Do THC Drinks Show Up on a Drug Test?

Many people who want to try cannabis find themselves wondering, "Do THC drinks show up on a drug test?" The short answer is yes.

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is the compound in cannabis that makes you feel high, and drug tests can find THC metabolites in the body no matter how the THC was taken. Whether it is smoked, eaten, or ingested through beverages, the body processes THC similarly, and testing methods are generally the same.

What Are THC Drinks?

THC drinks are beverages that have the psychoactive ingredient from cannabis added to them. The THC is usually processed as nano-emulsified THC. With this technology, THC is broken down into very small pieces that mix well with liquids and are absorbed by the body more quickly and effectively than traditional edibles like gummies or baked goods. These drinks include teas, lemonades, juices, sparkling waters, and more. 

Because of this method of delivering THC, the effects can start faster—often within 10 to 30 minutes—and usually last between two and four hours, though this depends on how much was consumed and how fast your metabolism works.

How Drug Tests Detect THC

Drug testing does not usually look for THC itself but rather the metabolites that the body produces as it breaks down THC, mainly THC-COOH. These metabolites remain in the system far longer than the initial THC compound and are what most workplace or legal drug screens detect.

Tests that look for THC metabolites include:

• Urine tests: Most common for employment screening, detecting THC metabolites generally for 3 to 30 days after consumption depending on frequency.
• Saliva tests: Detect recent use within approximately 24 to 72 hours.
• Blood tests: Usually detect recent use within a couple of hours to a few days.
• Hair tests: Can detect THC metabolites up to 90 days later.

Detection Timeframes for THC Drinks

The detection window for THC from drinks aligns closely with other forms of THC intake because the body metabolizes the compound similarly, regardless of consumption method. Here’s a broad overview:

• Urine: For occasional users, THC generally stays detectable for about 3 to 7 days. For regular or heavy users, it can linger for 30 days or longer.
• Saliva: Detectable for up to 1 to 3 days.
• Blood: THC can show in blood from a few hours up to about 7 days for heavy users.
• Hair: Metabolites can remain detectable for up to 90 days.

Detection time is affected by how often you use, how much body fat you have, how fast your metabolism is, and how much THC you use. Since THC is absorbed by body fat, it can stay in fatty tissue for a longer time. Tests are more likely to find THC metabolites over longer amounts of time when people use cannabis often.

Can One THC Drink Cause a Positive Test?

You can fail a drug test even after just one THC drink. It is still possible, even though the chances may be lower with smaller amounts, and if the test is done several days after use. It's easier to test positive if you drink a lot of THC-containing drinks, like those with 5 mg or 10 mg of THC per beverage. People whose metabolisms are slower or who have more body fat may hold on to metabolites for longer, which raises the risk even more.

Consider Your Employment and Testing Policies

Before drinking a THC drink, you should find out what your employer's rules are about drug tests and THC use. Different businesses and places of work have different rules and limits for finding THC metabolites. Some have "zero tolerance" rules, which means that any trace can fail a test. Others use "cutoff thresholds" to tell the difference between metabolites from recent use and those from earlier use.

Also, urine tests are often part of background checks or pre-employment drug screenings, so it's important to know when to plan ahead. Some companies also use hair tests to detect THC use over the long term, which has a much wider detection window.

Carrying out individual research based on your circumstances is key:

• Review the company’s drug testing policies.
• Ask if they use urine, saliva, blood, or hair testing.
• Learn the timing of tests related to interviews, onboarding, or random testing.
• Consider discussing with a healthcare professional or a legal advisor if uncertain.

Do THC Drinks Show Up On a Drug Test?

Because the body processes THC the same way no matter how it is consumed, THC drinks do show up on drug tests. The length of a detection window depends on the type of test and other factors, but they are usually between days and weeks. 

Even drinking THC drinks once in a while can cause a positive test result. Knowing the rules about drug tests at work and making plans based on them can help you make safe choices about what to drink.