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There’s so much confusion and uncertainty on the topic of cannabis and drug testing in 2025. These products are legal just about everywhere in some way or another, be it medical/recreation marijuana or Farm Bill compliant hemp-derived cannabis products.
That doesn’t mean your employer can’t drug test you, or that you won’t be subject to drug testing if you’re on parole or in a car crash. So does THCA show up on a drug test? Yes, but not in the way you might think.
THCA converts to delta 9 THC through decarboxylation (heat), so you’re basically consuming real THC anytime you use our THCA products for sale online here at MUNCHIES! That means you will need to be really careful about navigating the drug testing landscape.
We’ll cover everything you need to know about the dreaded THCA drug test below, including detection windows and strategies for passing different types of tests, from urine to blood and saliva.
THCA Overview
So what is THCA in the first place? This is basically the acidic precursor to delta 9 THC, which is the cannabinoid responsible for the “high” associated with cannabis. THCA is found naturally (and abundantly) in both hemp and marijuana, which is why it’s so accessible.
Here’s the thing, though. THCA does nothing on its own from a psychoactive perspective. But when you heat it up through smoking, vaping, or baking, you’re doing something called decarboxylation. This process transforms the THCA into good ol’ delta 9 THC.
At that point you’re enjoying the authentic cannabis experience with euphoria and other psychoactive effects, along with all the potential therapeutic benefits that come with it. However, you’re also going to need to know: does THCA show up on a drug test?
Does THCA Show on a Drug Test?
The short answer is yes, unfortunately. But like we said, it’s not going to be THCA itself showing up on the test. It’ll be delta 9 THC – or more accurately, the metabolites of delta 9 THC that these tests are able to screen for.
Think back to how decarbing THCA transforms it into delta 9 THC. When you smoke, vape, or dab THCA, you’re consuming something that’s chemically indistinguishable from real cannabis.
It’s THC-COOH these tests scan for, which is the metabolite your body produces after breaking down THC. The metabolite doesn’t care whether the THC came from marijuana, hemp, or THCA. It’s going to trigger a positive test result regardless of its origin.
That means even if you’re using legal THCA products, you’re at risk of failing a drug test just like you would if you used illegal marijuana products. That being said, there is another wrinkle at play: if you don’t decarb THCA, it may not show up on the drug test.
This is something some users do with raw flower: juicing it for the health benefits. You’re not going to get any sort of psychoactive effects, but you’re also not going to have to stress about drug testing. At least, most of the time you’ll be fine.
The problem is, decarboxylation can occur naturally on its own. So even if you don’t apply heat yourself, there’s still a chance some of it converted to delta 9 THC naturally.
This is why our rule of thumb is to avoid cannabis altogether if you’re expecting a THCA drug test. Save it for after you’ve passed the test with flying colors! But, how long does THCA stay in your system exactly?
When Will You Be Able to Pass a THCA Drug Test?
As with any cannabinoid, there’s no one-size-fits-all-answer. Someone who just tried THCA for the first time might be able to pass a THCA drug test in as little as a few days. On the other hand, regular users might need a few weeks or over a month to get clean.
Aside from consistency of use your metabolism influences your THCA detection window, too. A faster metabolism will breakdown those THC metabolites and get them out of the body faster. Think about it: THC is fat soluble. The more fat you have on your body, the harder it’ll be to get those metabolites out of your system.
This is something we’ll talk about below in discussing how to pass a THCA drug test: exercise and healthy eating can jumpstart your metabolism to some degree and help you excrete the unwanted metabolites faster. Let’s talk about specific drug testing windows for THCA, though.
What Drug Tests Can Detect THCA?
The drug test itself plays a huge role in whether you’ll pass or fail. The most common approach to THCA drug testing is urinalysis, but there are many others as well. So, how long does THCA show up on a drug test for? Let’s take a look.
Urine Test
- THCA metabolites may be detectable for infrequent users for 3 to 5 days.
