Key Takeaways:
- THCA itself isn’t intoxicating, but heat can change how it’s detected.
- Drug test results depend on use frequency, dose, and how it’s consumed.
- Detection times can range from days to weeks, and sometimes longer.
- Smoking or vaping carries a higher testing risk than raw consumption.
THCA products have made it so that almost anyone in the United States can enjoy legal cannabis, shipped straight to their doorstep. Because the raw material these vapes and dabs are made from contains less than 0.3% THC by dry weight, they’re perfectly legal.
Although THCA is a cannabinoid, it has no psychoactive properties; THCA is converted to Delta-9 THC (the real deal) when exposed to heat through vaping, smoking, dabbing, or baking edibles.
Can THCA be detected on a drug test? Yes, THCA shows up on a drug test in the sense that you’re essentially consuming Delta-9 THC, the main cannabinoid these tests look for.
As for how long it’ll take to get it out of your system, there’s unfortunately no one-size-fits-all answer. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few months. We’ll provide more context on what to expect below.
Overview of THCA
THCA stands for “tetrahydrocannabinolic acid,” and it’s the acidic form of traditional THC, the cannabinoid responsible for creating that lovely “high.”
There are tons of THCA in raw cannabis plants, and it does nothing from a psychoactive perspective until it’s decarboxylated, or “heated.”
Factors Influencing How Long THCA Stays in Your System
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer as it depends on how much (and how often) you consume, your metabolism, activity level, and other factors.
We’ll provide an overview of all these moving pieces to help you better set your expectations for THCA detection. At a glance, here’s a look at what you can expect for different types of THCA drug tests:
- Urine Tests - First-time or infrequent users usually take 3 to 5 days; moderate users (4 times per week) can take 5 to 7 days; and daily users take 10 to 15 days. For chronic heavy users, detection time can be more than 30 days.
- Blood Tests - Generally detectable for only a few hours to 1-2 days.
- Saliva Tests - Typically detect use for 24 to 72 hours after consumption.
- Hair Tests - Can potentially detect use for up to 90 days.
Frequency of Use
This is what matters most in determining how long THCA will linger in your system. It will take chronic or heavy users much longer to eliminate Delta-9 THC metabolites from their systems compared to occasional users, sometimes longer than a month.
In contrast, first-time users should be able to get out of the detection window within 3 days to a week. This is because THC is fat-soluble and can continue to build up the more you use it.
Dosage and Potency
Higher doses and more potent products raise Delta-9 THC metabolite levels in the body, along with frequency. This is because THC is stored in the fat cells every time you consume it. A 5mg low-dose edible will vanish from your system much more quickly than a 20mg edible.
Method of Consumption
Does the method of THCA consumption influence whether it shows on a drug test? Some say yes, and that how you consume cannabis plays a role in drug test detection as well. Smoking or vaping cannabis leads to faster absorption and quicker onset of effects, so the metabolites should work their way out of your system quicker.
On the other hand, edibles take longer to process. As a result, those metabolites might stick around a bit longer in your system. As with most things related to cannabis, though, this is purely anecdotal with no real research to support it.
Individual Metabolism and Body Composition
Some people are just fortunate enough to have a faster metabolism, meaning their body processes and excretes the THC metabolites faster than those with a slower metabolism.
Body composition plays a role here as well. As we’ve said many times so far, THC and its metabolites are stored in fat cells. So, people with higher body fat percentages retain these compounds for longer periods.
This means that the only real way to speed up the process of removing THCA from your system is to burn fat from your body.
Hydration Levels
Fat cells are largely made of water. Staying hydrated is always a good idea, and sometimes it can impact if your TCHA consumption shows on a drug test. Drinking water can help dilute THCA, thereby impacting how long THCA stays in your system.
How is THCA Metabolized in the Body?
With a better understanding of how long THCA stays in your system, let’s take a step back and talk about how it’s actually metabolized, as there is a distinction between raw THCA consumption and decarboxylated THCA.
