How Long Does Delta 8 Stay in Your System? by Jessica Rosslee at CBD Origin
magine a cannabinoid with around half the potency of THC and produces fewer psychotropic effects. Sound ideal? That’s what Delta 8-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is. It’s a cannabinoid with a different chemical structure to Delta 9 THC. This means it affects the body differently, producing less of the high or stoned feeling that many cannabis consumers seek.
Bottom Line Up Front: Those concerned about drug testing may be wondering, “how long does delta 8 stay in your system?” Generally, THC stays in the body for between five to ten days but this can changed based on a variety of factors. And since drug tests can detect metabolites from any type of THC, there is a high chance of failing if delta 8 is consumed.
What is Delta 8?
Delta 8 THC, also known as Delta 8 tetrahydrocannabinol, has been making waves in the cannabis community lately. It’s an isomer of Delta 9 THC and is also psychoactive, which can get the user high. But some claim that its effects are much milder and smoother than those of its counterpart. Because of this, many consumers have shown interest in taking Delta 8 as a treatment for chronic pain, inflammatory conditions, and nausea/vomiting associated with chemotherapy or other illnesses.
Delta 8 and Drug Tests
When we talk about pre-employment drug tests, it’s natural to focus on THC. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. What type of drug test is being used? The length of time different drugs show up in the body can vary widely depending on the test used.
If you’ve been a cannabis user for a while, you know that the type of test used to detect THC can affect how long your body will test positive for the cannabinoid. You may be surprised to learn that tests used to detect cannabis use can actually yield positive results for up to two months or even more. For example, blood tests and saliva tests can detect the presence of THC in your system for up to two days. Meanwhile, urine tests can find THC metabolites in your system for nearly two months (up to 48 days).
However, these tests aren’t always accurate because they also pick up on tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (THCA), an inactive THC metabolite produced in the liver. Furthermore, blood tests have high variability, which leads to false positives.
For these reasons, blood and saliva tests aren’t always valuable for workplace settings. Urine tests are far more accurate and can detect the presence of THC for up to two weeks after consumption. Urine tests are also more likely only to detect metabolites of THC rather than THCA or other cannabinoids. Additionally, urine tests are easier to administer and cheaper than blood or saliva tests.
As a user, it might feel like you’re in the clear after a few weeks, but it’s always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to these things.
What Factors Influence How Long Delta 8 Stays in the System for?
Several factors affect how long this cannabinoid stays in the system. Frequency of use is one of these factors. If you smoke or vape cannabis often, then delta 8 will likely remain in your system longer than if you only use it occasionally. The amount of delta 8-THC in a cannabis product also plays a role: the higher the potency, the more likely you will test positive for the cannabinoid. Finally, the method of consumption can also affect how long delta 8 remains in your system. Smoking or vaping tend to produce quicker results than ingesting edibles.
When you consider how long Delta 8 THC can stay in your system, the method of consumption comes into play. Delta 8 THC is the compound that gets you high when you consume marijuana.
There are several ways to consume marijuana, such as smoking, vaping, eating edibles, and
applying topicals to the skin. Each of these methods affects how long Delta 8 THC can stay in your system. The most common method of consuming marijuana is smoking it. Smoking causes a rapid spike in blood THC levels and results in peak levels occurring 30 minutes after inhalation. After smoking, users typically feel the effects for around two hours before they subside.
One of the fastest ways to reach peak blood THC levels is using a vape pen or dab rig. Vaping pen cartridges and dab rigs typically contain concentrated THC oils known as distillates or butane hash oil (BHO). They provide a quick and potent dose that results in peak levels almost immediately. Users typically feel high for an hour after each session with a vape pen or dab rig.
One of the benefits that people enjoy about vaporizing is that the direct route of entry into the bloodstream means less time before the user feels the effects and experiences the psychoactive effects of THC. Vaping also avoids some of the harmful carcinogens found in smoke because there is little to no combustion involved.
Smoking or vaping weed can produce effects that last from 3 to 4 hours, with the peak occurring within minutes of smoking. The effects of smoking and the effects of eating pot-infused edibles are different.
Marijuana consumed as an edible or by mouth needs to be metabolized by the liver before releasing delta 8 THC into the bloodstream. This process produces a high that lasts for approximately 4 to 12 hours, depending on what type of edible is consumed, how much is consumed, and the person’s metabolism. Effects can be felt in 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming an edible and can last up to 12 hours.
