-management skills, address the root causes of addiction, and prevent a potential relapse.
  • Medication-assisted treatment (MAT). MAT is used only in the most problematic cases, when people can’t stop using marijuana on their own or experience extremely severe symptoms of withdrawal. It involves the use of prescription medications under the close supervision of medical professionals.

We want to emphasize that you can also avoid the risks of detoxing on your own by relying on professional THC detox programs available at rehabs. In particular, they’ll help you avoid dehydration and such psychological issues as anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia. The latter can not only make your life miserable, but also potentially cause a relapse.

Overcoming Marijuana Addiction

After reading this article, you’ve probably come to the logical conclusion that overcoming marijuana addiction can greatly improve the quality of life for your loved ones or yourself. We wholeheartedly support this opinion. Thus, we want to repeat that THC detox is the first step on the path to sobriety, full recovery, and a happier life. Detoxing from THC will allow you to regain full control of your thoughts and actions, rebuild family and personal relations, and achieve greater professional success.

In this context, you should remember that there are many detox options available to you. You can use home remedies (though we don’t recommend it), specialized detox products (you should remember to consult a medical specialist first), or seek professional treatment at a rehab center or clinic. We strongly advise you to choose the latter because this option is the safest and most reliable one.