THCA follows a metabolic pathway similar to Delta-9 THC, first forming an intermediate compound called 11-OH-THCA. From there, it’s further oxidized to produce the 11-carboxylic metabolite.
Note that THCA itself does not convert to Delta-9 THC within the body. The conversion of THCA to Delta 9 THC happens outside of the body through decarboxylation, or exposure to heat.
Consuming raw THCA in the form of juices, capsules, tinctures, or some other oral consumption method, you may not have to worry about failing a drug test. That’s not the case for those who have smoked or vaped THCA, though.
How Long Do Certain Types of THCA Consumption Stay in Your System?
So, how long does THCA stay in your system? A lot of it is dependent on the consumption method. Remember, eating raw cannabis leaves or buds and consuming THCA-rich juices or smoothies won’t result in a positive THC drug test. What about smoking or vaping, though?
Smoking and Vaping
Smoking flower is the most classic way to enjoy cannabis, while disposable cannabis vapes heat THCA concentrates and convert them to Delta-9 THC without combustion. In either case, the THCA is converted to Delta-9 THC.
In either case, when it comes to determining when THCA does not show up on a drug test any longer, you can expect:
- Urine - 3-30 days, depending on usage frequency.
- Blood - A few hours up to 1-2 days.
- Saliva - 24-72 hours.
- Hair - Up to 90 days.
Dabbing
Dabbing involves vaporizing concentrated forms of cannabis, including THCA crystals or diamonds. This method can be carried out using a dab rig to heat and inhale THCA concentrates. Due to the high concentration, dabbing may lead to longer detection times, potentially at the upper end of the ranges mentioned for smoking.
Edibles
THCA can be incorporated into edibles, but heating during preparation or consumption will immediately convert it to Delta-9 THC.
Delta-9 THC metabolites from edibles may be detectable for longer periods due to slower absorption and metabolism. Here’s what you can expect:
- Urine - Potentially up to 1-5 days for occasional users and 1-3 weeks for regular users.
- Blood and Saliva - Similar to smoking, but with a delayed onset.
- Hair Follicle - Metabolites are present for up to 90 days.
Under the Tongue Consumption
THCA can be consumed by melting the concentrate under the tongue, typically through tinctures or oils. Detection times may fall between those of edibles and smoking.
Topical Application
THCA can be applied topically through THCA-infused creams, lotions, or balms. This method won’t result in detectable levels of THC in drug tests since absorption into the bloodstream is minimal.
Looking at Different THCA Drug Test Types
Urine Tests (Most Common) – Detection Window: 3 to 30+ Days
Urine tests are the standard for workplace and probation screenings, and they tend to fall in the middle ground for their detection window:
- Occasional Users (1-2 times per week): 3-7 days
- Moderate Users (3-4 times per week): 7-14 days
- Heavy Users (Daily or near-daily): 21-30+ days
Blood Tests – Detection Window: Up to 48 Hours (Longer for Heavy Users)
Blood tests are unique in that they don’t test for THC metabolites like urine tests. Since THC exits the bloodstream fairly quickly, these are used to find out if you’ve used cannabis very recently, like in accident investigations or roadside sobriety tests.
If you haven’t vaped or smoked in 24-48 hours, your levels may already be low enough to pass.
Saliva Tests – Detection Window: 1 to 72 Hours
These are similar to blood tests in that they look for recent THC and are often used in roadside drug screenings.
Hair Follicle Tests – Detection Window: Up to 90 Days
Now, we have the hardest THCA drug test to try and pass: the hair test. These detect THC metabolites embedded in hair strands. Even one-time use can be detected months down the road.
Final Thoughts
While THCA itself doesn’t show up on a drug test, those who are smoking THCA flower or consuming concentrated forms like potent THCA vapes or dabs are essentially consuming THC.
Knowing how long THCA can stay in your system is important, but so is knowing that you can’t rush nature. Give yourself plenty of time to get those metabolites out of your system before the test, knowing that Father Time really is the only surefire way to pass a THCA drug test.