Methods of Consumption Influence How Long Delta 8 Remains in your System
Vaping
When you vape Delta 8, you’re taking a form of THC that’s typically not inhaled or created using typical extraction methods. Without getting into the science behind it, the substance itself is colorless and odorless, but it produces a characteristic high when smoked or vaped. The effects kick in within 6 minutes, peak between 30 minutes and 2.5 hours, and last for up to 5 hours – all depending on dose, your body weight, method of intake, and metabolism.
Oils & Tinctures
I find that the effects of Delta 8 THC oils and tinctures are more potent than smoking marijuana. Taking Delta 8 THC oils and tinctures sublingually (under your tongue) allows the THC molecules to dissolve directly into your bloodstream and cross the blood-brain barrier more effectively.
When ingested orally, Delta 8-THC tinctures and oils have a much longer onset time than inhaled varieties of cannabis. It can take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes before any effects are felt, peaking around an hour and a half to two hours after consumption. As the effects wear off, you can expect it to last around four to five hours, tapering off slowly over the next two hours or so.
Edibles
Delta 8-THC is an active ingredient in edible products like “Pot Tarts” and “Gummy Bears,” as well as tinctures and other forms of cannabis extracts. It’s one of 113 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, but unlike the ‘regular’ THC you hear about, Delta 8-THC doesn’t have as strong psychoactive effects. When Delta 8-THC enters the body, it needs to be metabolized before the effects can take hold. This is similar to tinctures, which have an onset time of about 30 to 90 minutes. Once ingested, users will feel the effects for about five hours.
Capsules
You’ll rarely see me taking a capsule or a pill- I save that for when I’m in desperate need of rapid relief. But CBD capsules? Those surprised me. I never thought I would be a part of the population that takes CBD capsules, I prefer the tinctures, but I quickly realized the benefits of taking a capsule.
There’s no strange aftertaste in your mouth, and I noticed a slow and steady onset of effects. This gradual climb is way better than the rapid slap in the face that tinctures or vapes can give, and it feels more gentle to me than the heavy edible onset. But, that is just my preference.
Remember, when you consume an ingestible form of Delta 8-THC, it takes a bit longer for your body to metabolize it, which means that the effects last for a more extended period of time as well. If you are new to Delts-8-THC products, it might be wise to start with a lower concentration and watch how it affects you before moving up to the most potent capsules.
How Long do Delta 8 THC Effects Last?
To understand how long Delta 8 stays in your system, you must understand how it affects you. Delta 8 is a type of THC that is said to be more relaxing than other forms of THC. This type of cannabis is also known to help patients manage medical conditions such as nausea and insomnia.
I know that you want to know how long the effects of Delta 8 THC last, but it’s not as easy a question as you might think. After Delta 8 is consumed, the body has to break down the cannabinoid.
What happens next depends on a few factors, including what part of the body processes the Delta 8 and how much Delta 8 is actually in your system.
It’s tough to determine exactly how long THC’s psychoactive effects last after you consume Delta 8, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying to find out. After all, knowing more about it can be helpful if you’re looking for a way to reduce the effects of THC on your body.
First, remember that Delta 8 is different from Delta 9; they’re two different cannabinoids. Also, while Delta 9 is found in marijuana and plants used to make marijuana before lawmakers legalized it in certain states and countries worldwide, Delta 8 is only found in synthetic forms of cannabis.
Delta 8 is also much more potent than Delta 9. But what does all that mean? It means that once you consume Delta 8, your body has to process it in a different way than it does with other cannabinoids. For example, the liver has to break down Delta 8 into metabolites so drug tests can detect them. That breakdown process takes time—which, of course, means that Delta 8 can still be in your system for days after you take it.
The human body metabolizes Delta 8 THC differently than other cannabis compounds like CBD or CBN, which are more water-soluble and can leave the body within hours after consumption. Delta 8 does not dissolve as quickly, so it stays in our bodies for more extended periods.
This can be good for medical marijuana patients who use cannabis to treat chronic pain or spasticity. Still, cannabis consumers who want to avoid detection on a drug test may want a substance with a shorter half-life.
Delta 8 is a different kind of high than other cannabis compounds, so it’s essential to understand how it works in your body before consuming too much at once or trying to eat certain foods like chocolate or pizza before taking a drug test.
THC and other cannabinoids bind to fat cells, which means it takes longer to leave the body than drugs that don’t stick around in fat cells. Some people assume if you have a higher fat content, it might take longer for the THC to leave your system.
I was told once that if you have a urine test coming up, you can take a home drug test or drink some water. The greater your hydration level, the better your chances of passing the test—because more water means there’s less THC in your urine. While this seems a little bit like an old wives tale, I do think that taking an at-home urine test to check your levels is a good idea (before the primary test, obviously). There’s no hard-and-fast rule about how long Delta 8 stays in your system, but this should give you a general idea.
