Different Drugs Stay in Your System for Different Amounts of Time

The length of effects of different drugs vary greatly. For example, the high from LSD lasts 6 to 12 hours, but the high from cocaine lasts about 15-30 minutes. The same is true for how long a drug stays in the body’s systems, even after the effect has worn off. Some drugs will stay in your system for days; some months. How long a drug is detectable depends on a number of factors.

There are a variety of reasons that a drug test might need to be conducted such as probation, legal cases, custody, divorce, employee testing, and court-ordered testing. Additionally, many sporting officials require urine drug screens to check whether athletes have used performance-enhancing drugs.

There are different types of drug tests that are used depending on the goal of the test. These include urine, saliva, blood, hair, and perspiration. Urine testing is the most common because of its ease, affordability, and fast results. It is also the only testing method approved for federally-mandated testing. Urine testing can detect if a substance has been used in the past few days for most drugs.

Hair drug testing is very effective and almost impossible to cheat at, as the hair follicle from a person’s head is taken and sent to a laboratory to be tested. It can tell if someone has used most drugs for a significantly longer period, sometimes up to the past 90 days. Hair testing is also the most efficient for the purpose of detecting on-going or repetitive drug use, because if a person only uses a drug one time, they are less likely to show up as positive on a hair test. Hair tests are also efficient when used to draw comparative test results, to find out when a drug was used, how long it was used for, or to determine if drug use was discontinued. However, it is not good if the tester only wants short term results. It also has a longer turnaround time and is more expensive.


Factors That Determine How Long Drugs Stay in Your System

People who are physically dependent on alcohol should gradually reduce, or taper, their alcohol intake. Dependence is different from addiction. People who are dependent but not addicted to alcohol may not require rehab.


Asking for Support

Almost everyone who struggles to quit drinking requires some form of peer support. As with any goal, quitting alcohol is easier if you have friends and family members supporting you. They can encourage you to stay sober and help you find other healthy ways to have fun.


Self-Help Books

Self-help books can boost your confidence and motivate you to stay sober. They provide strategies and tools to help you maintain sobriety. Numerous self-help books are available in print or online.


Tips for Those Trying to Stop Drinking

For many people, abstaining from alcohol is a major lifestyle change. It requires a lot of time, effort and mental energy. Some people can decide to quit drinking and do it without help. If you’re reading this page, you probably aren’t one of those people. Don’t compare yourself to them.

  • * Type of drug(s) used
  • * Amount of drug(s) used
  • * Frequency of use
  • * Hydration levels
  • * Body mass
  • * Physical activity
  • * Drug tolerance
  • * Metabolic rate
  • * Medical conditions that impact drug elimination
  • * The presence of other drugs or alcohol in the body
  • * Ethnicity
  • * Gender
  • * Weight
  • * The drug’s half life