How to Detox from Weed (and how long does it take?)
People quit smoking weed for a variety of reasons. Some by choice and others due to worries about things like ill health, losing a job, or failing a medical. Detoxing right after quitting is a great way to flush the drug out of your body, and with some planning, effort and discipline it is a pretty straightforward thing to do.
There’s no definite answer for how long a weed detox will actually take, as it depends on factors like your previous weed smoking habit, body weight, lifestyle and end goal; so the timelines mentioned here are based on statistically average data. However, if you are looking to detox in a hurry, say to pass a random work-based drug test seems likely, your approach will take much more intense effort than a regular weed detox plan, so be prepared to ramp everything up as necessary.
Preparing to detox
The most successful detox attempts begin with a definite time plan. This may mean booking a vacation from work, or timing your detox start date to fit in around college. Although the withdrawal symptoms for regular users are not generally as severe as quitting other drugs and substances may be you can expect to experience some or all of the following things to some level: sleep problems, generally insomnia and vivid dreams, increased anxiety and lack of focus, depression, loss of appetite, headaches, the shakes, and stomach problems. It’s much easier to deal with anything that comes up when you don’t have to work, study or socialize.
Stock up on healthy snack foods – ideally choose your favorite fruits, and things like meat, nuts and whole grains over junky, sugary treats. Even apple cider vinegar has been said to be a great detoxer. Sugar rushes and carb comas are not going to help you feel any better. Get plenty of drinks in too, including water, herbal teas, and juice as well as your usual supplies, and don’t forget to organize things to pass the time or distract you – jigsaws, crosswords, magazines or DVDs are all good choices.
Finally – think about your potential support system. It’s wise to confide in at least one person who can be your go-to, but there’s plenty of online support available too, as well as helplines if you need to talk to someone impartial and supportive.
The golden rules
Eat well – even if you don’t feel like food it’s important to have regular meals where possible. Serve smaller portions or make snack plates up if you are struggling. This helps you sleep better, and reduces the chances of blood sugar drops which will make you feel worse. Read more about a good thc / weed detox diet.
Exercise – it’s as good for you to dance in your bedroom to old time tunes as it is to go for a run or a bike ride. There’s no need to take up something new – just keep moving to help your metabolism do the same. As a bonus you also get to enjoy the effect of endomorphins too.
Do things you enjoy. Exercising and eating well can help with the physical aspects of weed detox, but don’t neglect the emotional fallout. Spoiling and indulging yourself helps to compensate for the loss of a habit you were probably quite attached to.
Keep a record. Many people find it helps to record their journey when detoxing from weed. That could be as simple as marking your feelings and symptoms out of 10 each day, (a great way to measure progress on slow days), or involve creative responses like writing poetry and songs about your feelings, or keeping a journal.
How long does it take to detox from Marijuana?
Don’t expect miracles: When you smoke weed a good part of the compound which makes you high – THC – is stored in your body’s fat cells, and released very slowly over a period of time. Every joint adds a layer, so regular weed smokers shouldn’t expect to be able to flush this out in a day or two. Allow more time too if you are of a heavier build, have a higher than average body fat ratio, and consumed a lot of weed each time you smoked.
Most people are, for official purposes, completely weed free by the three month post-quit mark, but most people won’t be detoxing for that long. After a couple of weeks or so the chances are a focused detox can be wound down.
Detoxing for a drugs test
If you are looking at detox as a way to get clean when facing a drugs test you probably haven’t got the luxury of time. There are commonly agreed figures which peg how much time the average weed smoker needs to abstain to get a negative test result, although as always these are based on averages and could be influenced by a number of other factors. The aim here is to get a quick result by diluting the amount of THC lurking in your body, so the outcome is always going to be unpredictable. In general though:
Saliva tests – Anywhere from 6 – 12 hours after smoking weed should put you in the safe zone.
Urine tests – the mean figure is around 3 – 7 days clean should be enough, but traces can linger for up to 3 months amongst heavy users so this is by far the riskiest of tests, and also the most popular amongst law enforcement agents and employers.
Blood tests – allow around 36 hours at least.
Other types of testing, such as hair, breath, or sweat are less reliable and not commonly relied upon.
How to detox (fast)
The principles of speedy detoxing are the same as the regular method, but applied in a slightly different way. The following suggestions are based on you having around 5 days, so may need to be adjusted to fit the timescale you have to work with.Fast (or go very low calorie) for the first 2 days, drinking lots of water, coffee, and tea. This should shock your fat cells into working mode. Exercise but be careful. For the next 2 days eat a protein rich, low carb diet with lots of fruit and veg, and keep on drinking fluids. Exercise as much as possible. For the last day stop exercising and eat more, including some higher calorie healthy foods like nuts and avocados. This should turn off the fat cell burning mode. Drink normally – to avoid diluting urine. To speed up the process and remove THC from your system, it can be a good idea for you to use weed detox products. Here are some of the best that we have reviewed on this website:
Detox Drinks (great for Urine, Blood and Saliva tests):
- Ready Clean Detox Drink by Detoxify
- Herbal Clean Qcarbo32 with Eliminex Plus
- Mega Clean Detox Drink
- XXTRA Clean Detox Drink
- Test Pure Platinum Magnum Force
- Detoxify Green Clean
Detox Supplements (great for Urine, Blood and Saliva tests):
Detox Shampoos (great for Hair tests):
While detox products can help you reduce the levels of THC in your system, they are not a proven method and may not have fully accurate results. The best way to reduce THC levels is to detox over a long period of time, read about how to do this below.