A Few Factors Determine How Long an Individual will Test Positive for Delta 8
Usage: The more you use and how often you use it, the longer it will take for your body to rid itself of Delta 8.
Mental/physical state: Your body processes chemicals differently when you’re tired or sick. So if you use weed after a long day at work and go to bed, you could still test positive for Delta 8 in the morning even though you haven’t smoked since the night before.
Body fat: If your body has a more significant proportion of fat cells than others, then your
metabolism is slower, and it’ll take longer for your system to get rid of Delta 8.
Stored water content: Water helps flush out toxins in our bodies. But if you drink lots of water right before the test, that could also be noted as a red flag.
How often do you use it? According to experts, the amount of time Delta 8 remains in your system depends on how often you use it. First-time users may have Delta 8 in their systems for 3 to 4 days, while occasional users can expect it to stay for about a week. Regular users can expect the cannabinoid to remain in their systems for a month or more. If you’ve been using Delta 8 and want to test yourself, a standard method is taking a saliva swab. At-home detection kits are also available if you want to test yourself discreetly.
What is the Potency of the Delta 8? Potency plays a considerable role in how long a cannabis product remains in your system, and it can be trickier than you think to figure out exactly how long that Delta 8 THC is going to stick around. The first thing to consider is the type of product you’re using—for example, smoked marijuana has much higher concentrations of the Delta 8 than edibles do. In addition to this, the concentration of Delta 8 in the product itself plays a role. The higher the concentration of Delta 8 in the product, the longer it will take to leave your system.
So, what should you do? If I were you, I would simply err on the side of caution and ensure my system is as free from Delta 8 as possible before a scheduled drug test.
Because cannabinoids bind to fat, they will take longer to leave the body than other substances (such as alcohol). Delta 8 stays in your system for a variable amount of time. According to one study, it could take as long as five days to be completely flushed out of your system. Traces of Delta 8 may remain in your system for a few extra days after the last time you take Delta 8. Additionally, it is best to remember that once traces could still be found after this period. Experts recommend using a timeframe of 5 to 10 days, but how long Delta 8 remains in your system depends on a few key factors.
How do you Take the Delta 8?
We’ve already covered the basics of Delta 8 THC and how it affects your system, but there is an essential factor to be considered when it comes to an understanding how long Delta 8 stays in the system. The method in which you use the chemical can significantly impact its rate of breakdown in your body. The reason behind this is that some intake methods are more efficient than others at breaking down cannabinoids.
For instance, when Delta 8 THC is smoked or vaped, it doesn’t take long before the chemical has left the body. This is because smoking or vaping chemically breaks down the cannabinoids into their psychoactive components and harmlessly releases them as smoke or vapor.
On the other hand, ingesting Delta 8 THC will cause it to stay in your system for a more extended amount of time than if you used it through another method. This is because ingested forms of Delta 8 are broken down more slowly by the body, allowing for more time for these chemicals to interact with various systems and break down naturally.
As we all know, Delta 8 THC can be ingested in many different ways. The most popular way is to smoke or vape it, but you can also eat it or apply a dropper full of it under your tongue. More factors play into how long Delta 8 stays in your system. One factor is your age, another is your weight and metabolism, and the last is genetics.
The average time that Delta 8 stays in your system will be anywhere from 2-3 days to up to a week. If you’re 21 years old and male, you’ll have a shorter time frame than someone who’s 60 and female. Also, if you have more body fat than someone else, you might have it in your system longer than they would. Finally, some people are just naturally fast metabolizers of cannabinoids like THC.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How Long Before Delta 8 is Flushed From the System?
Answer: At first glance, Delta 8 THC doesn’t seem like something that would cause problems for anyone who undergoes drug testing. After all, it isn’t known to have any adverse side effects, provided users don’t consume exceptionally high doses. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that the compound is entirely harmless. It can cause problems for anyone who undergoes drug testing. Drug tests do not distinguish between Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC. All types of THC get metabolized into THC metabolites, which makes it difficult for tests to distinguish the differences between the different types of THC.
What if I told you that passing or failing a drug test has more to do with how fast your body flushes out THC metabolites than anything? There are a lot of factors that come into play when it comes to passing a drug test. And no matter whether you’re taking an oral swab drug test or a hair follicle drug test, the answer to “how do I pass a drug test” is going to be different for everybody.