- For moderate users (4 times per week), its detectability ranges from 5 to 7 days.
- The metabolites can be detected for chronic users (daily) around 10 to 15 days.
- For chronic heavy users (multiple times per day), metabolites can still be present for more than 30 days.
Blood Test
- THCA can typically be detected in blood for 1 to 2 days after use.
- For heavy users, it might be detectable for up to a week.
Saliva Test
- THCA can be detected in saliva for 1 to 3 days after use.
- The highest concentrations are present in the first 24 hours.
Hair Follicle Drug Test
- Hair tests offer the longest detection window, up to 90 days or longer, for THCA metabolites.
How to Pass the Dreaded THCA Drug Test
We want to be clear in saying there is only one guaranteed way to pass a THCA drug test: stopping use as early as possible and giving your metabolism plenty of time to work its magic. That being said, there are some strategies you can try to increase your odds of success.
Stop Using THCA Immediately
Stop using THCA (or anything else that turns into THC) the moment you find out you have a drug test coming up. Every day you don’t consume gives your body more time to clear it out. Even small hits or microdosing can restart the clock, so this has to be all-in.
Hydration Helps, But Don’t Overdo It
One of the biggest misconceptions in drug testing is you can hydrate your way to a clean drug test. But THC is fat soluble, so you can drink all the water you want and it’s still going to linger in your body’s fat cells.
Drinking water regularly helps flush metabolites out of your system through urine, but only to a certain point. In fact, this can actually backfire in some cases. Drug tests can detect “diluted” samples and may flag or disqualify them.
You can offset this by consuming the right vitamins, taking some creatine, and then diluting your urine to the point where THC metabolites are lower than the detection window. This is a bit of a gamble, though. You’ll want to do more research into the dilution method and make your own decisions on whether it’s worth trying or not.
Exercise (But Not Right Before Your Test)
As we’ve said over and over again throughout this guide THC-COOH is stored in fat. So, getting it out of your body faster is as simple as burning more fat! We said simple – not easy.
Regular cardiovascular exercise can help speed up fat metabolism, releasing and eliminating stored THC over time. The key here is to stop working out a few days before your test. Burning fat too close to the test day can cause THC metabolites to spike temporarily in your bloodstream and urine.
Along with exercise you should eat as clean as possible and ensure you’re in a caloric deficit. This means you eat fewer calories on a daily basis than your body burns. Your body then has to turn to its own internal fat stores for fuel.
But just as you stop exercising a few days before the test, this is your opportunity to pig out on some junk food. The idea is you can build up a new layer of fat over the fat that contains THC metabolites.
Consider Detox Kits, But Be Skeptical
Another misconception we see is that those detox kits are a foolproof approach to passing drug tests. Many claim to flush THC out of your system in as little as 24 hours! Anything that sounds too good to be true probably is.
If you go this route, look for real reviews, not generic testimonials. Also know that some detox kits can interact poorly with medications or cause side effects, so proceed with caution.
Use At-Home Test Kits to Track Progress
You can see where you’re at by doing your own drug tests at home. They’re affordable and will help you get peace of mind on your status – you might find that after a week or two you’re peeing clean and don’t need to stress about THC detection any longer!
Parting Thoughts on THCA Drug Tests
So does THCA show up on a drug test? In closing, yes. Even if you’re consuming a completely legal hemp-derived product, that won’t save you from failing a drug test.
Most tests don’t distinguish between legal and illegal sources of THC. They just detect the metabolite, and if it’s there – you’re flagged. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a THCA vape pen or THCA dabs from MUNCHIES! You just need to be careful about when you do so.
Our blog has additional resources on topics like THCA vs delta 9, THCA vs delta 8, and THCA vs THCO if you’d like to see how it compares to other cannabinoids. Otherwise, treat yourself to the finest lab-tested, hemp-derived cannabis products online at MUNCHIES!
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