What if I told you that drug tests aren’t always that accurate? That’s right. Sometimes they’re so full of loopholes and errors that you can eat a cookie filled with enough weed to make Snoop Dogg blush and still pass the test.
Most employers will require you to take an initial urine test before they even consider hiring you. You’ll also have to take one or two follow-up tests before they clear you for duty. The good news is that if you haven’t consumed any THC in the last couple of months, you should be able to pass the first urine test without running into any issues. The real issue comes with the follow-up tests—the ones that employers want to see before they give you the green light. These are considered “confirmatory” tests, usually hair follicle examinations and blood tests. If you’ve been smoking on an almost daily basis for several years, then you might run into some trouble here.
This is my guide that I use as a general referral when wondering whether or not I will pass a drug test after using delta 8:
- Oral/saliva test: Up to 2 days
- Blood test: Up to 2 days
- Urine test: Up to 48 days
- Hair follicle test: Up to 90 days
And remember- these are not set in stone. In other words, they are only estimates and should not be relied on.
Question: How to Flush Delta 8 From my System?
Answer: Your next question is probably along the lines of How to Clear Delta 8 THC out of Your System
It’s usually recommended to steer clear of Delta 8 THC at least one to two weeks before undergoing a drug test. However, people aren’t always aware of upcoming drug tests. In this case, there are a few valuable tips for flushing as much of the cannabinoid out of the system as possible.
If you’re going to be undergoing a drug test in the next few weeks and you know there’s THC in your system, it’s probably best to steer clear of Delta 8 THC. But here’s the thing, you might not always be given a long heads up before a test. Here are some tips for flushing as much Delta 8 THC out of your system as possible so that you can pass whatever drug test you might be facing:
There are a couple of tips that can help you pass a test, but please do not rely on them. I am hesitant to share my personal experience, as I do not want to get blamed if what worked for me doesn’t work for you. But what I will do, is share some tips that have not only helped me but a few other people that I know:
- Saturation via hydration
- That’s just a silly way of saying that drinking a lot of water can help you flush Delta 8 out of the system. It’s not exactly rocket science, the more water you drink, the more frequently you will urinate. Aside from flushing your system, you will also end up diluting any remaining THC metabolites.
- Check your diet
- If you eat plenty of junk food, you will probably get constipation. Try to include more fibrous and protein-rich foods into your diet. This will help your body keep a regular rhythm regarding excretion, effectively ridding your body of anything unwelcome in your system.
- Sweat it out
- And no, I don’t mean that you can literally sweat out Delta 8. But what I do mean is that exercise keeps your body’s metabolism balanced and healthy, which effectively prevents your body from holding onto unwanted toxins for longer than necessary.
Question: What are the Effects of Delta 8?
Answer: When you’re deciding what THC product to use, it might seem like there are an overwhelming number of options. If you want a mild high that will leave you feeling clear-headed and happy, it’s essential to make sure you choose the right kind of product. You might think that the only factor to consider is whether you want to be awake enough to go about your day or wholly relaxed and ready for bed. (And let’s be honest, choosing between these two options isn’t easy.)
But when it comes to THC products, there’s actually one more factor that can impact the kind of high you get: the Delta 8 level. Delta 8 is a type of THC that’s known as a CB1 agonist. It’s similar to Delta 9 in that it binds to the CB1 receptors, but it’s not quite as strong. And just as some people are better at math than others, Delta 8 has a unique ability to make users feel good without leaving them feeling completely stoned. That’s because it isn’t as psychoactive as THC. The effects of Delta 8 THC on the body are milder than other forms of THC. Most users feel a mild high that is stimulating and uplifting. So if you’re looking for a mild high that feels more like caffeine than weed, then choosing a product with higher levels of Delta 8 is probably best for you.
The Bottom Line
Everyone wants to know how long Delta 8 stays in your system, but there isn’t a straightforward answer. More than one factor can influence how long the compound stays in your body—and in turn, how long you test positive for it. To understand this better, you’ll want to know what Delta 8 is and why it matters. Delta 8 is a cannabis compound that can be detected in urine for up to six days after use. This number could vary if certain factors—such as the use of certain supplements or medications—are taken into consideration. Delta 8 is found in many cannabis products, including oils, flower, edibles, and vapes. Like other cannabis compounds (like tetrahydrocannabinol), Delta 8 gets processed by the body. It’s then secreted out through sweat and urine as metabolites (the products of metabolism).
It’s thought that Delta 8 can be detected between 5 and 10 days after last use. However, as you’ve seen, there are quite a few factors that can change this estimation. This is why it’s so important for consumers to know their limits and be responsible when using cannabis products.
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